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Academic Credits in Bogotá, Colombia

Location: Bogotá
 

Bogotá is a city that keeps growing and has a population (including the surroundings) of 8 million people coming from different places of Colombia and from all over the world. In the city you will find beautiful colonial and republican houses and also modern buildings. There are more than 50 museums like the gold museum, the National museum, the Botero museum, The Silva poetry house, the Quinta de Bolivar, Maloka, The Modern Art Museum, The Colon Theater and the Luis Angel Arango Library within others.

School

The Universidad de La Sabana is one of the best Universities in Latin America. Originally, a historic hacienda, it's appearance has been architecturally designed to fit with this historic past. Yet is a modern and spacious campus, with up to date facilities, set in a beautiful part like campus. It helps promotes Spanish as a foreign language in the world, and also offers a full range of other academic subjects. It has a specialized department for International students to study Spanish, and this is liaises with other University departments to allow students to study in many subject areas.  La Sabana  offer students coming to Bogotá:  qualified teachers, evaluation of the student progress from the beginning, excellent headquarters and small classes, to make the learning process better and easier.  

Accreditation:

FIDESCU - Fundación para la Investigación y Desarrollo de la Cultura Española

Best time to come:

Being close to the equator, yet also set at a high altitude, the climate in Bogota is a consistently 70-80 F (20-25 C) It is therefore a year round destination.

Spanish Courses

Course 1: Standard Spanish: It’s a half a day course, making it easier to combine classes with tourism, work or social life. This course focuses in improving your communication skills, working on listening, conversation, grammar, vocabulary, reading and pronunciation.

It includes 22 hours per week: 15 hours of Spanish lessons, 2 hours of Colombian problems seminar with native University students and 5 hours of cultural activities to get to know Colombia, its History and Culture. From 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 m.  Twice a week, cultural activities in the afternoon. 

We begin courses every Monday. The minimum stay is one week.

Course 2: Intensive Spanish: It’s the same standard Spanish course but it has a longer daily schedule. 

It includes 27 hours per week: 20 hours of Spanish lessons, 2 hours of Colombian problems seminar with native University students and 5 hours of cultural activities to get to know Colombia, its History and Culture. From 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 m. or from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00. p.m. Twice a week, cultural activities in the afternoon. 

We begin courses every Monday. The minimum stay is one week

Special  Courses

Course 1: Spanish for business: This course is developed through business workshops and discussions. It covers marketing and develops all the skills that the student needs to make businesses in Spanish. It is run in conjunction with the Business faculty

It includes 27 hours per week: 15 hours of Spanish lessons, 2 hours of Colombian problems seminar with native University students, 5 hours of cultural activities to get to know Colombia, its History and Culture and 5 hours of business Spanish focus on your interests.  From 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 m. or from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00. p.m. Twice a week, cultural activities in the afternoon. 

Course 2: Spanish and volunteer: Spanish and volunteering is a Spanish course plus a volunteer job at an orphanage, hospital, Charity or at the University. This course is for professional people that want to volunteer abroad.

It includes 32 hours per week: 15 hours of Spanish lessons, 12 hours of volunteer work at a recognized charity and 5 hours of cultural activities to get to know Colombia, its History and Culture. From 9am to 12m. Twice a week, cultural activities in the afternoon. Volunteer work three times a week from 13:00 to 17:00 

Course 3: Medical Spanish: This is run in conjunction with the International Spanish department, medical faculty and the university Teaching hospital. As well as Spanish, your course is personalised to meet your requirements by attending medical lectures, and by

It includes 32 hours per week: 15 hours of Spanish lessons, 2 hours of Colombian problems seminar with native University students and 15 hours of training at the University Hospital. Lessons from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 m. and at the Hospital from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. 

Services Summary

Language taught: Spanish

Class Times:  9:00 to 12:00 or 8:00 to 12:00

Average Class Size: 3 

Maximum Class Size: 8

Nearest Airport: Airport at Bogota (Eldorado)

Airport transfer  Yes (20USD)

Location Type  City, University close to country side

Public Transport  Shuttle bus service (USD $1.20c)

Buildings New (Recognized as one of the  Best campus in Latin America

Snack Bar / Canteen University has many eating places, and a large Mall is only 5 minutes walk away.                                                                 

Disabled Access  Yes

Garden / Terrace  Yes and also park like setting with lakes etc

Library  Yes

Newspapers / Magazines  Yes

Message Service  Yes

Computers  Yes

Internet Access  Yes - Free to our students. Also free wireless.

Multimedia Facilities  Intranet, net support, internet, live video conference, tutorials, specialized language programs, etc.

