The latest and greatest ways to learn a language

Learning a second (or third!) language can be hard and frustrating, but it can also allow you to get to know the locals and the culture of the country you are visiting. So instead of keeping your head in a text book check out some of these great new ways to get you speaking another language… fast!

Pocket Rocket – Passport-sized and super light, 30 Words is a portable flip card that offers thousands of word combinations to help you out of any situation. It’s broken up into sections, easy to read and spill-proof – perfect for those late nights in Rio!

Mapping the mind – Using a new approach, Collins publishers have just released their new Language Revolution, which uses memory techniques from learning expert Tony Buzan to help you learn a language faster. Make your brain work harder!

App-solutely! – For a portable, affordable (it’s free!) guide to Spanish, you can’t go past Nomad’s free iphone application. This app is straight forward, covers the basics and did we mention that it’s free?

From the source – Originally an iphone app, Bueno, entonces… has just released a pc/mac downloadable version, as well as a DVD pack. Offering 30 one-on-one classes and over 18 hours of private tutorials, this Buenos Aires-based course gives you the chance to be immersed in the culture. Tango at your house!

 

TV star – For students who want to be challenged, Lo Mas TV is an online video magazine that features authentic Spanish videos taken from television programs, music videos, documentaries and interviews. Feel like you’re already travelling!

Get involved – Feel like James Bond in Mi Vida Loca, an interactive drama where you have to choose what happens next. Professional actors tell this story of corruption and intrigue. It’s so much fun that you won’t even realize you’re learning!

A little help – If you’re learning from home, log on to this website and find a pen pal! Sure, the idea is a little dated but you’ll be able to practice your new skills, make great e-friends, and really… who doesn’t like having a friend in an exotic country!

 Websites We Love!

www.thelmandlouise.com – This website is for women looking for female travel companions. The graphics are a little cheesy but the real life stories show it’s a useful tool for finding someone to share your travels.

www.uni.edu/becker/Spanish3.html – Ignore the unappealing and confusing layout, and spend some time browsing the hundreds of links to Spanish language resources, aids, courses and dictionaries listed on this website. It’s a goldmine of information.

 www.insideragency.com – Find local who are willing to show you around in the country you are travelling to. Travelers get the inside scoop, while the locals get to share their cities and practice another language. Love it.

www.learningspanishblog.com  – This blog documents the journey its author takes to learn Spanish. There are heaps of product reviews, free resources and links to helpful websites. It’s for anyone learning Spanish and needing a little help.

Do you know a site we should review or do you have a blog we need to see? Email us and let us know! Write to magazine@saexplorers.org

Name: Maraya Loza-Koxahn

Age: 51

Nationality: Canadian

Current Location:  Buenos Aires

Profession: Therapist/ writer/ artist

Where were you before you arrived in South America?

Mexico, Guatemala and most recently, Canada.

What are you planning to do during your stay?

To tango, to live (and all which that entails) and to travel more!

Where is the best place you have travelled in South America so far?

Buenos Aires, without a doubt, which is why I have returned to live here for a while.

What are you looking forward to most about your time here?

Patagonia and Machu Picchu – and definitely the dancing.

What has been the darkest moment so far?

I think maybe having my camera stolen, but I don’t want to dwell on that!

How did you hear about South American Explorers?

I don’t actually remember where I heard about SAE initially  

How has South American Explorers helped you so far?

The new location of the clubhouse in the centre (here in Buenos Aires) is very convenient as it is about five minutes from my apartment! So I pop in for the free language classes every day. The people are also incredibly nice! I enjoy the weekly newsletter.

Finally, but most importantly, why do you make the time to travel? Why is it important to you?

I need to move and to experience differences and to find ‘my people’ (especially my ’soulmate’). I need to find ‘my place’ and I can’t do that sitting at home, watching TV. That’s why I travel.

Following months of anticipation, the streets of Mendoza erupted last March with blaring music, vibrant colors, galloping gauchos and beautiful reinas. This is the international wine festival of Mendoza, also known as La Vendimia. As a local resident, it is an honor to share this tradition with others in written detail just as I experienced it in 2009.

