sampere@sampere.com · www.sampere.com · Tel. +34 914 314 366

ECUADOR GENERAL FACTS

Calle Hermano Miguel, 3-43 and Calle Larga · Cuenca

CUENCA » Minimum age: 18 years old » A1 – C1 » Each lesson lasts 45 minutes » 4 cultural lessons per week included » Group of max. 6 students per class » Short and long-term courses » Morning or afternoon sessions » Books included » Placement test and course certificate included

» Wide range of social activities and excursions

» 24 hour emergency phone

Cuenca is the cultural capital of Ecuador and its third largest city. The school is located in an early 20th century brick building between the new and the old part of the city, so it is the perfect starting point to get around it. Each of its six spacious and comfortable classrooms are designed to cater to our small groups. It has a friendly atmosphere, the director and staff are Ecuadorians who make up a professional and committed team.

SPANISH LANGUAGE COURSES CUENCA

ECUADOR- EXPERTS IN SPANISH -ALICANTE · MADRID · SALAMANCA (ESPAÑA) CUENCA (ECUADOR) · LA HABANA (CUBA)

COURSE OVERVIEW | Ecuador

COURSE OVERVIEW ECUADOR

INTENSIVE COURSE The Intensive Course is a general Spanish course (mornings or afternoons) of 20 or 25 lessons per week. The course covers the four main skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing. It is taught within a communicative framework.

ONE-TO-ONE COURSEOne-to-One lessons are taught on an individual basis and may be adapted to the needs of the student. The classes are 45-minute long and tailored to meet any specific purpose.

INTENSIVE PLUS This course is a combination of an Intensive Course (20 lessons) + 5 or 10 One-to-One lessons per week. The private (One-to-One) lessons can focus on any specific purpose, such as: work presentations, exam preparation, Art & Culture, Business, Legal, Medical Spanish, or any other topic tailored to the students’ needs.

FAMILY COURSEThis course is a combination of an Intensive course of 20 lessons for a parent or parents and one-to-one or two-to-one lessons for the children of the family.

TRAVEL & STUDY NEW

This 2-week program combines Spanish classes plus eight days travelling through the mountains and the coasts of Ecuador. During the first week, Estudio Sampere Cuenca School offers an intensive course and visits to local attractions. The second week consists of a travel combining classes with adventure in Ecuador a visit from the mountains in the heart of the Andes, to the warm Pacific coast and back to Quito to visit some of the attractions of this gorgeous city.

ONLINE SKYPE CLASSES NEW

One-to-One lessons are taught on an individual basis online via SKYPE and may be adapted to the needs of the student. The classes are tailored to meet any specific purpose.

VOLUNTEER PROGRAMStudents may choose to undertake volunteer work in several places. Estudio Sampere collaborates with social welfare institutions that work with children, seniors or people at risk.Requirements: minimum proficiency level of Lower Intermediate (B1). Spanish course: 4 weeks (minimum). Volunteer work: 4 weeks (minimum).

“SALUD” PROGRAMThis Spanish immersion course is aimed at students of health related professions and includes:A 4-week intensive Spanish Course (20 group lessons per week). 3-week of 5 One-to-One Medical Spanish vocabulary lesssons. Introductory lessons to Ecuadorian medical system and visit to medical facilities both public and private. 2 weeks of Doctor shadowing in a medical institution. Requirements: minimum proficiency level of Lower Intermediate (B1).

Santa Ana de los Ríos de Cuenca is located on an interandean valley on Southern Ecuador (441 km south of Quito). It enjoys a typically mild weather, with an average temperature of 17°C (63ºF).

Cuenca is also considered as the third city of the country, after Quito and Guayaquil, which are the cities where the political and economical powers of the country are settled. The city has the latest technology concerning information and electronics, a good financial and banking system, cybercafés, bars, night clubs, modern hotel infrastructure, restaurants of all kinds, etc.

