| Author | Message | ||
     Lisa Ferraro New member Username: Sugie Post Number: 1 Registered: 8-2007 |
Hello, We are an American family considering spending a year abroad so that our kids (all boys, ages 11, 11 & 9) can learn Spanish. The plan would be to enroll them in a bi-ingual school, probably next year. Argentina has been highly recommended to us. We are just beginning our research, and may be able to visit in February. Can anyone recommend a good introduction, that will be a fun, positive experience for our kids, while giving us a taste of the area? (They are at an age when they are a little skeptical about the idea of leaving their friends, and we want it to be as much fun as possible.) We will have just over a week to spend there. Any ideas/direction would be appreciated. Thanks! | ||
| MIchael Calero Junior Member Username: Michael795 Post Number: 35 Registered: 4-2007 |
I would say that last sentence says a lot. Just a week to spend in a spanish speaking country. I attempted that with two weeks when my children when they were younger, it didn't work at their ages which is the same as your children. One, two weeks is not going to teach them much, they will miss their friends and at that age they want a vacation for fun not educational. Mine kept saying Dad, why don't they speak English, and then there was the TV programs since where we were we didn't have cable,where the programs were all in spanish so I had to rent a vcr and buy movies everyday for them. Now that they are older they can understand and both have learned Spanish. Just my opinion. For a week just have fun with them if they are interested they will take courses at home in spanish or stay longer that would make much more sense. | ||
| Sugie New member Username: Sugie Post Number: 2 Registered: 8-2007 |
Hi Michael, Thanks so much for your response. I guess I didn't make myself entirely clear. We plan on moving for a YEAR to a Spanish-speaking country. The February trip is to see how we like Argentina, that's why it's only a week. We want to do a sort of "best of" vacation (Buenos Aires & Iguazu Falls, maybe?) to whet their appetites (and ours). The goal is to have them love it so much that they want to come back! Meanwhile, I'm curious as to how your kids did learn Spanish, and how old they were when they learned. Thank you! ~Lisa | ||
| Roberto Board Administrator Username: Admin Post Number: 1243 Registered: 12-2004 |
Welcome, Lisa! At that time of the year the best would be to consider the beaches. Or if they are into outdoors, explore Mendoza or Bariloche. Plenty of stuff to do and beautiful places to visit. I think kids that age may also enjoy the parks in Buenos Aires -los bosques de Palermo- where they may feel they can play freely (sort of) with other kids. | ||
| MIchael Calero Junior Member Username: Michael795 Post Number: 36 Registered: 4-2007 |
Hi Lisa, To answer your question about how my children learned well, I am spanish speaking, even though my principle language is english, but my wife at the time a non-hispanic was a spanish teacher in Connecticut certified in latin and spanish. She studied in Argentina and Spain several years while in college, she speaks like a native of Spain. So with that combo besides courses in school they speak well. My daughter of course is slightly better at it due to studying more. Boys can be Boys.. ahahahah He can carry his own though. | ||
| elina overstadt New member Username: Agustina Post Number: 12 Registered: 3-2007 |
I would agree with Roberto, Iguazu will be HOT and not really indicative of Argentine life. I think Bariloche or San Martin will be really fun and beautiful and if your kids like hiking horses etc..there isn't a better place. I would skip Palermo Park, I remember when we first got here we took the kids to the Park and they couldn't believe how dirty it was, the 11 year old dubbed it Tetanus Park. A better alternative would be Teimaken a gorgeous zoo about 1 hour out of the center. I would be careful when picking schools for your kids...I wouldn't worry about them learning the language, they will, but for the older ones inculcating into an Argentine school, that they will be in for only year, may be difficult. | ||
| Sugie New member Username: Sugie Post Number: 3 Registered: 8-2007 |
Thanks very much for all of the input. I'm going to look into those areas. Enjoy the weekend, ~Lisa | ||
| WelcomeToMendoza.com New member Username: Welcometomendoza Post Number: 6 Registered: 7-2007 |
Our two american born and raised boys were 8 and 12 when they landed in Argentina over 2 years ago. For the first six months (July through December), they were immersed in a private school that was NOT bilingual , and with no intention by us of trying to make good grades, but rather just to survive the day without going crazy, since they didn't really speak a word of Spanish. My 8 year old cried and clung to his mom and the teacher literally had to pry his clenched fingers away and took him into the class room. At the end of the day, he emerged beaming from ear to ear with a bunch of kids. The 12 twelve year old had a set of friends within days. With some tutoring, by March they were ready to start in a bi-lingual school, where they now were fully ready to tackle a new year of classes in both languages. Our approach was a little unique and maybe not the best planned, but hindsight proves it to be a brilliant manuever. We made this move becuase of the kids, really..they are the biggest reason...to open their eyes of life outside the USA. Not one regret, and we are very proud of them. Elina, I'm curious about your last line..could you elaborate some more? regards, Sean | ||