Mendoza is the wine capital of Argentina, nestled in the shadow of the majestic Andes Mountains along the nation’s western limits.

As the fifth largest wine producer in the world, Mendoza attracts thousands of visitors each year for its luxurious wine cellars, stunning landscapes, and multi-colored vineyards, which add a touch of brilliance to an otherwise deserted terrain. Despite its arid nature, the province of Mendoza boasts a vast harvest of grapes, apples, pears, walnuts, olives, and other delectable treats.

During the 16^th century Jesuit missionaries planted the first vines upon arrival in Mendoza. Centuries later, as European immigrants began to flood Buenos Aires, Italian and French engineers were persuaded to head west and make Mendoza their home, later constructing multiple irrigation canals that still operate today. In recent years, multi-million dollar investments have invaded Mendoza in the form of deluxe wineries and popular bodegas, most of which are open to the public for guided tours, fine meals, and delicious tastings. Tall glasses of burgundy malbec and sparkling chardonnay allure the international wine connoisseur year-round, though La Vendimia takes place during the initial weeks of March.

La Vendimia is a celebration of Mendoza’s local harvest.

Official festivities began almost 70 years ago in recognition of the land’s bountiful production. Since then, this special event has grown into a marvelous tradition, kicking off with the annual Via Blanca de las Reinas, a parade usually reserved for the first Friday of the month.

This evening, following a multitude of vibrant performers and marching musicians, seventeen wine queens arrive on their extravagant custom-made floats, representing their respective provincial departments, while casually cruising down Mendoza’s central avenues wearing glamorous gowns and jewels. Small children and grown adults frantically wave their hands in the air, begging the young pageant queens to share their ‘emblems’ of the harvest. In return, grapes and gourds are tossed into the crowd and gathered up in makeshift baskets attached to broom handles. Laughter is contagious as desperate onlookers struggle to catch the goods, only to eventually squash some of the fruit below their feet. With a sense of pride, smiling sons and daughters run to their parents to show off their newly acquired gifts: cantaloupes, heads of garlic, and even bags of oregano.

The cement below our feet is soon covered in grape juice and fruit peels…and a flying cantaloupe just barely grazed my son’s head as he looks on from his stroller!

The following morning, the same parade is repeated. Under the summer sun, native gauchos, both young and old, trot down the crowded avenues atop their horses. Decorated soldiers march to the rhythm of the himno nacional. Glamorous dance groups move, twist, and entertain the crowd, causing a reaction of cheers and applause. The young queens continue to compete for the adoration of neighbors – and politicians – in order to be voted the official Reina de la Vendimia later that evening.

Tonight, Mendoza’s outdoor theater overflows with almost 40,000 people seated in the stands. Teatro Griego Frank Romero Day – a cultural landmark inside the impressive San Martín Park – is home to the annual Acto Central, where the official wine queen will soon be crowned. The weather is perfect – a pitch black canopy dotted with stars. Vendors are selling miniature bottles of red and white wines. Raucous fans wave banners and flags in support of their respective queens. The dazzling performance begins with hundreds of colorful singers and dancers twirling on stage and splashing across the reflecting pool. Queens of years past are both honored and cheered, just as is Vice President Cobos upon his arrival.Following two hours of rich entertainment, all seventeen queens are introduced and invited to appear on stage.

The crowd listens as numerous ballots are counted by the hosts. Who will be this year’s ‘first lady of wine’? The blaring speakers across the theater reveal: ‘Luuuuuuján!! Godooooooy Cruz!! 3 votes for San Marrrrrrrtín!! 2 for Aaaaalvear!!’

This goes on for several minutes, but the winner is obvious – San Martín by a landslide! The blonde teenage queen receives her crown, along with large bouquets of flowers. Her acceptance speech is filled with tears and gratitude. Well, at least Godoy Cruz took second place (our neighborhood queen).

Our late night now concludes with an impressive display of multi-colored fireworks.