Course Materials included in the course price

Student Nationalities  Americans 40 %,  Europeans 30 %, Asians  20 %,  Brazilians  10%

Holidays: 2007 January 1 Monday, January 8 Monday, March 19 Monday, April 5 Thursday, April 6 Friday, May 1 Tuesday, May 21 Monday, June 11 Monday, June 18 Monday, July 2 Monday, July 20 Friday, August 7 , Tuesday, August 20 Monday, October 15 Monday, November 5 Monday, November 12 Monday , December 8 Saturday,
Our school in Bogotá will be closed between Saturday December 23^rd and Sunday January 29^th, date on which the university will reopen.

Activities Available

Typical programme for a week:

Twice a week, social, cultural and sports activities include visits to museums, natural parks, beaches, concerts, sightseeing tours, walks through nature, restaurants, etc. These activities are organized at every one of the schools on a weekly basis. They are ideal to practice the language and attain a better understanding of the culture.

Accommodation

Option 1: Home stay (recommended)
Option 2: Hotel
 

Option 1: With a family (homestay accommodation): You will live and share your daily life with a Spanish speaking family. Breakfast and dinner are included and there is washing machine available or your clothes will be washed once a week.  Families are chosen carefully, and during your stay you will be another member of the family.  We visit the families regularly and we permanently assess their human qualities and the location of their house.

Option 2: Hotel: We have agreements with hotels in each one of our sites. There are hotels for all budgets ranging from US$20 per night to 5-star hotels.  The hotels that we recommend are always well located and they have been qualified as satisfactory by other students, regardless of the hotel’s price. We have also contacts with very good B&B (Bed & breakfast)  

Prices

Language only courses

Special themed courses

Registration fee: USD 40 Airport pickup fee: USD 20

References

Meine Erfahrungen an der Universität de la Sabana (Nueva Lengua- Bogotá)

Jeder weiss, dass sich eine Sprache am einfachsten und effizientesten im entsprechenden Sprachgebiet aneignen lässt. So entschied ich mich im Sommer 2003, nach Bogotá zu reisen und dort eine Universität zu besuchen. Ich lebte in Cota (Vorort von Bogotá) bei einer Familie, die ich in der Schweiz kennen gelernt hatte. Die Universität de la Sabana ist von Cota aus gesehen die nächste, so entschied ich mich, natürlich mit gemischten Gefühlen, dort die Spanischkurse für Ausländer zu besuchen, was sich aber als durchaus positives Erlebnis herausstelle. Das Universitätsgelände umfasst eine Fläche von ca. einem Quadratkilometer, das sich wie eine Oase erhebt. Unglaublich gut gepflegt und schön gestaltet fand ich den Campus vor: die Gebäude und Einrichtungen sind eingebetet zwischen Gewässern und Eukalyptusbäumen und es gibt sehr viele grosszügige Zurückziehungsmöglichkeiten; ein Erholungsgebiet pur, so schien mir. Aber nicht nur das Gelände, auch die Infrastruktur ist in einwandfreiem Zustand. (Ich habe mir während meinem Aufenthalt mehrere Universitäten angeschaut, aber keine kann sich in diesem Punkt mir der Universität de la Sabana messen.) Besonders gespannt war ich auf den Spanischunterricht, da ich wirklich nur ein paar Wörter sprechen konnte. Durch die kleinen Lerngruppen von höchstens drei Personen, ist es den aufgestellten Lehrern möglich, den Stoff deinem Niveau angepasst zu vermitteln. Durch diese intensive Art des Unterrichtens, können die Studierenden natürlich grosse Fortschritte verzeichnen. (Ich unterricht inzwischen auch schon eine Weile Sprachen in der Schweiz und behaupte, dass ich ein bisschen Ahnung von Unterrichtsführung und Planung besitze, muss aber neidlos zugestehen, dass in der Universität de la Sabana wirklich Unterricht von höchster Qualität geboten wird.) Ich besuchte zehn Wochen Spanischunterricht und konnte riesige Fortschritte machen, zu meinem Erstaunen. Nebst Spanischunterricht ist es einem möglich, das grosse Freizeitangebot, das übliche und ausgefallene Sportarten und natürlich auch viele musische Tätigkeiten umfasst, zu nutzen. Es ist einem erlaubt, das universitäre Leben völlig auszukosten. Mir ist aufgefallen, dass der durchschnittliche Kolumbianer sehr offen gegenüber Ausländern ist, ja sie sogar herzlich empfängt und um sein Wohlergehen echt bemüht ist, und konnte dementsprechend sehr viele positive Erfahrungen machten. Ich kann wirklich keinem aus irgendeinem Grund abraten Kolumbien zu besuchen, im Gegenteil, ich empfehle jedem einen Aufenthalt in diesem Land und speziell an der Universität de la Sabana.

