SPANISH WINGS: BEGINNING PLUS
GENERAL INFORMATION

Come soak yourself in the Spanish language, in a local church setting, using a method proven to support beginners and beyond. For a fraction of the cost (and no need to travel to Mexico or even further) you will: 

• Gain confidence in meeting Spanish speaking neighbors
• Have fun learning with art, games, music and real conversation
• Learn prayers, try reading the Bible and some liturgies in Spanish
• Gain understanding of Hispanic-Latino culture
• Get over the fear of speaking in a safe space where the fun is more important than perfection
• Let your brain relax and just soak in Spanish without a struggle

Who Should Attend?

•  Church leaders who are called and committed to connecting with Spanish-speaking community members.
• Those who have a tiny bit of Spanish, but are unable to form sentences or have confidence in their vocabulary.
• Those with no Spanish at all who are willing to spend about 10 minutes a day in the weeks before class learning a few basic words. (We will provide you with resources.) NOTE: Prior to our time together, you may want to expose yourself regularly to the language. This will help you get the most out of your class experience and not feel overwhelmed or behind the curve. (If the only Spanish you know is "taco" and are not able to put in 10 minutes a day before the course, you are likely to find this experience frustrating).

NOTE: If you can already put together sentences and have a basic vocabulary you may want to take the Intermediate Conversation experience. See sidebar for more related information.

Program, Methodology, and Instructor:

Suzy Martinez, Founder of Expanded Connection (a company that focuses on language acquisition, cultural connections, and medical Spanish for over 20 years across the United States and Mexico), will facilitate this event. She is bilingual and bicultural; Spanish is her first language.

Expanded Connection offers you a key to learning in the 21st century. It is an innovative way to learn and is dynamic, playful, stress-free and highly effective. Drawing on Dr. Georgi Lozanov's research on the brain, mind, and learning, Suzy believes that everyone has an incredible ability to learn and amazing potential for creativity. Her educational philosophy is based on the following:

• A true Expanded Connection experience involves the whole brain, music and rhythm, relaxed concentration, learning through all the senses, games, humor, and imagination, and a supportive environment.
• Learning challenges can be overcome and our potentials expanded dramatically under ideal conditions.
• The Expanded Connection teacher, crucially important for accelerative learning, is an artist who integrates all of the above to create a stimulating, joyful and relaxed environment.
• An accelerative experience contributes to greater overall confidence, creativity, relaxation, and general well-being.

The experience will focus on Arts and Latin-American Stories or ALAS meaning wings to give the participants the tools to fly into deeper relationships with Spanish-speaking neighbors when they return home.

SPANISH WINGS: BEGINNING PLUS
DETAILED INFORMATION

Dates and Schedule:

Monday, July 9, 2018, at 1pm to noon on Friday, July 13, 2018. The long daily schedule includes classes, community exploration, arts, games, worship, meals, videos, and interaction with people in the local area. The schedule is long to help participants settle themselves in Spanish, which will help to build confidence and a Spanish "brain." We are convinced that this is the best way to learn a language.

Cost:

$480 (or $575 as of July 1) includes tuition, materials, a breakfast option, lunch (or dinner) and the option of staying free at the church.

Some scholarships are available. Funds are limited. Priority will be given based on financial and ministry needs. Decisions will be made by the scholarship committee. Not all applicants will receive scholarships and no one will receive a full scholarship.  Please look carefully for all available sources and pay the full tuition if you are able to do so as that will help others to attend.

Location:

Mt Vernon, First United Methodist Church, 1607 E Division St, Mt Vernon, Washington, 98274

Lodging Options:

1. Free: Stay at church.  Please bring your own bedding, cot or mat, and towel to stay at the New Harvest UMC. The church has a shower and air conditioning.
2. At no additional expense. Stay in the home of a local church family. There are a limited number of such rooms, which will go based on order of registration. We'll ask your second choice in the registration form.
3. At your own expense: Stay at a local hotel.
4. No Additional Charge: Commute home or to a friend's. Please be mindful that the activities will be from approximately 8:30 am to 8:30 pm so as to provide you with a deep soak in the language and culture.

Meals:

• Breakfast ingredients will be available at the church for people to make their own before the day’s activities begin.
• Lunch or dinner will be provided at the church. Efforts will be made to meet special dietary requirements, though we recommend bringing some food for your use as a backup for any time we cannot meet your special needs. 
• One meal a day, usually dinner, will be on your own. This will be an opportunity to explore the community and order your meal in Spanish from selected restaurants.
• We ask everyone to bring snacks to share. 
• Coffee and tea will be available.

Questions? Please contact:

Lyda Pierce: lpierce@pnwumc.org, 509-778-38644

Register Now!