Our son is amazed! Afterwards, it’s time to head home, face the traffic, and crash in bed. As for the rest of the week… well, it is the international wine festival. Salud!

Wade Alexander is the owner and operator of Imagine Argentina Travel (www.imagineargentina.com). Raised in northern Virginia, he first moved to Argentina in 1999 where he spent two years in the northwest region of Salta. Currently sharing time between Mendoza and Utah, Wade now dedicates his efforts to professional travel planning, photography, and bilingual marketing. He and his dear wife, Tania, are looking forward to the international journeys ahead as their infant son slowly becomes bilingual…they hope.

What is the best thing about living in La Paz? It is surrounded by beautiful mountains and it has so much life! I love it.

When you visit La Paz what must you see and do? Well, there is the Valle de la Luna just outside of town, obviously the Witches’ Market and I recommend catching a micro to Zona Sur. It is completely different to downtown – you’ll see mansions, 4wds and lots of green, green grass. It’s interesting to see the difference.

What is the best travel tip for traveling in La Paz? Wear lots of sunscreen and a hat. We are at 3,500 meters and the sun burns so much more quickly!

Valle de la Luna

When you come to La Paz you must bring: a sense of adventure.

A local drink/dish to try is:  A salteña, which is like an empanada filled with chicken, eggs, olives and sauce. You can buy them from women who sell them on street corners, but try to buy one by 10am, as it will taste better.

The best way to spend a night in La Paz is: Either dancing in one of the night clubs or going to see a football match in our stadium!

It takes a certain kind of person to work for South American Explorers. Would we say crazy? No, let’s say energetic, resourceful and incredibly patient! Meet the lovely Mark from our Cusco clubhouse.

Name: Mark Green

Age: 29

Nationality: British

Occupation: Assistant Manager, SAE Cusco

I applied to work at SAE because…. I wanted the opportunity to share my own experiences of travel within the region – and also to learn more from others.

The best part of the job is… meeting interesting people from around the world and helping them to fulfill their travel plans.

The worst part of the job is… having to get up for work the morning after drinking all night at the weekly pub quiz.

(Somehow we don’t feel sorry for you, Mark! – Ed)

I travel because… I love it! I love getting out there, exploring new places, finding things that you didn’t know existed.

Plaza de Armas, Iquitos

My favourite destination in South America is… Iquitos, Peru, because although there are many fascinating places to visit in South America, the Amazon for me offers everything you could want for a good adventure. Sailing down the greatest river in the world, meeting the locals and going to sleep each night in the jungle – knowing that you are surrounded by animals that would be happy to eat you!

A travel tip for visiting South America would be… to be open to new experiences! Take a few risks, get off the beaten track a little as there is so much to discover… just make sure you have enough memory on your camera!

One thing that no one ever tells you about Cusco is… it is so much more than Machu Picchu!

Ausangate Circuit

My next destination is… well, I promised to go and say hello to my ex-girlfriend in Colombia, but first I’ll make another trip to the jungle! I’m also excited to go trekking around the Ausangate circuit some time in the near future too.

The best service that SAE offers its members is… honest, friendly independent advice…… and the free calls to the US & Canada are proving popular too!

To find out more about Cusco clubhouse visit www.saexplorers.org/clubhouses/

Shot by: Andrew Dare

Where: The New Year 2010 festivities in Cusco, Plaza de Armas

When: Midnight

Equipment Used: Shot on a Canon EOS 500d, on a large tripod

Comments: I was worried about the thousands of people, but I was given special permission from the police to stand on the grass area, so I was out the way. I took several long exposures to capture the fireworks. Of course, that made me a bit of a target for the pranksters throwing bangers, but I only had two very loud and very close bangs!

Website/ Blog:

GOT A GREAT IMAGE TO SHARE? Send it in to us! The most inspiring shots will be chosen to be featured as our Photo of the Month!
Email us at magazine@saexplorers.org

Our group grabs the packs from the top of our Jeep’s rusty roof and we set off for Colombia’s ‘Lost City’. Our guide, Tunyi, commences the six-day trek by telling us about eight tourists who were kidnapped in September^, 2003 by the National Liberation Army (ELN) on the very trail we are now on.