| elina overstadt New member Username: Agustina Post Number: 13 Registered: 3-2007 |
Assuming you are in BA and assuming you are enrolling your children in private bi-lingual schools, it can be very tough on your kids socially. The circle of friends at these very traditional schools are often generations old and new kids, especially if you are passing through, can have a difficult time making friends. Our kids are at the American School (which is decidely not north american in its demographics). We know dozens of north americans and latins that have transferred their kids to this school due to kids being unhappy and having trouble fitting in. Bulling is considered normal and ignored by teachers and parents. What is culturally acceptable social behavior amongst kids here would not be in the US. If the school has never taken on international students they may be reluctant in doing so especially in the Provinces. This is my perception given our personal experience of trying to enroll our kids into a private bi-lingual school in San Martin. When asked if we had other options like tutoring or homeschooling the discomfort with the idea of us at there school was palpable. Bariloche however, has a great Bi-lingual school called Woodville, that would have taken us, but we ultimately didnt want to live in Bariloche. Perhaps Mendoza (I am assuming that is where your are living) is the right combination of big city in the provinces where the kids can assimilate. I think this would be difficult to do in BA and its environs. Kids are amazing when it comes to learning languages. Two hours in school, Latin speaking friends, futbol clubs and lots of travel in South America, my kid were literate and speaking good spanish (perfect portena accents) in one year. | ||
| David Jones New member Username: Surgeryargentina Post Number: 4 Registered: 9-2006 |
Sugie, My Spanish is Cuban & Mexican which I speak moderately. I personally found that immersion in the Argentine culture worked best for me. One thing that helped and kinda made it fun was a small handheld language translator. Being a tourist for safety I never stopped on the streets to look up something. Most of the SkyMall Magazines have them. "For technology savy kids this may be a fun way of looking up how to pronounce something in Spanish." The cool thing is they could immediately get to practice the translation on waiters, store clerks,etc. I find the Argentine people to be very polite, patient & gracious at my meager attempt's to translate something. Whether I got it right or not didn't always seem to matter, they all seemed very willing to assist me in learnig the correct pronunciation. Also the Recoletta area near the Cemetary has a variety of restaurants,& a great multiplex movie theater. Some of the movies are in subtitles (in case the kids get too much culture shock). Alot of the friends on this website can give you solid information on which language schools have the better success record. Hope this helps... | ||
| WelcomeToMendoza.com New member Username: Welcometomendoza Post Number: 7 Registered: 7-2007 |
David, I could not agree more about the immersion to help at first, and yeah greet point about the pocket translators, especially these days they are so jammed with technology. Elina, That's a real interesting point you raise about the American school in BA (I assume you are talking abut Lincoln) vs. other schools in the area. By the way, I believe Lincoln still operates on the northern hemisphere school schedule (3 month break during June July and August), is that so? I have a strong opinion on this matter of these expensive schools in these expensive neighborhoods, and that is that parents of wealthy kids in wealthy areas tend to bully much more than "average" kids, and how true this is no matter where you are in the world. Beverly Hills high must be super challenging for anybody, rich or not! Unless things on this subject have changed in Argentina that much over the last many years, I feel safe to say that Argentine kids are in general ultimately very open to "the new kid on the block" and generally have built-in trait fibers of strong loyalty and friendship. I would be willing to venture that a new international kid showing up at a school in the BA neighborhood of Flores, will fare better socially than at a "spoiled mosh pit" school in the northern suburbs of BA. I really don't think it is Mendoza or any other province that makes the difference. Even here in Mendoza there is the "spolied rotten" school that my wife and I specifically decided not to send our kids to. I always urge parents to research at least 4 different schools , closely, meet some other parents, meet the principal, tour the school on an average school day. You pretty much understand the culture at that school after a few visits and interviews. I do agree that probably most NON bi-lingual schools are not "ready" to take international kids here in Argentina. Plus, most of these kinds of schools are done for the day by 1pm anyway..incredible. Would love your feedback on the above. | ||
