The Educational Leave courses at Co Co Lingua are moving full steam ahead now since their initiation in 2015.
We started with a modest number of students, 9 in 2015. This rose to 20 in 2016 and then in 2017 we reached 35. Not only are we proud of these results, but our motivation grows with each one of the students who visit us.
Our Spanish courses last either 5 or 10 days, with all courses starting on Mondays and ending on Fridays.
There is an application process that many begin up to one year in advance. The funniest thing is that when the students arrive on the first day of classes, we almost know each other so well because of the regular amount of emails that we exchange for months prior and now “the big day has finally arrived”.
And indeed, the best thing is always the first day, of course … until it ends, with smoke which you can see billowing from the top of their heads when they leave the classroom, with such faces showing a mixture between satisfaction and of … “but I did not think we would have to work hard during the holidays”.
Of course, neither 5 nor 10 days are enough time to learn Spanish, or any other language, but the intensity with which it is done during this short period, certainly leaves a mark … At the end of the week the students are so proud, counting achievements, as they have already been able to ask for something in the restaurant or filling up the car with fuel … And it is that after such an intense day, they are so applied that no matter what the time of night or early morning they do it, the first thing they want to do in class the next day is to correct their homework …
There is always a good mood in class. As always at the beginning of the day, they are greeted with coffee, essential to start the day well. In the break they go downstairs to the supermarket or they get distracted by exchanging experiences. Between hard work, laughter and lots of learning, the lessons in the classroom usually last between 3 to 4 and a half hours, then definitely devour a sandwich to regain strength … and now, ready to enjoy the most beautiful part of the day, the cultural activities.
Determined by the ability levels of the group, we select quite demanding activities for them, of course among the favourite is a visits to the legendary “Bar Stop de Yaiza”, where one can sample highly reputed homemade tapas. Another must-see is the Aloe Vera museum, which offers information on the island’s original products such as the cochineal, volcanic lava, wine therapy products and the famous salt of Salinas de Janubio. Another obligatory visit is to the small fishing village of El Golfo and the “Laguna Verde” or “Green Lagoon”. No-one should leave Lanzarote without viewing the Fire Mountains in Timanfaya National Park – with a landscape like the moon…
Afterwards we travel to the northeast of the island through the wine region of La Geria, a biosphere reserve and an outstanding winegrowing area. For wine connoisseurs it is a must – Our favourites among the bodegas are “La Querencia” and “El Tablero”, where the hosts, natives of the island, serve us with family cordiality that is unforgettable. Towards the centre of the island, we go to the Monumento Campesino – a fertility symbol created by the famous artist Cesar Manrique as a tribute to farm workers, where the “Gofio” workshop (the main food of the Canarian diet) is a mandatory stop. Visits to the Villa de Teguise and the Casa de José Saramago are also inescapable choices.
The countless number of cultural activities offer by Co Co Lingua makes us unique on the island. Our passion has no limits and that is why we want all those who choose to learn Spanish and, at the same time, enjoy their culture, become aware of us. We have so much to share and discover together!
Below you can read an opinion about Educational Leave of one student from the start of 2018.
“Erste Adresse für Spanischkurse und Bildungsurlauber (auf Lanzarote, wenn nicht gar auf den ganzen Kanaren).
Ich wüsste nicht, was eine Sprachschule besser machen könnte. Die Organisation im Vorfeld der Reise durch Co Co Lingua war perfekt und individuell. Der Unterricht intensiv, kompetent, strukturiert, sympathisch und auf hohem didaktischen Niveau. Und auch die Betreuung vor Ort ist persönlich und herzlich.
Wichtig für deutsche Arbeitnehmer*innen ist, dass Co Co Lingua über die so wichtigen Zertifikate der Bundesländer verfügt, damit die Spanischkurse als Bildungsurlaub anerkannt werden. Auch dieses von deutscher Seite aus nicht ganz einfache Verfahren hat dank Co Co Lingua reibungslos funktioniert – unter den kanarischen Sprachschulen habe ich jedenfalls nichts Vergleichbares gefunden. Danke an Elvia und Ihr Team! Ich freue mich schon auf meinen nächsten Kurs bei Co Co Lingua”