‘Three months they held them captive,’ he tells us. ‘They were lucky to be released alive.’

The three Australians in our group find this funny, while the two boisterous Russians become quiet and pensive, especially after I translate this bit of information for them. Perhaps Tunyi should have started by pointing out the names of some native fauna.

After this incident, tourist treks to the city closed until 2005.

Though an air of danger still lurks on the forbidding trail, Colombia’s army now have patrols that routinely pass along the path and the amount of robberies has taken a dive. Within the first hour, we pass a small group of soldiers wielding semi-automatic weapons. The Russians seem especially agitated by the troops.  

We venture into Colombia’s Sierra Nevada mountain range along narrow and seemingly impossible trails in saturated air. After a few hours, we have crossed the same river a dozen times, as it snakes along our difficult path.

The jungle canopy offers no relief from the heat and I am shocked at the volume of sweat pouring from my skin. I realize way too late that I’ve over packed by about thirty pounds. Dave Forester Wallace’s eleven-hundred-page novel, Infinite Jest, ranks at the top of my poor packing decisions.  

The trail is exhausting, but it is the exhaustion we have paid for.

We came to feel our shoulders ache, our feet blister and our sweat to pour. We came for that little voice in our head that says ‘you can do it’ to a skeptical body. Unlike other trails, there is no train or bus option here. Barring helicopters, the only way to get to the ‘Lost City’ is along an ancient trail once used by Tayrona Indians.

Teyuna, as the Tayrona originally called the city, was ‘discovered’ in 1972 by treasure hunters, but at the time, its location was already widely known to tribes living in the area. Founded possibly as far back as 800AD, it is believed to have been home to about 10,000 Tayrona at its peak.

The ‘Lost City’ is not just a story of what was once there, but in many ways the story of what still is.

Along the way, our trail leads us through small villages inhabited by the Kogis, the blood descendants of the city’s founders. They are still living in the same widely romantic way of their ancestors.

As cautious outsiders, we watch the inhabitants of these villages as they herd their children inside the huts while we pass, commanding them in one of the 100 dialects of their still-intact ancient language. It is a language they are reluctant to share with the eager anthropologists who come to study their way of life.

After eight hours, we reach the place where we will be spending our first night, under a thatch roof, hanging in hammocks. The Russians, who were initially worried that they might not be able to fall asleep in a hammock, quickly found out that after a day of trekking, sleep is inevitable and intensely restful.

Either the second day is easier than the first, or my body simply has given up on feeling its pain.

I learn from our guide that all the villages along the way are part of one tribe and once a year in February they have a month of celebration in which they all meet to drink fermented fruit juices and perform various rituals.

At one point our guide stops and shows me a coca plant. He points off into the jungle to where he says he knows of a cocaine factory several kilometers off the trail. United States drug aerial fumigation is banned in this area, making it an ideal place for such illegal activities.  

As we pass through another village he tells me that a Tayrona bride will spend her wedding night with the chief before having relations with her husband so that she can be taught how to love. It sounds like a good gig

In the afternoon on the third day, we cross the river for the last time and see moss covered stone steps tucked away under the foliage.

This is the beginning of a stairway of over 1,200 steep steps leading straight up the mountain to the ‘Lost City’. Before my foot falls on the first step a Kogi dressed in his traditional white garb emerges from the steps and disappears into the jungle. I look at the prints his bare feet have left in the mud and I see meaning spanning a thousands years.

With my pack weighing me down on the slippery stairs, I almost fall several times, a mistake that could have disastrous consequences in this remote area.

Heaving reached top, I feel exhausted. Surrounded by ancient stonewalls, I have attained the sky – the ancient stomping grounds of the Tayrona

Where did the inhabitants of the city go?

Unlike many other ancient cities, the Spanish never came here. As the conquistadors settled around the Caribbean coast, the people here simply left and were never heard from again. Some speculate that the direct descendants of the city’s inhabitants are still thriving somewhere in a distant, undiscovered jungle haven.