| elina overstadt New member Username: Agustina Post Number: 14 Registered: 3-2007 |
I think you might have some misconceptions about the American school and the social strata that actually attends the school. The American school is on a modified vacation schedule..6 weeks in December/January and 6 weeks in June/July. The academic school year does begin in August ending in June. Many of the kids that go to this school go because the government agency, the military or the corporation is paying the bill and subsidizing the rent, so for most part these are not necessarily "rich kids". What makes this school cool is the diversity of cultures and the wide range of life experiences that have nothing to do with being "rich". You would be correct in concluding the 20% that are Argentine are "rich" but in my experience are reasonably behaved, polite, normal kids, until you get them on a futbol pitch  I don't think the difference in what is acceptable social aggression at school, is economic. My best girlfriend teaches in Nunez at a local private school but went to school in the States. She says there is a huge difference in philosophy in raising kids between Latins and Anglos (a gross generalization I know). Argentines are much more hands off when kids are school age and are not micro managing friends and play dates and activities. A result is that there is a much more laissez faire attitude about teachers or parents getting involved when there are problems. I really wasn't making a value judgment about it, it is just the way it is. I think it helpful to know this and take into consideration given the amount of time you are going to be here and the nature of your child. As to the tight,impenetrable circle of friends, that would be specific to the "spoiled rotten"(how do you know this?)private schools in the nice neighborhoods; its not because they are in a "spoiled mosh pit" but because their grandparents all went to this school and their parents met and married at these schools and they belong to the same sports clubs and go to the same campos on the weekend. The school in Neuquen that was not interested in our family was a private bi-lingual school. | ||
| WelcomeToMendoza.com New member Username: Welcometomendoza Post Number: 8 Registered: 7-2007 |
Hi Elina, how old are your kids? mine are 10 and 14 - boys. Are you Argentine or from abroad? It wasn't fair me to generalize the word "spoiled rotten", although intuitive parents, after several interviews of schools, get a sense of what is what - or at least take their best shot, depending on who the parents are themselves. Lincoln school is quite expensive (hope they are not capitalizing on government spending lol) and their unique school schedule certainly does set them apart (and potentially some of their heir kids) from others. I hate to use the word "rich" . In this current economic cycle we are in, anybody who gets a decent USA income (middle class in the USA) but lives here can be classified as "significant more spending power", and no it's not true that all kids of "high spending power" parents are spoiled and also not true that all lower economical class kids are angles. But you can't avoid the facts that spoiled kids are far more prevalent in higher spending power families. Spoiled kids , in my opinion and many others, make for more difficult friends. So just using those basic facts and wide opinion is a good basis for what I suggested. I think. I agree with your friend that worked in the USA, in general. But the USA is a very big place with lots of different schools and school politics, and Argentina as a whole is not that tiny either. But you may be right about some of the schools in those northern burbs of BA. | ||
| elina overstadt New member Username: Agustina Post Number: 15 Registered: 3-2007 |
I am the child of a German Mom and an American Military man. I was an army brat living most of my childhood in Southeast Asian and Middle Eastern locations. My husband is Argentine but works for a Spanish company and this our first posting in Argentina and my first time living here. My four kids are 13,10,8 and 5. | ||
| elina overstadt New member Username: Agustina Post Number: 16 Registered: 3-2007 |
FYI: Here is a good generic article about school options... http://www.escapeartist.com/efam/94/art_How_to_Fin d_the_Right_School_Abroad.html | ||
| Sugie New member Username: Sugie Post Number: 4 Registered: 8-2007 |
I must thank you all for the tremendous input! We were away on vacation, so I didn't have a chance to respond, but I am going to start looking into the schools and areas you recommended next week when the kids return to school. Meanwhile, is there a travel agency anyone can recommend for our trip in February? Thanks again. | ||
| Roberto Board Administrator Username: Admin Post Number: 1266 Registered: 12-2004 |
Don't be shy, gang. I'll give it a shot... try my mother More suggestions > welcome. Which are the good ones? |
