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kiting and Spanish immersion

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Grizwald
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kiting and Spanish immersion

Postby Grizwald » Wed Jan 08, 2020 5:20 pm

I am looking for suggestions for places where my wife and I could go for two or three months for a kiting vacation and to learn Spanish.
Preferably where most people do not speak English. We just got back from Puerto Rico where almost every attempt to speak Spanish was met with an English answer.
Despite kting for quite awhile I still suck, so flat water spot is preferred. Cartegena sounds good but it seems the kiting is mainly waves.
A Spanish school would be nice but if we could hire a local teacher or connect up with someone who wants to learn English that could work too.
We are old and mostly senile so we don't need a lot of night life.
Similar requests have been posted to this forum before but the most recent I found was five years ago so any fresh insights are greatly appreciated. Actually any insights, fresh or otherwise are appreciated.
regards
Griz

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Re: kiting and Spanish immersion

Postby Toby » Wed Jan 08, 2020 5:47 pm

Cartagena has small waves only...Max 1 m.

Dominican Republic is also a good idea with good winds.
And a quiet cheap option as well

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Re: kiting and Spanish immersion

Postby Oldpeople » Wed Jan 08, 2020 6:30 pm

San andres would be an option. Flat clear water, nice people. January , february, march and june july.

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Re: kiting and Spanish immersion

Postby Havre » Wed Jan 08, 2020 6:54 pm

Oldpeople wrote:
Wed Jan 08, 2020 6:30 pm
San andres would be an option. Flat clear water, nice people. January , february, march and june july.
Any language schools there?

I have taken Spanish lessons in Cabarete a couple of times. Not sure if she still works there, but Pilar is brilliant. The locals will definitely speak to you in Spanish - even if it is getting more and more touristic. I love Cabarete and I have spent 4 weeks there not wanting to go home, but days will become somewhat repetitive.

Almost went to Cartagena this winter to do the same - kite and study Spanish.

Those are the two best places I have found to learn Spanish and kite. Will be interesting to hear if some are able to come up with even better places.

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Re: kiting and Spanish immersion

Postby mar menor » Wed Jan 08, 2020 7:09 pm

Hi Grizwald,have pm'd you
Chris

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Re: kiting and Spanish immersion

Postby Cab Driver » Wed Jan 08, 2020 8:25 pm

Grizwald wrote:
Wed Jan 08, 2020 5:20 pm
I am looking for suggestions for places where my wife and I could go for two or three months for a kiting vacation and to learn Spanish.
Preferably where most people do not speak English. We just got back from Puerto Rico where almost every attempt to speak Spanish was met with an English answer.
Despite kting for quite awhile I still suck, so flat water spot is preferred. Cartegena sounds good but it seems the kiting is mainly waves.
A Spanish school would be nice but if we could hire a local teacher or connect up with someone who wants to learn English that could work too.
We are old and mostly senile so we don't need a lot of night life.
Similar requests have been posted to this forum before but the most recent I found was five years ago so any fresh insights are greatly appreciated. Actually any insights, fresh or otherwise are appreciated.
regards
Griz
Lago Calima in Colombia (nearby to Cali). Same weather all year round near the equator with 9m wind 6 days a week. "Small" town mentality with cool evenings and requires a shorty for the water. Beautiful views. Not much English, especially if you want to learn Spanish.

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Re: kiting and Spanish immersion

Postby tomtom » Wed Jan 08, 2020 8:27 pm

Spain? :)

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Re: kiting and Spanish immersion

Postby zact » Thu Jan 09, 2020 10:58 am

Mancora in Peru used to have Spanish school when I did the same thing a few years ago. But, in terms of lessons, I would HIGHLY recommend checking out www.baselang.com I had an excellent experience with them, they are unbeatable on price, and being Skype-based, they open up your location options. As many one-on-one classes as you like for one monthly price. The reason it is so cheap is that they are Venezuelan teachers. But, despite the cheap prices, I found them extremely professional.

Lots of English speakers in Mancora, but plenty who don't, too. I suspect most kiting locations will have an abundance of English speakers. Just need a bit of discipline to persist with the Spanish.

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Re: kiting and Spanish immersion

Postby Grizwald » Thu Jan 09, 2020 12:57 pm

Thanks everyone.
Cab driver what is accommodation like in Lago Calma? Interesting name given the wind.
oldpeople - san andreas seems like a tourist destination, is it mainly Colombian tourists?
Toby - what is the period / frequency of the waves in Cartegena? I am fine with long slow rollers, I just don't like short and steep. I don't ski moguls anymore and I prefer to avoid chop.
Havre - I started my kiting career in Cabarete back when FreakDog was still popular. At that time there were as many americanos as locals. I guess it could have changed.
zact - I will check out baselang.com Unfortunately discipline is not my greatest strength.
Thanks again.
Griz

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Re: kiting and Spanish immersion

Postby Havre » Thu Jan 09, 2020 1:21 pm

Cabarete is definitely touristic. More by the day, but I never experienced even once locals switching to English if you wanted to speak to them in Spanish. And even if there are some foreigners running a couple of the shops, restaurants etc. I would say 99% of the communication can be in Spanish if you want it to.

Also the only place I have found where there is a language school very close to where you kite. Not necessarily important for you, but for example in Cartagena you might need to drive slightly north of the city for the best kite conditions.


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