What does Ollie Phillips want for Christmas?

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With letters to Santa on their way to the North Pole, we asked our much-loved Cactus Ambassador Ollie Phillips to tell us 5 things he would like for Christmas…

1. Salsa Lessons

“My twinkle toes have always been prone to a strut on the dance floor, but I think now is the time to inject a tad more rhythm into them so that I can keep up with all those Latin dancers out there!”

Latino Dancers. Painting of Merenge or Salsa Dancing Couple

2. To Learn Spanish

“Having learnt French and experienced the benefits - particularly culturally - in doing so, I am now desperate to get a grasp of the world’s most spoken language. Spanish culture excites me and the only way to really immerse yourself in it is to be able to speak the language.”

spanish_food

3. Hair Transplant

“It’s swiftly becoming apparent that the ‘monk’ style haircut that I have been sporting for the last few years is now going out of fashion! In order for me to keep up with the times and grow a mohawk I feel that my hair follicles are going to need some help!!!”

ollie_phillips2

4. Polar Bear-Proof Pants!

“With my up-and-coming trek to the North Pole for the charity Wooden Spoon, I feel that a pair of iron-rod pants will prove to be essential! With the threat of polar bears very real, I could do with these bad boys to protect the crown jewels!!”

Polar bear cub of the year. Canadian Arctic

5. Cocktail-Making Lessons

“My ambitions to go to Rio de Janeiro for the 2016 Olympic Games are still very much apparent and I feel that in order to celebrate winning an Olympic Gold Medal, I am going to need to know how to make the Brazilian classic caipirinha in order for the team to have a fitting end to the whole experience!”

mojito cocktail and fresh ingredients in a tropical landscape

We’re sure Cactus might be able to help make some of Ollie’s wishes come true - we’re thinking a Spanish and Salsa course in Spain, Cuba, Guatemala or Colombia! - and would like to wish him and all our customers a very happy Christmas!

Find out more about Ollie Phillips’ inspiring role as Cactus Ambassador.

5 reasons why learning Spanish will make you thin

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Yes, you read it right. Forget going to the gym. If you want to make yourself attractive, make it your new year’s resolution to learn Spanish! Here’s why…

1. Learning Spanish burns calories! Make your brain work and the mere process of thinking will suck up glucose and oxygen from the bloodstream. Flexing your mental muscle to learn a new skill will also give you a natural endorphin high that will make you feel good about yourself - bonus!

2. Spanish food is more healthy than many Western diets. It’s long been known that a Mediterranean diet offers numerous health benefits such as reduced heart disease, blood pressure and diabetes. Rich in fresh vegetables, fruit, pulses and unsaturated fat from oil and nuts, you are also likely to lose weight eating these low GI foods.

3. Spanish nightlife makes you burn energy! Anyone who has spent time in Spain or Latin America will know that the night starts late, and goes on until the early hours. It’s completely normal to dance the night away with nothing but a bottle of water in hand, collapse in bed as the sun is rising…and then go on to do it all again the next night. Infinitely more fun than any treadmill.

4. As many Spanish-speaking countries boast a warm climate, you are likely to wear less and therefore be more aware of your body. You’ll also be surrounded by typically attractive people and this will have a subliminal effect of re-programming your brain’s ideal body image, giving you impetus to tone up.

5. If you are living in or visiting a Spanish-speaking country - which you are more likely to do if you are learning the language - you are likely to burn more energy than back home. Travel through South America and you’ll be on foot, bike or skis exploring new places. Take a city break in Barcelona and you’ll be moving between shops, cafés, museums and beaches. Take a Spanish course and you’ll be walking to and from the language school each day and visiting places of interest without even thinking about the exercise.

And last but not least - and not necessarily a way to lose weight - your newfound Spanish skills will earn you street cred. Who’s not impressed when someone pipes up with a line in Spanish whilst on holiday or at work when a foreign client drops by? Learning Spanish will keep you in shape long after your biceps have withered.

¡Suerte!

Cactus offers Spanish courses in Spain and countries across Latin America. We also run Spanish evening courses for adults and Spanish afternoon courses for children aged 7-15 in London and locations across the UK.

How much language can you learn in one year?

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New year is a great time to learn a new language, as it not only ticks off a worthy resolution but it gives you valuable skills to take forward. But the big question is - how much language can you really learn in one year?

Whether in preparation for an overseas business trip, to secure a deal with foreign partners or to maximise your employment potential, learning a language will put you one step ahead in the global community and bring you instant respect and admiration.