Stefan Enzler

Because of health services research in which I am involved, I began taking Spanish lessons during 2005 and also began looking for a Spanish immersion program. In the spring, La Sabana University School of Nursing invited me to deliver a keynote address for a conference and I inquired about a language program.  I was put in contact with Pedro Nino at Nueva Lengua on the Bogota campus and I registered for a 4-week series of classes.  Mr. Nino and all the staff at Nueva Lengua were extremely helpful in setting up my studies, including securing a compatible family and housing, making sure I had the proper documents to enter Columbia, and providing individualized instruction and flexible scheduling. 

The class work at Nueva Lengua was very relevant to my work with the School of Nursing and the language faculty were helpful, knowledgeable, and professional. The instructors gave a great deal of individual attention to each student and they all demonstrated their interest and concern for our learning needs. In addition to classes, we were able to visit numerous museums, parks, and other places of interest in and around Bogota.  Because of my work, I stayed in Bogota, but students have the ability to study on the campuses in Bogota, Cartagena, or Medellin. 

Because of the poor representation of Columbia in films and the media, a number of my friends and family expressed concern that I would be in some danger.  This concern was totally unfounded. I traveled safely all around Bogota via public transportation (Trans Milaneo and taxi) and took the normal precautions one would take in a busy city of 8 million people.  Additionally, Mr. Nino assisted me in booking travel to the coffee region of Columbia (Parque Nacional de Café and Valle Corcora) and for a 4-day trip to Salto Angel in Venezuela.  The Columbian government has made great progress in securing the cities and is working diligently to secure all parts of the countryside.  There are still geographic areas of concern, but the Nueva Lengua faculty and staff are able to advise students safely about where and how to travel.  Additional conveniences of living in Bogota are the fact that you can drink water from the tap, the country uses 110 AC for electrical appliances, and the weather in Bogota is similar to that in San Francisco. 

In summary, the Nueva Lengua Spanish program was excellent.  I learned a great deal about the history, language, and culture of this beautiful and mysterious country.  I thoroughly enjoyed the time I spent being a student and working with the Nursing faculties around Columbia.  I am very grateful to Nueva Lengua for helping provide me with this wonderful experience.

Jean Ann Seago, PhD, RN

Associate Professor

University of California, San Francisco

J’ai étudié quatre semaines à l’Universidad de la Sabana/ Nueva Lengua à l’automne 2003.  La beauté du campus est ce qui m’a tout d’abord séduite.  L’université s’étend sur de grands espaces verts qui sont traversés par une petite rivière.  Cette nature permet ainsi à l’université d’offrir plusieurs sports. Pour ce qui est des cours d’espagnol, j’ai appris beaucoup et j’ai vraiment amélioré mon espagnol.  Les professeurs sont sympathiques et compétents et surtout, sont à l’écoute des besoins des élèves.  Les cours sont ainsi très personnalisés.  J’ai souvent fait des activités avec mes professeurs après les cours.  Un aspect original de l’école Nueva Lengua est qu’on peut choisir plusieurs programmes de leçons d’espagnol.  Il y en a vraiment pour tous les goûts.  Durant mes quatre semaines, j’avais des cours seulement l’avant-midi.  J’ai pu suivre des cours de danse et de photographie avec les étudiants de l’université l’après-midi.  Ce fut une manière de faire des liens avec les étudiants colombiens.  Finalement, ce que j’ai vraiment adoré, c’est que l’école offre des visites culturelles deux fois par semaine.  Elles sont pour les étudiants étrangers et permettent de visiter Bogota et ses environs.  Comme je n’avais pas de voiture, j’étais bien contente de visiter les endroits éloignés du centre.  Il va sans dire que la dame qui nous accompagnait était vraiment sympathique.  En plus, elle connaissait très bien Bogota et nous a montré la vraie vie des Colombiens.

Mon séjour à l’Universidad de la Sabana fut bref, mais extrêmement enrichissant.  J’aurais bien aimé y rester plus longtemps.  Il va sans dire que je recommande à tous d’y étudier, car j’y aie passé une expérience formidable.

Emilie Bigham-Desroichers

I'm very happy to write about my experience at Nueva Lengua Bogota. The program you have developed served me wonderfully, and I expect I will return.
Two things made the program work especially well for me. On one hand, its flexibility made it possible for me to squeeze the most out of the limited time I had to spend. Rather than having to wait until the first of the month to start a fixed course, I was able to begin when I was available and, so, make the most use of my time. More important, though, than even the flexibility was the character of the staff. The careful attention the instructors paid to my specific needs helped my progress enormously. The fact that you and the teachers were clearly interested in listening to what I wanted to say pushed me to speak much more than I would have in a less personal program.
Thanks again.
Steven Werlin
Dean of the College
Shimer College

Nueva Lengua provided me a great introductory learning experience with the Spanish language. Nueva Lengua is comfortably located on the Universidad de la Sabana campus just outside of Bogotá. The staff is very friendly, and they tailored the instruction according to my needs. I especially like the flexibility of schedule and content, and I hope to return soon

