Language Learning: Setting Yourself Goals

Posted by Sarah under Cactus Languages Abroad, English, French, German, Italian, Learning a language, Spanish

When you learn something new - whether it’s a sport, a musical instrument or a foreign language - it can really help to have a goal, or set of goals. A goal will not only motivate you and provide the impetus to keep going; it will also give you a valuable means of tracking [...]

Read the full article

Tags: cambridge further exams, celi, dele, delf, language exam preparation course, language holiday abroad, language learning, language learning goals, testdaf

Cactus Opinion: Italian course in Tropea

Posted by Sarah under Cactus Languages Abroad, Cactus Staff Opinion, Italian, Learning a language

Sarah Gooding, Online Editor at Cactus, reports back from her Italian language course in Tropea (May 08)

Most people don’t know where Tropea is, and it would appear not many airlines do either. It took a lengthy slog to get to Stansted and several hours’ missed sleep to get the only flight leaving the UK for Lamezia Terme, Tropea’s [...]

Read the full article

Tags: calabria, italian, italy, language learning, stromboli, tropea

Looking back at Cactus over the last few months

Posted by Sarah under Cactus Languages Abroad, Cactus TEFL, Language Courses UK, Learning a language, News

Germaine Broadbent looks back at Cactus during Brighton Festival Fringe 2008
So the Cactus events at Brighton Festival Fringe 2008 came to a close with one magnificent party to celebrate langauges and travel at the Western Front!
Highlights included Alex’s wonderful skills at prize-giving…never has a bottle of Vin Rouge been so bigged up!

Read the full article

Tags: brighton festival, chailey, evening language course, hove park school, language learning, tefl

Cactus Language Success at Brighton Festival Fringe!

Posted by Sarah under Cactus Languages Abroad, Cactus Staff Opinion, Learning a language, News

Alex Wolfson reports back on our Cactus Language Evening in conjunction with Brighton Festival Fringe
I’m sitting at my desk with my hands shaking slightly and a slight pain in my temple after all the San Miguel I ended up drinking last night, but do not feel at all guilty about this because it was all down to the [...]

Read the full article

Tags: brighton festival, language learning, mariachi, mexico

Cactus Opinion: London (by Richard Bradford)

Posted by Sarah under Cactus Languages Abroad, Cactus Staff Opinion, English, Language Courses UK

Richard Bradford, MD of Cactus UK, gives us his thoughts on language learning in London
Warm air hurtles down the endless tube system - carrying with it the stressed, harangued humans from A to B, like rats in a sewer after the rain.
A cocophony of taxis, buses and motorbikes, throbbing slowly through dirty streets. Cyclists weave [...]

Read the full article

Tags: course, english, language learning, london, uk

Cactus Opinion: Italian in Cagliari

Posted by Sarah under Cactus Languages Abroad

TEFL Course Advisor Laura Harrison tells us about her Italian course in Cagliari, Sardinia

For anyone wanting to sample that legendary Italian hospitality…and cookery, Cagliari is the place to go.
The school in Cagliari is a fantastic place to learn or improve your Italian. It benefits from a perfect city centre location, and is big enough to [...]

Read the full article

Tags: cagliari, italian course, language course, language learning, sardinia

Cactus Opinion: Spanish in Pamplona

Posted by Sarah under Cactus Languages Abroad, Cactus Staff Opinion, Learning a language, Spanish

Senior Language Holiday Advisor Elvira Rodriguez tells us about her fam trip to Pamplona, Spain (April 08)

Hemingway fell in love with Pamplona and wrote a few novels based on this proud and ancient capital of Navarra, especially its world-renowned festival of San Fermin (the running of the bulls). Beautiful novels came out of his experience under the titles of [...]

Read the full article

Tags: language learning, navarra, pamplona, pintxos, running of the bulls, spain, spanish, wine tasting

Languages on the Job: Tips from photographer & author Steve Watkins

Posted by Sarah under Cactus Languages Abroad, Learning a language

Steve Watkins, photographer and author of the best-selling BBC ‘Unforgettable’ series, tells us about his experiences with language learning…

1. Tell us a bit about what you do…
I’m a professional travel photographer and author. I’ve been working as a freelancer for the past 13 years and I am fortunate that I get to travel extensively around the world, [...]

Read the full article

Tags: career, italian, language course, language learning, photography, spanish, travel writing, unforgettable