Spanish continues to be one of the most popular foreign languages for Americans, and every year thousands of students of all ages travel abroad to Spanish-speaking countries to study the language. Argentina ranks high on the list of great destinations for Spanish classes for a number of reasons. Despite a weakening dollar Argentina continues to be a very affordable destination for language students from the U.S., and the country offers great cultural diversity, outstanding natural beauty, and a welcoming people. Argentina is also a well-developed country with a high standard of living, and foreign students will find all the amenities they are used to from home.
Córdoba, located in central Argentina about 500 miles inland from Buenos Aires, stands out as one of Argentina’s best locations for foreign Spanish students. Córdoba is smaller and more intimate than Buenos Aires, and Spanish study provides a great opportunity to immerse yourself in the local culture, make friends with the locals, and learn the language. The cost of living is also lower in Córdoba than in Buenos Aires, and so are the course fees. The city has a large student population, which gives it a very dynamic cultural and social life. The city center, where the university is located, is alive with coffee houses, bookstores, bars and restaurants, as well as pleasant pedestrian malls, a busy shopping district, and large tree-lined squares. Language students will be able to enjoy movies, art exhibits, tango, as well as folkloric performances and a contemporary music scene all close to the city center.
Although Córdoba is today a large modern urban center with 1.2 million inhabitants, it retains much of its historic heritage, among them the rich Jesuit history with its university, as well as churches and other colonial buildings. The Jesuit block in Córdoba and several historic Jesuit farming estates in nearby towns are today part of UNESCO’s World Cultural Heritage. Outdoor enthusiasts will also find plenty to do in the vicinity of the city. The Quebrada del Condorito National Park, located in the Sierra de Córdoba mountains, is the easternmost range of the majestic Andean condor, and visiting the mountains for a hike or birdviewing trip is a great weekend getaway.
Spanish Schools in Cordoba
- Able Spanish
Independiencia 233 - Centro, Córdoba, Argentina, Tel: +54-351-423-3300; ablespanish@hotmail.com; www.ablespanish.com.
$30 registration fee. Offers group courses (20 hrs/wk; $120), intensive courses (30 hrs/wk; $200) and private classes ($12/hr). Refers lodging at student residences ($60-$100/wk), homestays ($75-$110/wk), hostels and hotels.
- A.I.E. Argentina Idioma Español
Otto Meiling 357, 8400 Bariloche, Rio Negro, Argentina. info@patagoniaspanish.com, www.patagoniaspanish.com.
$60 registration fee. Offers year-round classes in Córdoba,
$45 registration fee; offers group instruction (20 hrs/wk, $125), intensive courses (additional 10 classes of private instruction, $225/wk, with extra cultural immersion activities: $350), and private classes ($12/hr).
- Espanex
Av. Rafael Nuñez 5675 – Córdoba, Argentina; info@espanex.org, www.espanex.org.
$40 registration fee. Offers group courses with up to 5 students/class (20 hrs/wk, $125), intensive courses (20 group & 10 private classes $220/wk), and private classes ($12/hr). Provides homestays ($60-$130/wk) and student apartments ($70-$110); offers excursions.
- Argentina I.L.E.E.
Av. Callao 339, 3rd fl., 1022 Buenos Aires, Argentina; Tel: +54-11-47827173; info@argentinailee.com, www.argentinailee.com.
Offers Spanish classes in
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