Lloyd Omenson

Please do not trust a word on this page it's all lies. The site is too modest and intentionally downplays and even outright lies about the quality of this program. For whatever reason it omits the fact that the staff are the nicest people on the planet. Not only are they attentive to all your needs and concerns about your education in the university, but they go as far as they can to make sure that your entire experience while in Colombia (in and out of the university) is as positive as it humanly can be. Where is this in the brochure or on the website? Distortions and lies here, nothing but distortions and lies. Where does this website talk about how the quality of education is absolutely phenomenal? Where does it mention that the instructors are simply extraordinary? It just seems obvious that all this information should be included on the website, yet Pedro, for whatever reason, has decided to distort these obvious facts. So please, don't let Pedro's dishonesty steer you away from learning Spanish at Nueva Lengua, you will have the time of your life while there!

Brandon Petit

University of Illinois at Springfield

Nueva Lengua är ett mycket bra alternativ för den som vill studera spanska; klasserna är små,lärarna är personliga och professionella och anstränger sig verkligen för att göra mesta möjliga av studierna.Colombia är dessutom ett land väl värt att besöka, säkerheten är god, vänliga människor, vackert och god mat. Jag kan verkligen rekommendera Nueva Lengua

Claes Calemark

Zasílám pozdrav z Prahy kolumbijské škole Nueva Lengua, kde jsem strávila překrásný měsíc studia španělštiny. Kromě samotných kurzů jsem díky škole měla možnost seznámit se s kolumbijskou kulturou, vidět zajímavá místa v Bogotě a jejím okolí a poznat obrovské množství milých a přátelských lidí. Poznala jsem také, že Kolumbie není až tak nebezpečná, jak se o ní ve světě píše.

Za měsíc pobytu jsem se naučila  běžné komunikaci a musím říct, že výuka byla na vysoké úrovni.

Zora Pitakova

ich war 6 wochen in kolumbien und habe mich erst sehr kurzfristig im land entschieden noch eine sprachschule zu besuchen.   via internet fand ich nueva lengua und habe mich 4 tage vor schulbeginn beworben. am tag meiner ankunft in medellin um 9h morgens holte mich meine lehrerin,ana-maria,persönlich am flughafen ab. da ich nicht gerne im hotel bin, organisierte ana-maria mir eine privatunterkunft und führte mich gleich dorthin. es war eine sehr nette frau in einem ruhigen , zentralen quartier. nachdem ich mich im schönen zimmer etwas eingerichtet hatte, fuhren wir zu dritt richtung universität, hatten noch eine kleine mahlzeit unterwegs und bereits 4 stunden nach meiner ankunft hatte ich meine ersten spanischstunden in medellin. da ana-maria sehr felxibel war , konnte ich für die nächsten tage sagen ob ich lieber nachmittags oder morgen stunde wollte. der unterricht war sehr abwechslungsreich und ich habe viel gelernt uber land und leute. es war ein voller erfolg und noch heute habe ich kontakt via e-mail. von medellin aus organisierte ich nochmals einen sprachaufenthalt für 2 wochen in bogota. auch dort klappte alles bestens, ich wurde bei meiner gastfamilie am ersten schulmorgen abgeholt, der lehrer zeigte mir den ganzen schulweg , wo welcher autobus, zeigte mir die universität la sabana und auch hier war der unterricht sehr interessant und abwechslungsreich. es gibt auch täglich aktivitäten, wie kino , ausfüge oder vorträge. ich kann jedem das land und die schule von kolumbien herzlichst empfehlen.

Katharina

Paulo Roberto Dal-Cere

Mit sporgkursus var en rigtig god oplevelse. Jeg modtog undervisning først én uge i Bogota og efterfølgende én uge i Cartagena. Det var en god
kombination, hvilket gav mig en masse spændende indtryk og et indblik i forskellige sub-kulturer i Colombia. Bogota er en meget spændende by med alt fra upscale kvarterer med flotte pladser til de fattige områder i den sydlige del. Skolen benytter sig Sabana Universitetet, hvilket ligger lidt
uden for Bogota (10 km) tæt ved landsbyen Chia - i øvrigt en meget smuk campus i naturskønne omgivelser. Cartagena er en betagende smuk by med gamle befæstninger, smalle hyggelige gader og paradis-agtige strande. Byen har dog den ulempe, at der er varmt, MEGET varmt. I begge byer boede jeg ved en familie udvalgt af progammet. Det var meget søde og jeg havde gode fysiske forhold. Mine undervisere var generelt kompetente og behjælpelige.
Undervisningen bestod i en kombination af samtale og diverse grammatiske øvelser. Skolerne arrangerede forskellige kulturelle aktiveter, hvilket gav mulighed for at lære lidt mere om nærområdet og såmænd at danse til latinamerikanske rytmer.

Kristian

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