Ecuadorians and visitors consider Cuenca as the most beautiful city in the country, and one of the most attractive places in the Andes. The attraction of Cuenca is not limited to its landscape, surroundings or its rich history, not even to the fact that you can travel to Peru, or venture to the beach or tropical jungle; one of the most important value is the people.

General informationElevation: 2,535 meters above sea levelPopulation: 400,000 inhabitants (2014)Surface area (Ecuador): 256,370 km2

www.cuenca.com.ec

Celebration and gastronomy are so attached to each other that the popular phrase says: “Tell me what you are celebrating and I will tell you what you are eating”. The presence of corn in the preparation of many meals like tamales, mote pata and mote pillo is very traditional. Drinks like chicha, rosero and morocho are also typical.

The Cuenca tamale is made of slightly cooked corn flour, filled with pork meat, eggs and raisins, which are wrapped in achira leaves and steamed. It is a tasty treat.

Mote-Pata, perhaps the king of typical dishes of Cuenca, dominates the table: It is a thick corn soup, with chunks of pork meat, sausage and bacon, and seasoned with toasted and ground sambo seeds (type of pumpkin). It is prepared with fried onions and milk. There has been four centuries of traditions and architecture

in the city of Cuenca due to its different reigns, especially the Spanish Reign. From the point of view of city-planning, Cuenca is considered to be a very coherent and ordered city, keeping its European feel without leaving aside its Indian and racially mixed legacy as far as its architecture. The architecture of Cuenca has the characteristics of the Southern part of the Iberian Peninsula, but it has adapted materials used by the natives of the outlying mountains. Materials like adobe, straw, wood and clay were fundamental in the construction of the city. The finish works of the constructions have a great variety, contributing to the culture and personality of the city. These are the reasons for the architectonic importance of the city and its fragile inheritance and uniqueness that has to be shared at worldwide level as well as preserved.

GASTRONOMY

CULTURAL HERITAGE

FACTS CUENCA, ECUADOR

architecture · ART · NATURE · gastronomy · HISTORY

ACCOMMODATION IN CUENCA (Ecuador)

ACCOMMODATION

Good, comfortable, welcoming accommodation makes all the difference when it comes to your Spanish studies in Ecuador. We understand this and work hard to give you the best choices of accommodation.

Estudio Sampere inspects all accommodations and selects them based on their good value, cleanliness, reliability, facilities and location. We have direct management of accomodation, providing a personal and attentive service to ensure a pleasant stay. A host family offers the oportunity to practice the language as well as experience modern local life and culture. We also provide private apartments and hotels for people who want a more independent lifestyle.

FAMILY HOME-STAY Home-stay is the most popular choice in all Estudio Sampere destinations. You live with a host family, sharing meals and facilities and practicing your Spanish in a traditional and friendly environment. Our home-stay families range from middle to upper class and are located within a 25 to 30 minute walk to the school and the city center. You will be given your own room and you can request a double room should you be traveling with a friend.

APARTMENTS Should you prefer a private accommodation in Cuenca while attending our school then the Apartamentos Otorongo are for you. Each apartment is equipped with all the necessary facilities: kitchen, kitchen utensils, hot water, Internet, cable TV, private bathroom and telephone. The apartments also include a daily cleaning service. The apartments are located very close to our language school on the bank of the Tomebamba River.

HOTELS AND HOSTELS Estudio Sampere can recommend hotels and hostels for different budgets and located close to Estudio Sampere Cuenca school. We have worked with our hotels for many years and have special rates in most of them.

» Accommodation starts on Sunday before the course and ends on Saturday after the course.

» Full-board: breakfast, lunch and dinner from Sunday to Saturday included.

» Prices of hotels, hostels, pensions and apartments are available on request.

» There will be a charge for extra days, requests should be made in advance (3 extra days or more = 1 week).

» Apartments and hotels are paid for the booked period.

» Most of the home-stays have wifi connection available.

Our school offers three convenient forms of accommodation in Cuenca: home-stay, private apartment or hotel. Most options are within walking distance to the city center where the Estudio Sampere Cuenca language school is located alongside bars, restaurants and museums.

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