Alliance Française - Parlez vous Francais?
siddlobo
| 30 September, 2008 11:09
Welcome to the third article in easyexpat’s series on
language and cultural institutes. In this issue, the spotlight is on Alliance
Française, an organization whose main mission is to promote French outside its
own country’s borders.
While most people can manage ‘Bonjour’ or the famous ‘Bon
Appetit’, this wasn’t enough for some French lovers. Set up in 1883 by a group
of eminent men including the scientist Louis Pasteur and the writers Jules
Verne and Ernest Renan, this institution’s aim is to spread the French language
throughout the world. A mission well accomplished with a network of over 1071
institutions in 133 countries, from far the largest in the world! From India
to Australia, UK
to U.S, every year approximately 440,000 students learn a few more French words
at one of its many centres. In fact, so great is its success in spreading the
French language and culture that in 2005, along with the Societe Dante Alighieri,
the British Council, the Goethe Institute, the Instituto Cervantes and the
Instituto Camões, the Alliance
Française was awarded the Prince of Asturias Award for outstanding achievements
in communications and the humanities.
Courses offered
There are a number of courses offered and levels vary from
Beginner to Advanced. At the head quarters in Paris,
there are many options available including short, intensive courses or more relaxed
options, evening classes or day courses. General French language courses can be
combined with professional courses, customized courses and workshops.
Professional courses include courses that focus on Business
French, Medical French, Tourism French and Legal French. Or you can opt for a
customized course with emphasis on phonetics, private lessons or self-guided
learning options. Workshops include written, oral and thematic workshops. For
those who’d like to teach French as a second language, Alliance Française also
offers ‘Teacher’s training’ options.
All courses end with tests. Upon successful completion of
these tests, you will receive a certification recognized by ALTE (Association
of Language Testers in Europe). The DELF (diplôme d’études en langue
française) and the DALF
(diplôme approfondi de langue française) are official diplomas issued by the French ministry of education to certify
your command of the French language. These definitely come in handy for those
applying for jobs in a French-speaking country.
Fees and Schedule
Given the wide variety of options available, fees vary
widely. Fees also depend on the size of class and duration of the course. An
Intensive General French Course of 20 hours per week can cost between 160 and
225 euros while an extensive course of 9 hours per week cost between 80 and 100
euros. For a more detailed look at the fees and schedules of the Alliance
Francaise in Paris, log onto http://www.alliancefr.org/
For a listing of some of the other franchises in other
countries, log onto http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alliance_fran%C3%A7aise
For those of you looking to learn French, Bon chance. Give
your local Alliance Française a call.
Festivals in Europe this October
siddlobo
| 24 September, 2008 16:05
Autumn Festival, Normandy, France
19th October – 30th November
The Autumn Festival in Normandy
features top productions in theatre, dance and music. It presents 60
performances in cities including Dieppe,
Rouen and Le
Havre, as well as smaller towns like Le Grand-Quevilly
and Montivilliers. Highlights of this year's event include homage to all things
Argentinean with a carte blanche to Belgian choreographer Wim Vandekeybus.
http://www.automne-en-normandie.com/entertainments/index
Eurochocolate, Perugia,
Italy
18th - 26th October
If you’re a chocolate lover, this is the place to be. This is Europe’s
most popular chocolate festival and has made Perugia
the chocolate capital of Europe. For nine days, this town
transforms itself into a huge open-air pastry-shop dedicated to chocolate
lovers from all over. But not only do you get to indulge in chocolate, you’ll
also learn everything there is to know about the "food of the gods". Give
in to your sweet tooth, head for the Eurochocolate.
http://www.bellaumbria.net/Perugia/eurochocolate_eng.htm
Frankfurter Buchmesse, Frankfurt, Germany
15th – 19th October
This one’s for the book worms. It’s claimed to be one of the most famous book
fairs in the world.
http://www.buchmesse.de/en/fbf/
Oktoberfest, Munich,
Germany
20th September – 5th October
This is the ultimate homage to beer. When one thinks of Oktoberfest,
images of crowded beer tents, huge beer mugs handled by big bosomed women in drendils
and men in lederhozen come to mind. All of which is true. But no words
can truly describe the experience of thousands of people crammed in a huge
carnival atmosphere enjoying the lively Bavarian music and its equally popular
brew. Each year over six million visitors throng to the Oktoberfest to
be part of this heady experience. Be part of the 175th year
celebrations this year.
http://www.oktoberfest.de/en/
Seafood Festvial (Fiesta de Exaltacion
del Marisco), O Grove, Spain
3rd -12th October
As the name itself suggests, this is the place for sea food lovers. Indulge yourself
and pick from a mouth watering array of mussels, clams, langostines, prawns, scallops,
oysters, lobsters, crabs and of course fish! This festivals attracts over 200,000
seafood lovers from all across Europe and is supposed to
be the place for the best seafood in Europe.
http://travelguides.lastminute.com/sisp/index.htm?fx=event&event_id=21429
Wigstöckel, Berlin, Germany
2nd – 5th October
This is an event that attracts crossdressers and transgendered people from
across Europe. It features an entertaining show and is guaranteed
to be an interesting experience – whether or not you’re in the crossdressing
scene.
http://www.wigstoeckel.com/index2_en.php
Budapest Autumn
Festival, Budapest, Hungary
10th – 19th October
The Budapest Autumn Festival showcases
performances by some of the most significant progressive artists from all
genres. The events aim to provide exposure and recognition for new Hungarian
artists.
http://www.budapestinfo.hu/en/calendar_of_events/budapest_autumn_festival_2008
Wexford Opera
Festival, Wexford, Ireland
16th October – 2nd
November
This is a small but perfectly formed and well respected festival featuring
premier opera performances. This is the 57th year that the festival has
been around and highlights of this year’s performances include The Snow Maiden
by Snegurochka and The Mines of Sulphur by Richard Rodney Bennett.
http://wexfordopera.com
Please note that there
may be changes to the dates, events and line-ups at the festivals. For detailed
information, check the official websites.