By making it your goal to learn or improve a language in 2015, you can track your progress from January to December and see how much you’ve learned over the year. Be honest about the time you can commit each week to your target language and make realistic short-term goals; this is the secret to keeping focused and energised!

So how much language can you expect to learn in one year?

This depends on factors such as:

  • Your existing level
  • Your learning style
  • The amount of time you have
  • The amount of self-study you do
  • The number of participants in your group
  • If you can spend time in a country where the language is spoken

We can offer a general guideline to help you plan your language training. Let’s take the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), which all Cactus courses are designed around, whereby A1 is beginner level and C2 is proficient.

If we take the most extreme case of wanting to progress from beginner level (A1) in January to proficient (C2) by December, you will need 375 hours of 1:1 class time* plus 255 hours of self-study.

That’s a one-hour class every day of the year – but of course, realistically, you’re more likely to study for a couple of hours at a time, and may put it many more hours on a holiday or business trip.

Let’s say you know the basics in a language and want to gain a bit more confidence, but there’s no rush. Transitting from beginner (A1) to elementary (A2) will require 45 hours of 1:1 classes, plus another 30 hours of self-study. If you do two-hours a week you will reach your goal in under six months!

Break it down into days, weeks and months and it’s easy to design a course that complements your learning style, suits your lifestyle and reflects your end goals. Whatever your language learning resolutions, your teacher will sit down with you at the beginning of your course to plan the content and make sure that you end the year on a linguistic high.

Bon nouvel an…feliz año nuevo…guten Rutsch…happy new year!

Cactus Language Training specialises in organising language courses for individuals and groups, having done so since 1999 for clients all over the globe and for diverse needs and budgets. Our expertise in the field of face-to-face tuition is second-to-none. With an extensive network of approved teachers and a strong in-house academic team, we are able to tailor a language course to suit your specific learning needs, anywhere in the world and whenever is convenient to you.

 

10 great reasons to kick-start the year with an evening language course

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Whether you’re determined to start the new year with a ‘new you’, need to prepare for a holiday overseas or want to improve your job prospects, now is the ideal time to take a language course!

1. Cactus is welcoming in 2015 with fun, engaging language courses in London and cities across the UK. We offer the five mainstream languages of French, Spanish, Italian, German and Brazilian Portuguese in most centres, plus rarer languages in our main centres. New evening courses start w/c 19th January 2015.

2. Learning a language is an excellent resolution as it will give you a skill that will last way longer than the average resolution – and one that might come in handy on holiday later this year!

rio

3. If you’ve had a hectic festive season, then it’s proven that giving your brain a workout is the perfect way to de-stress. Learning a language stimulates your mind, stretches your imagination and, ultimately, helps your brain to relax…in fact it is more effective at reducing stress than opening a bar of chocolate.

chocolate

4. If you’ve decided to de-tox in January then going to an evening language class – and doing homework in the week, if you’re diligent - will take your mind off the pub (that is, until your last night when you’ll probably all end up in the local tapas bar – but by then it will be March and it won’t matter!).

couple and bar sign

5. You can be sure of a consistent teaching framework that falls in line with other internationally-recognised language level systems - meaning that what you learn on our courses will be easily recognised outside of Cactus. Unlike many other providers, with Cactus you also receive a certificate of attendance on completion of your course.

teacher_awards_certificate

6. When times are tight employers will be looking for that little extra in job applicants. Knowledge of a foreign language is an asset in itself, but it also shows initiative and an appreciation of other cultures, which is valuable in today’s global society.

commuters

7. Language learning makes you clever! If you feel like you need a kick-start after the Christmas break, learning a language will boost cognitive development in areas such as mental flexibility, creativity, problem-solving and reasoning.

arabic

8. 2015 promises a stellar list of foreign language film nominations in the upcoming Oscars, and there’s no better way to appreciate these films than with an understanding of the language and culture. Watch out for Ida (Poland), Mommy (Canada), Leviathan (Russian), Winter Sleep (Turkey), Wild Tales (Argentina) and Saint Laurent (France).

film_reel

9. With a reduced number of children learning a language at school, let’s lead by example and show that learning a language is a passport to other cultures and a huge asset when you travel. Don’t forget we have new after-school language courses for kids aged 7-15 in London starting in January too!

juniors-fluk

10. Let’s face it, January can be a bit depressing. The excitement of Christmas is over, the days are still short and the weather can be miserable. If there was ever a time to take an evening course it’s now. Having a goal such as learning a language will make the weeks pass quickly and make you feel that you’re using the dark evenings productively!

vienna_school2

Cactus runs adult evening language courses and junior afternoon language courses in schools across London and in cities nationwide. Courses are available at many levels and on regular start dates throughout the year, starting in January.