How the city was built is another mystery. From samples of the rocks, archeologists have concluded that some sort of acid was used to cut perfectly shaped blocks. Because of a potential commercial value, jungle plants have been collected in throngs to find the acid, but it, like the city’s inhabitants, seems to have disappeared into the jungle forever.

Our group spends the night in hammocks atop the city in quiet contemplation. We are alone to pass the night here, something unheard of in similar sites across Latin America. The ancient city seems to have given everyone a lot to think about. For all of us, it is much more than stacked stones on a mountainside. It has made us all nostalgic for a world we have never known. 

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

What to bring: A good pair of shoes, several pairs of socks, long pants, shorts, a t-shirt, a jacket or sweater, and a water bottle! The guides will carry the food for you and the river water is safe to drink. Even if it does not rain, expect your perspiration to soak your clothes within minutes. Hammocks are provided for you, but if you are sensitive to the cold, you will want to bring a blanket or sleeping bag.

How to get there: Going without a guide to the city is strictly prohibited and you must book a tour with one of the two companies authorized to bring groups: Turcol Travel Agency (turcol_24@hotmail.com) or Sierra Tours (www.sierratours-trekking.com). Both have offices in Santa Marta and Sierra Tours has a second office in the dive town of Taganga, but Sierra Tours is more sensitive to making the Trek eco-friendly and respecting the local tribes along the way. For the six day guided trek, both companies charge about US$240.00. Tours are conducted in Spanish.

In 2007 after finishing degrees in philosophy and English at La Pontificia Universidad de Valparaíso, Chile, Luke Armstrong did what any financially oblivious recent grad would do: took out a large student loan with the intention of hitchhiking from Southern Chile to Alaska. He was halted halfway and in April 2008 started working as director of Nuestros Ahijados, an education and development organization located in Antigua Guatemala. His writings have appeared in The Expeditioner, Perceptive Travel, Foliate Oak, and Ganeden Biotech. You can follow him on twitter at www.twitter.com/lukespartacus

The Latest Must-have Gadgets for Travelers Part 2

It seems like every day some new gadget for travelers hits the market. Some are good, some useless and some just take up space in your backpack. We’ve searched far and wide to find gadgets that are actually worth buying (click on the photos for more information).

FireSteel – This handy little gadget may just save your life. It will help you start a fire no matter what the weather conditions or the altitude. Originally designed for the Swedish military, it creates a 3,000°C spark that’ll get your fire started instantly.

Pickpocket Alarm – Keep those prying hands from sneaking off with your valuables. Attach this alarm and you (and everyone else) will know if you’ve been targeted. Note: while we like this gadget, we still believe being wise with your valuables is the best precaution!

Rechargeable USB Batteries – We love, love, love these! They are AA batteries that can be charged through a USB device. Plug them into your computer or the internet café’s computer and you’ll never waste money on disposables again.

SteriPEN^® Handheld Water Purifier – This one’s for the outdoor folk. Sterilize your water in seconds with this device. It kills viruses, bacteria and protozoa – including Giardia and Cryptosporidium quickly and safely. Kind of cool, hey?

 Door Guard – Staying at less than reputable hotel and looking for some piece of mind? This door guard fixes to most inward opening doors and secures them without leaving a mark. Its tiny size (16 x 6cm) and weight (95gms) make it an essential item!

Grilliput Portable barbeque – Okay, okay, so this one is just for fun. A compact, super light barbeque grill that you can take anywhere! Grill your veggies, meat or your toast! What a great idea! Well, we thought so….

Websites We Love!

www.vagabondish.com – An easy-to-read, inspirational website with travel articles, travel news and reviews. It’s laid back, doesn’t take itself too seriously and is worth a look.

www.yapta.com – This site has had a lot of publicity lately and for good reason. Log on and you can track the prices of flights, hotels and deals so you’ll know when the prices go down and can score a bargain. Easy.

www.luggagelimits.com – Don’t get caught out by airline luggage restrictions. Check out this search tool for flight-specific baggage allowances. They list over 100 airlines from around the world.

www.brazilmax.com – For those of you planning a trip to Brazil, this site has a huge amount of essential information on how, why and where to travel. It also covers art and culture, sports, music and festivals, and is written in a fresh and entertaining way.

