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One thing is for sure, “Madrile

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Situated at the foot of the southerly Sierra Nevada ski
resort, Granada is one of the most splendid cities of
eastern Andalucia.

On its southern side is 103 kms of fabulous Mediterranean
coastline, with the Costa del Sol and Costa Tropical in
close proximity whilst, in between, lies a fertile plain
producing exotic fruits.

Granada dates back to prehistoric times and was known as
Ilbyr. When the Romans colonized the southern part of
Iberia, they built their own city there, calling it
Illibris. The Arabs, invading the Peninsula in the
eighth century, gave the city its current name of Granada.

Being the last Muslim city of Spain to be reconquered by
the Christians, Granada has an unmistakable Arab flavor,
and Moorish and Christian elements go hand-in-hand.

One of the most brilliant jewels of Granada is the Alhambra,
a series of palaces and gardens built under the Nazari
Dynasty in the fourteenth century. This mighty compound
of buildings, including the summer palace called Generalife
with its beautiful fountains and gardens, stands at the foot
of the Sierra Nevada.

The hill facing the Alhambra is the old Moorish casbah or
medina called the Albaic

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English native speakers from all over the world come to learn about Spaniards, their culture and their country and, in return for their time and their input, have their full board and lodging covered by the programme. The Spaniards, meanwhile, get to improve their fluency in the quickest, most intensive manner possible on earth. Both groups prosper, exchanging culture, conversation, knowledge and friendship during a very special week.

Englishtown was the brainchild of Richard Vaughan, a business student from Texas who came to Spain to teach English in the 70’s. “After a quarter-century of language training and experience, I realized no matter how many times a person is drilled on irregular verbs, the only way to truly understand a language is to actively practice it,” says Richard.

This led to the creation of Englishtown - eight-day immersion programs which include a cast of 20 Spaniards, 20 English-speakers from all over the world, a Master of Ceremonies to provide entertainment and a Program Director to enforce the only rule: No Spanish Allowed. All this for 15 hours a day, eight days straight and no stopping except for your daily siesta. Throw in a mix of activities such as conversations, scenic walks, games, meals plus Spanish music and dancing, and somewhere along the way the Spaniards find themselves blabbing away in English without having to stop, think and translate.

The idea was so innovative that it won the “Best Awards 2003″ prize in Spain. It has earned rave reviews in the media, with travel guides plus major publications and TV stations such as CNN, the Irish Times and the Chicago Tribune all enthusing about the program. Englishtown has also been the subject on dozens of message boards, each buzzing about a deal that seems almost “too good to be true”. Yet there is no hidden catch.

The lure is easy - English-speakers chat, play, walk, dine and wine with Spaniards against the beautiful backdrop of the local countryside, while Vaughan picks up the tab for their stay. Multinational clients such as Microsoft, Vodafone, Deloitte and Accenture send scores of Spanish executives to Englishtown as they find it to be the ideal solution to their needs. In short, it’s a rapid, intense way to get their top directors speaking English.

Over the years, Englishtown has attracted ‘Anglo’ volunteers from all walks of life: concert pianists, writers, CEO’s, social workers, backpackers, geologists, wandering musicians and students. These come from a wide range of ages, from 18 to 80 and, invariably, look back on it as having been one of the best, most enriching experiences of their lives.

For more information visit www.vaughanvillage.com.

CONTACT:
Nicole Escario
Vaughan Systems
+34-91-5914840
http://www.vaughanvillage.com
Email: nescario@vausys.com

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