Sidd Lobo
Freelance copywriter based out of Munich
Cervantes Institute – Espanola anybody?
siddlobo
| 17 September, 2008 08:26
In this week’s article, the spotlight is on the Cervantes
Institute. Established in 1991, the Cervantes Institute is a non-profit
organization created by the Spanish government to spread Spanish language and
culture to the rest of the world. Named after Miguel de Cervantes, the author
of Don Quixote and seen as one of the most noteworthy figures in Spanish
literature, this institution has earned itself an excellent reputation. In 2005, along with the Societe Dante Alighieri, the British
Council, the Goethe Institute, the Alliance Francaise and the Instituto Camões, the Cervantes Institute was
awarded the Prince of Asturias Award for outstanding achievements in communications
and the humanities. Modeled
on the principles of the Goethe Institute, it is now the largest organization
in the world responsible for promoting the Spanish language and culture. With
over 54 centres in over 20 countries, it’s easy to see why.
Activities offered at
the Cervantes Institute
The primary focus of the Cervantes Institute is to teach
Spanish as a second language. There are three main levels of courses offered:
Beginners, Intermediate and Advanced and exams are conducted to gauge if
participants have satisfactorily completed their course. Diplomas of Spanish as
a Secondary Language are recognized and offered by the Spanish Ministry of
Education, Culture and Sport. In keeping with the times, the Cervantes
Institute also has a strong online presence and offers many online language
training courses.
Spanish language is not the only focus of the Cervantes
Institute. It also plays an important role in promoting the country’s culture.
The Institute hosts many cultural programmes including the famous Spain Film
Festival and the Festival of Flamenco. It also regularly holds concerts, art
exhibitions, book presentations and lectures on Spanish culture.
The Cervantes Institute also offers automated free
translator service via the telephone and boasts of over 580,000 successful
translations to date.
Courses offered
There are a number of different courses offered. From short
intensive courses to longer courses, individual programmes to group programmes,
you can choose what’s best for you. Courses run throughout the year and a short
exam will determine your level at the start. If you opt for a course at one of
the Cervantes locations in Spain,
chances are that you can tailor it to specific needs like ‘Spanish for Lawyers’
or ‘Spanish for Teachers’. Or for those looking for a more fun alternative, you
can combine you language sessions with flamenco classes. Also expect much
socialization, partying, tapas, salsa and sporting action from your language
holiday.
Fees and Schedules
Fees vary widely as there are a number of options available.
In general, lessons cost between 150 euros and 250 euros per week (excluding
accommodation) along with an enrolment fee. Accommodation varies from 100 to
175 euros per week depending on season and kind of accommodation chosen. For
more details on fees, schedules and courses available, visit http://www.cervantes.to/
For a complete listing of worldwide Cervantes Institutions,
click here. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Instituto_Cervantes
Sidd Lobo
Goethe Institut – promoting German language and culture
siddlobo
| 03 September, 2008 22:25
Since most readers of easyexpat.com are generally globe trotters
who call many countries home, we’ve decided to do a series on various prominent
institutions that bring their country’s culture to the world. Today’s article
focuses on the Goethe Institut.
Established in 1951, the Goethe Insitut is a German
non-profit organization set up mainly to promote the German language and
culture outside German-speaking countries. It was set up initially to provide
training for foreign German teachers in Germany
but it has now grown into a worldwide institution with over 3300 employees and
approximately 278 million euros at its disposal.
While its primary concern is to promote the German language,
the Goethe Institut also plays an active role in promoting the country’
culture. It provides information on German society and politics and also
promotes inter-cultural relations through exchange of films, music, theatre and
literature. It's done such a great job that in 2005, along with the Societe Dante Alighieri, the British
Council, the Alliance Francaise, the Instituto Cervantes and the Instituto Camões, the Goethe Institute was
awarded the Prince of Asturias Award for outstanding achievements in communications
and the humanities.
German language
courses offered
The Goethe Institut offers a number of language courses and
different options from on-site courses to distance courses. It even has
language training facilities on websites like Second Life. The institute has
much to brag about. With over 50 years of experience and more than 170,000
participants in their German courses each year in 80 countries, it is
definitely one of the most reputed programmes available to learn the German
language.
The Goethe Institut also combines its language courses with
a cultural immersion into Germany.
It’s one to explore if you’re trying to get your feet wet about the country.
These cultural and leisure programmes combine language courses with frequent
city excursions, concerts, theatre visits, parties and operas – a
great way to explore the city, make new friends and learn a new language.
The institute has also developed a rigorous series of
examinations for learning German as a second language. These exams are set for
different levels from basic to advanced and can be taken both in Germany
and abroad. The tests (TestDaF) are recognised by the German Academic Exchange
Service and are especially aimed at people interested in studying at German
universities. You can take examinations at any level, either at the
Goethe-Institut or with any of 265 examination partners.
Fees and schedule
Courses are offered year-round at most locations and begin
at the start of each month. In general, it’s advisable to sign up for a course
one month in advance. Summer courses fill up quickly so best to book your seat
three months in advance. For people who need to apply for visas to study and
stay in Germany,
it’s advised to apply four months in advance. Fees vary widely. Eight week
courses without accommodation are 680 euros while a 2-week intensive, all
inclusive programme costs 1,420 euros. For more detailed information on
courses, schedules and fees, check the official website at www.goethe.de
Good luck or as they say in German ‘Viel glueck’.
Sidd Lobo