Research project for French speakers in London - earn £50!

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Opportunity for French speakers to earn £50 for a 40-minute smartphone project

Saros research is recruiting French speakers in London for a 40-minute user session testing an app on a smartphone. Participants need to be either native speakers or advanced/fluent in French.

The one-to-one sessions last 40 minutes and will take place during the week Mon 15th - Fri 19th December, during the daytime, in Chiswick, London (W4). You can let Saros know your preferred dates and times.

The thank you payment for taking part is £50 - a great way to earn a little extra Christmas money!

To register your interest in this project please complete the online form.

FREE methodology course worth £220 with Cactus TEFL

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As experts in the English Language Teaching industry, Cactus has designed its very own online English Language Methodology (ELM) course and is offering it FREE to teacher trainees who book through Cactus TEFL

A companion course to the popular English Language Awareness (ELA) course, the ELM course is ideal if you:

  • have completed the ELA course and would now like to look at the methodology of teaching the language
  • are thinking about a career in EFL and want to see if it’s right for you
  • are already teaching EFL and want to learn more about TEFL methodology
  • want to prepare yourself as best you can for your EFL course
  • would like an introduction to EFL in advance of a gap year or volunteer project

How does the ELM course work?

  • Your subscription is valid for 90 days from the date you pay/enrol
  • The course is divided into 5 sections of 6 lessons each (30 lessons in total), each lesson focusing on a different area of TEFL
  • At the end of each section you submit an assignment which will receive feedback from a tutor
  • The course should take between 60-90 hours, depending on your experience and knowledge
  • You can pay a supplement to renew your subscription for a period of 45 days

How to claim your free ELM

If you book your TEFL course through Cactus you are entitled to a free English Language Methodology course. Once you have applied and been accepted onto your chosen course, you should provide Cactus with your proof of payment from the school. We will then send you your ELM course joining details.*

Good luck!

Cactus TEFL enables you to research and compare CELTA, Trinity CertTESOL and online TEFL courses in over 90 locations worldwide. Please visit www.cactustefl.com or call us on 00 44 (0) 1273 830 960 for friendly, impartial advice.

*Should you subsequently cancel and request a refund for your TEFL course, Cactus reserves the right to withdraw your access to the ELM online course.

7 New Year’s Eve traditions to experience before you die

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Out with the old and in with the new - from sending candles out to sea to wearing yellow underwear and eating 12 grapes at midnight, here’s why you should celebrate new year away from home this year.

1. Germany

Marzipan pig with cloverleaf and mushroom on white

Fireworks at midnight to oust bad spirits, resolutions (gute Vorsätze) written on paper and then burned to make them come true, the exchange of marzipan pigs (Glücksschwein) to bring good luck for the new year…German traditions at New Year are touching, wistful and fun.

2. Italy

zampone

Expect to eat zampone, or stuffed pig’s trotter, if you’re celebrating new year in Italy. In true Italian style, the bigger the gathering the better - this is a time for friends, family, celebrations and lots of prosecco.

3. Scotland

hogmanay

One of the best-known New Year’s Eve celebrations in the world, at Hogmanay you’ll be treated to concerts, processions, fireworks and people bursting with pride singing Auld Lang Syne.

Beware of ‘first footing’! If you’re the first person to visit a house after midnight, you must take coal, whisky, salt or shortbread to bring good luck. In preparation for the chimes at midnight it’s also customary to clean your house, take out the ashes from the fire and clear your debts.

4. Brazil

copacabana

For all the partying that has made Brazil so famous - and there’ll be plenty of this at ‘Reveillon’, or new year - there is one heart-warming tradition. Crowds gather along Brazil’s beaches, dressed all in white, to celebrate the Festa de Iemanja, the Goddess of Water, and little boats are sent out to sea carrying flowers, candles, rice and gifts to ensure a good year to follow.

5. Spain

spanish_new_year_grapes_small

As you would expect in Spain, celebrations for Noche Vieja, or New Year’s Eve, continue all the way through to the morning! Wherever you are, welcome in the near year by eating 12 lucky grapes at midnight, one with each chime of the clock. Eat them all and good luck will come your way the following year.