Do you know a site we should review? Email us and let us know! Write to magazine@saexplorers.org

Our members are interesting people, and they do amazing things. Each edition we ask one of our intrepid members to tell us about themselves and what they are doing in South America.This month Lisa was found relaxing at the Cusco clubhouse.

Name : Lisa

Nationality:  Australian

Current Location:  Arequipa

Profession:  English teacher

 and an inspiration for all of us! *

Where were you before you arrived in South America? I was living in Australia.

Why are in you travelling in South America? Well, I just love it!

What are you planning to do on your trip? I plan to see the sites, learn about local history, check out the landscapes, go hiking, and learn Spanish! Phew!

Where is the best place you have travelled in South America so far?
Ooh, that’s hard to say. I’ve enjoyed it all: southern Patagonia, both Chile and Argentina, the Lakes district, the carretera austral (Chile), the mountains of  Cordoba, around San Juan and Mendoza in Argentina, the Cordillera Blanca, areas around Cusco and now Arequipa and Colca canyon in Peru.

What are you looking forward to most on your trip? 

Learning about new places, meeting new people, seeing beauty, and relaxing!

How did you hear about South American Explorers?

I read about it in a guide book and I was told about it by friends.

What positive effect has South American Explorers had on your trip in South America so far?

Well, I have found lots of useful information at the club and I’ve met some fun people. I like the online information, too.

Finally, but most importantly, why do you make the time to travel? It’s ‘me’ time. It’s time to see the world, to learn about new places and people, and to get to know myself and others. I aim to experience the many amazing facets of this worldly existence.

It takes a certain kind of person to work for South American Explorers. Would we say crazy? No, let’s say energetic, resourceful and incredibly patient! Meet the lovely Caroline from our Buenos Aires clubhouse.

Name: Caroline

Age: 23

Nationality: British

Occupation: Professionl Gap Year-er!

I applied to work at SAE because after travelling in South America for six months I arrived in Buenos Aires and fell in love with the place. So, trying to find an excuse to stay, I applied to intern with SAE, and here I am.

The best part of the job is… well, I love the activities that we organize in the BA clubhouse. We are always putting on fun and interesting events, but my particular favourites always involve food! I also like to meet the members who come in to visit us because we can chat for hours about travelling experiences in South America – one of my favourite subjects!

The worst part of the job is having to get up for work after one of the many big nights in BA!

I travel because… quite simply, because I am addicted! I have travelled quite a bit, and when I graduated I felt there was no way I could launch myself into ‘real life’ before exploring South America… but I am still here eight months later – so still no sign of ‘real life’ just yet!

Bariloche, Lake Nahuel Huapi. Photo by L Cousins

My favourite destination in South America is Patagonia because it is so so incredibly beautiful. I arrived in Bariloche after being a little chilly and damp in Chile and immediatly fell in love with the place. Not only because the landscape is so picturesque, but because the weather was so sunny! I loved the wide open spaces and the fresh air, the people and the incredible mountains and lakes. I really can’t rave about Patagonia enough!

A travel tip for visiting South America would be: bring less stuff from home so you have more space for buying beautiful handicrafts in the Andean regions and gorgeous fashions in Buenos Aires! Second to that, learn as much Spanish as you can before you get here.

One thing that no one ever tells you about Buenos Aires is that there are some amazing vegetarian restaurants. All you hear about is steak, steak, steak, so, as a lifelong veggie, I was a little worred about dining-out opportunities, but there are some great places here!

Drop by the clubhouse to find out which ones Caroline recommends!– Editor

My next destination is Columbia –  when I finally manage to drag myself away from the amazing city of BA!

The best service that SAE offers its members is the events! As I said before they are my favourite aspect of working for SAE, and members love to come along to meet other travelers.

To find out more about Buenos Aires clubhouse visit www.saexplorers.org/clubhouses/buenosaires