Blog | Ecela Spanish

Vista de Viernes: Torres del Paine

Testimonial: Britney Ralston

Hello all! My name is Britney Ralston, and I’m from Los Angeles, California. I want to tell you about my fabulous experience through ECELA in Lima, Peru. I spent a total of 2 months in their Spanish programs, and loved every minute of it. It is obviously nerve racking to travel to a new country […]

Cultural Tidbit: Pan de Pascua

No Chilean Christmas celebration is complete without a glass of cola de mono and a slice of pan de pascua. Yes, the name literally means Easter bread, but it is in fact a Christmas tradition! Many Chileans actually use “Pascua” interchangeably with “Navidad” to mean Christmas. This sweet bread is similar to the fruitcakes common […]

Modismo del Día: A los tontos no les dura el dinero

Spanish Saying: A los tontos no les dura el dinero. Literal Translation: For fools, money doesn’t last long. English Equivalent: A fool and his money are soon parted.

Cultural Tidbit: Cola de Mono

Christmas is coming! In sunny Santiago, Christmas calls for cold drinks, not hot ones. Cola de Mono, aka colemono or monkey’s tail, is an extremely popular Christmas drink in Chile that you simply must try. We’re not quite sure how the drink came by its unusual name…one popular tale holds that the drink was invented […]

Vista de Viernes: Bandurria

Testimonial: Conor Duffy Spanish + Volunteer

My experience at ECELA Viña del Mar was Amazing. I took 4 weeks of classes and also I had a volunteer work with the animals. Volunteering with Ernesto and the Dogs through Ecela was one of my favourite things in Viña Del Mar. Ernesto is a very good man who works hard to make sure […]

Cultural Tidbit: How to Blend in when in Buenos Aires

Here are a few fun tips for how to look and act more like a porteño (Buenos Aires resident) while learning Spanish in Argentina. 1. Show your affection. Porteños are quite demonstrative with their affections. This even extends to public make out sessions in the park, the club, or even in the metro. 2. Become […]

Modismo del Día: A beber y a tragar, que el mundo se va a acabar

Spanish Saying: A beber y a tragar, que el mundo se va a acabar. Literal Translation: Drink and swallow, for the world is going to end. English Equivalent: Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die.

Cultural Tidbit: Argentina’s National Sport

If you had to guess what Argentina’s national sport was, you’d probably say football, which inspires tremendous passion among Argentines. Polo, which echoes back to Argentina’s posh European roots would be a close runner-up. However, the official national sport is in fact pato. Don’t feel bad for getting that one wrong. Most Argentines didn’t even […]

“How Do I Reserve a Spot?”