6. Greece

vasilopita

Get rich eating cake? You might just do so in Greece. Amongst the many special dishes that are prepared at New Year, the Vassilopitta, or St Basil’s cake, has a silver or gold coin buried within. Bite with caution.

7. Peru

Sports yellow female panties on white background

In a country known for its mysticism and spirituality, new clothes are perhaps not the first thing you would think of at new year. Yet don your best pair of yellow undies and you will be granted happiness and luck for the coming year. Alternatively, red underwear will bring you love and green underwear will bring you money. Easy…and no-one will ever know!

Wherever you are celebrating, a very happy new year from us all at Cactus.

If you have experienced New Year celebrations in other countries across the globe, please leave your comments below!

December 5th: what is Nikolaus and where is it celebrated?

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In many countries across central and eastern Europe, December 5th is a day when children prepare for a special visitor – Saint Nikolaus.

Origins

The image of Saint Nikolaus is similar to that of Father Christmas, with robes and a long white beard, although the origins of the figure are different.

According to popular belief, Nikolaus lived in the 4th century in what is now Turkey and held the title of Bishop of Myra. There are lots of miracles are associated with him - he is said to have been a very kind man who gave anonymous gifts to the poor.

Customs

On the eve of Sankt Nikolaus’ Day, people clean their houses, and children polish special boots known as ‘Nikolaus-Stiefel’. They leave them outside along with letters for Nikolaus, as well as carrots or hay for his horse. The children also recite poems and sing songs for Nikolaus and make presents for him. The following morning the shoes and boots will be filled with sweets, nuts and fruit, though if the children haven’t been good, they may get the more disappointing offerings of potatoes, twigs or coal!

Although he has a different name in each country, Nikolaus is usually accompanied by a slightly ‘unsavoury’ helper! In Switzerland, he is known as Schmutzli, and is said to threaten to take naughty children away to the dark forest in his sack. In Germany, this helper is called Knecht Ruprecht, and in Holland he’s known as Zwarte Peter.

Recollections

Former Marketing Manager at Cactus, Tinka Carrick, recalls her experiences of Nikolaus whilst growing up in the city of Dortmund.

“I normally got slippers, so if I forgot to put my shoes out, I’d find slippers outside filled with sweets. My mum as a kid once put her horse riding boots out, as they were bigger than normal ones, and ended up with boots full of potatoes in punishment for her gluttony!”

She remembers being terrified of Knecht Ruprecht, and on one occasion being so scared that she refused to come out from behind the sofa for the whole evening in case she was put in his sack and taken away!

Interns at Cactus Anne Blank and Susann Maring also remember some families ‘hiring’ a Nikolaus to come to the house and surprise the children, and primary school events with someone dressed as Nikolaus too. The celebrations were generally family-orientated, and didn’t involve big parties or community events, but Nikolaus was certainly something that was greatly anticipated, and that put everyone in the mood for Christmas.

German courses in December

The whole month of December is a great time to take a German course in Germany, Austria or Switzerland. Not only can you experience the tradition of Nikolaus (and perhaps even get a boot full of sweets!) but you can also get in the mood for Christmas with the fabulous Christmas markets and all their festive glory. Visit the Cactus Language site for full course listings, to test your language level, or to make a course booking or enquiry.

French Christmas carols: chants de Noël

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Bring some festive fun into your home this Christmas with these traditional Christmas carols…en français!

French Christmas carols, or Chants de Noël, are popular across France where Christmas is an important holiday. The French typically celebrate en famille, generations of the same family gathering for big festive meals and attending religious services at Church. For children it is an exciting time – children’s Christmas songs are sung and played at home, at school and in shops across the country in the run up to 25th December.

Although the French have their own carols, they do translate carols from other countries of the world. Below are lyrics to Silent Night, O Christmas Tree and much-loved Jingle Bells…

If there’s one fun way to learn a language and pick up new vocabulary, this is it - and no dictionary in sight!

Douce nuit (Silent Night)

Douce nuit, sainte nuit!

Dans les cieux! L’astre luit.

Le mystère annoncé s’accomplit.

Cet enfant sur la paille endormit,

C’est l’amour infini,

C’est l’amour infini!

Sweet night, holy night!

In the heavens the star shines.

The foretold mystery comes true.

This child sleeping on the hay,

Is infinite love,

Is infinite love!

Christmas_Trees

Mon beau sapin (O Christmas tree)

Mon beau sapin,

Roi des forêts,

Que j’aime ta verdure.

Quand vient l’hiver

Bois et guérets

Sont dépouillés

De leurs attraits.

Mon beau sapin,

Roi des forêts,

Que j’aime ta parure.

My beautiful tree,

King of the forests,

How I love your greenness.

When winter come

Woods and tillages

Are stripped

Of their attractions.

My beautiful tree,

King of the forests,

How I love your finery.

Vive le vent (Jingle Bells)

Vive le vent

Vive le vent

Vive le vent d’hiver

Qui s’en va sifflant soufflant

Dans les grands sapins verts

Oh!

Vive le temps

Vive le temps

Vive le temps d’hiver

Boule de neige et jour de l’an

Et bonne année grand-mère

Joyeux joyeux Noël

Aux mille bougies

Qu’enchantent vers le ciel

Les cloches de la nuit.

Oh!

Vive le temps

Vive le temps

Vive le temps d’hiver

Qui rapporte aux vieux enfants

Leurs souvenirs d’hier.

Sur le long chemin

Tout blanc de neige blanche

Un vieux monsieur s’avance

Avec sa canne dans la main

Et tout là haut le vent

Qui siffle dans les branches

Lui souffle la romance

Qu’il chantait petit enfant

Oh!

Suzanne Furstner Scholarship 2014 - Winning Entry

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Congratulations to Shervin Hejazi who has won this year’s Suzanne Furstner Scholarship. Shervin wins a 4-week CertTESOL course in Prague with Oxford House TEFL during 2015.

‘My Dream Teaching Job’ by Shervin Hejazi

“Time up!”

The class of students put their pens down, except the odd one or two who frantically try to finish their last sentence. It is my weekly intermediate English class to young Spanish students who wish to be fluent in the English language, and today’s exercise is to write about your ‘dream job’.

“Alex,” I call, “would you like to start?”

Alex beams as he elevates his notebook and begins to describe his dream job. “My dream job,” Alex begins proudly, “is to be the President of the United States!”

Suddenly the class erupts into laughter.

“Alex,” his colleague Cris whispers, “you know you’re not an American citizen, right? Kind of importante.”

“Oh,” Alex bemoans, his head sinking as the beam disappears from his face.

“Hey,” I interrupt the class’s unanimous laughter, “let’s not put Alex down. If he wants to be the President, he can be the President.” I look directly at Alex. “Alex, I challenge you to be the first Latino to be the President of America. That’s definitely a dream worth having.”

Alex’s beam returns.

“How about anyone else?” I ask, “who would like to share their dream job?”

One by one, my class of students share their hopes, dreams and passions. There were future lawyers, teachers, psychiatrists, athletes; as well as the less typical: circus clowns, comic book artists and ghost writers. It was a diverse class of optimists and enthusiasts, all determined to make their mark on the world, all possessing that young belief that the world is truly their oyster. Suddenly, I felt a pang of pride. Here I was, witnessing the development of a new generation of bright minds. I felt truly grateful that they accepted me as a tutor in aid of their journey.

The ‘dream job’ question then comes to Clara, one of my more cautious students. I noticed several scribbles on her notebook, and a conflicted look on her face. “Would you like to share your dream job with the class, Clara?”

“Well, Sir,” she begins, “I’m not really sure.”

“That’s OK,” I advise, “you don’t have to know what you want to be. My parents still don’t know, and they’re retired!”

The class laugh again.

“Well,” Clara continues, “I don’t know what job I want, but I know how I want to feel. I want to feel like I’m helping people, like I’m making a difference, that people can maybe depend on me, look up to me, and trust me to be there for them. If I have a job where every day would be like this… well, I think I would like that.”

And then there was no laughter. There was only silence. A universal silence, as each student knew that what Clara had said was something worth pondering. It was a noble endeavour, a reasonable dream, and my previous pang of pride could be felt once again, even stronger.

“And what about you, Sir?” Clara asks, returning the question. “What is your dream job?”

I look around the class of students, watching their faces as they eagerly anticipate an answer. A knowing smile forms across my face.

“Well, class. It seems I’m lucky.”

“Why’s that?” asks Alex.

I pause to smile again.

“Because I have already found it.”

The Suzanne Furstner Foundation was set up in memory of our much-loved friend and colleague Suzanne Furstner. The annual Scholarship reflects Suzanne’s love of TEFL, languages and travel, awarding a full time TEFL course in one of our best worldwide locations. Please visit www.cactustefl.com for details of all our TEFL courses and the Suzanne Furstner Foundation.