FELIZ NAVIDAD Y UN PROSPERO 2008!

All the best for 2008!

Ron Chavez

see you all in January.

Spanish group lessons - Winter 2008

SPANISH LESSONS

BEGINNERS I
an introduction to Spanish. The foundation!, pronunciation, numbers,colours, basic / survival vocabulary, including: days of the week,months of the year, time; directions, prepositions, question words,important verbs, sentence structure, short dialogues, all presenttense.

Wednesday Evenings: 7:30pm – 9:00pm
classes start January 16th, 2008 / 10 weeks
Instructor: Ron Chavez
Location: North Woodside Community Centre, 230 Pleasant St., Dartmouth.

BEGINNERS I I (NEW)
Thursday Evenings: 7:30pm – 9:00pm
classes start January 17th, 2008 / 10 weeks
Instructor: Ron Chavez
Location: North Woodside Community Centre, 230 Pleasant St., Dartmouth.

Fee: $150 (Plus one $5 fee for class printed materials).

For more information and registration, contact Ron Chavez at 495-7067
or email: spanish.halifax@gmail.com

Dispatches from the South: Demonization of Venezuelan Constitutional Reforms Increases

Two weeks ago a series of alarming articles began to circulate in the international press about Venezuela's constitutional reform process. At a speed not matched even during Venezuela's 2006 presidential elections, newspaper readers were inundated with wrongdoing after wrongdoing allegedly committed by President Chavez. Reuters, the LA Times, New York Times, Washington Post, and many more characterized the democratically elected president of that South American nation as a strongman hoping to consolidate power through the passage of some 69 constitutional updates. Polls were cited, opposition leaders were quoted, and the general tone was set: the reforms are inherently undemocratic and serve only to centralize state power.

The following week, after the groundwork had already been laid, some of those same news dailies issued editorials expanding upon their already existing bias. The Chicago Tribune wrongly reported that the reforms would bar due process during states of emergencies. The Washington Post claimed- against all evidence- that the reforms would curtail freedom in Venezuela. The Washington Times inaccurately stated that Chavez "controls most major Venezuelan media", an allegation easily refuted by a quick internet review of Venezuela's print and TV media. This particularly uninformed editorial followed an opinion piece earlier in the month penned by none other than long time Cold War player, Oliver North, who believes Chavez has "pulled a coup" on the Venezuelan people. Similar and more egregious opinion pieces were disseminated in the national press.

However, if you still weren't sold on the idea that constitutional reform was undemocratic, you were led to believe that Venezuelan's just weren't sophisticated enough to determine their own path. An opinion piece published by the Los Angeles Times over the weekend served as a case in point. "Venezuela's path to self-destruction" by William Ratliff concluded that although Venezuelans would likely approve a set of constitutional reforms in early December they would not have done so on their own accord. Rather, they will have been duped by the President and sadly won't realize until it is too late.

As the reform vote nears, and Venezuelans mobilize to express their will at the ballot box this Sunday, it is imperative that we hold the press accountable. During the next few days please check the VIO homepage and news section for more balanced coverage on the process unfolding there. You can also submit your own opinion by authoring an oped and sending it in to your local paper.

Read this weeks more balanced news on Venezuela here.

Spanish - Quick Fix

Thanks Doug for sending to us this excellent link:

Hola Ron

Here is the link to the BBC Spanish site http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/spanish/index.shtml

the beginners program is http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/spanish/lj/itinerary.shtml

Doug

Los Novios

I met these guys while driving this weekend on Highway 7.

Support Guatemalan teachers at Breaking the Silence Fundraiser.

Breaking the Silence North Shore Fundraiser
Thursday, Oct. 18th, 6p.m.
Sugar Moon Farm

Join members of the North Shore-Guatemala Breaking the Silence Network for its fourth annual fundraiser at Sugar Moon Farm (located in Earltown between Tatamagouche and Truro) on Thursday, October the 18 th. Doors open at 6 p.m., sausage and pancakes will be served with delicious Sugar Moon-made maple syrup at 6:30p.m. Cash bar is available.

Tickets are $22.80 tax included and can be purchased from Hanna's Books in Tatamagouche or by calling Sugar Moon at 1-866-81-maple (6-2753). This is a great opportunity to meet members of Breaking the Silence, and hear from the seven interns who will be traveling to Guatemala to work with organizations there. Money raised during the evening will supplement very low teachers' salaries in a Mayan community.

The Maritimes-Guatemala Breaking the Silence Network (BTS), a Tatamagouche Centre program, has had an active presence of mutual solidarity since 1988 with the Mayan people of Guatemala and social activists who became targets of the army in a genocidal war. See www.tatacentre.ca/Guatemalawebsite/BTSHome.html

for more information. Sugar Moon Farm is located on Alex MacDonald Road in Earltown, Nova Scotia. Sugar Moon features pure Canadian maple syrup and maple products, Chef's Nights featuring maple syrup and maple product recipes, a log restaurant and sugar camp tours. See www.sugarmoon.ca for more information.

Spanish Lessons - Beginners I - Space still available

This Fall: have fun learning one of the most popular languages – Español!

Tuesday Evenings: 7:30pm – 9:00pm

September 25th - December 4th (no class October 2nd)
Instructor: Ron Chavez

Location: North Woodside Community Centre, 230 Pleasant St., Dartmouth.

BEGINNERS I (Vamos a Platicar I)An introduction to Spanish. The foundation!, pronunciation, numbers, colours, basic vocabulary, days of the week, months of the year, time, directions, prepositions, question words, important verbs, sentence structure, short dialogues, etc. all present tense.

For more information, email Ron Chavez at spanish.halifax@gmail.com or call 495-7067.

Hasta la vista!!

Could this be the solution to the "hoodie" controversy?

La silla

(chair)

NEWS FROM CENTRAL AMERICA: Felix pounding Nicaragua-Honduras coast

PUERTO CABEZAS, Nicaragua -

Hurricane Felix roared ashore early Tuesday near this town as a fearsome Category 5 storm, flattening coastal areas before weakening to a still powerful Category 3 hurricane with 120 mph winds as it headed over land.

Felix made landfall with 160 mph winds — joining Hurricane Dean last month to mark the first time in recorded history that two top-scale storms have come ashore in the same season.
"The situation is chaotic. Puerto Cabezas is being totally destroyed," said Antonio Joya, a regional government official. "I'm sure it is going to be a total disaster."

Uprooted trees flew through the air as thousands took shelter in two schools in the port, home to some 30,000 mostly Miskito Indians. Ambulances with sirens blaring raced through the streets.

The storm hit near the swampy Nicaragua-Honduras border, home to thousands of stranded Miskito Indians dependent on canoes to make their way to safety.

"The wind is terrible. There's a roaring when it pulls the roofs off the houses," Lumberto Campbell, a local official in Puerto Cabezas, told Radio Ya. "There's no electricity because all the posts that hold up the cables have fallen down.
"The metal roofs come off like shaving knives and are sent flying against the trees and homes," he said before the line cut off.

Twenty fishermen were missing, and communication to the area was cut off.
Mudslides fearedThe area around Puerto Cabezas is sparsely populated and dotted with lagoons and marshes, but the storm threatened many poor Honduran and Guatemalan villages further inland that are perched on hillsides and vulnerable to mudslides.

Up to 40,000 Hondurans were evacuated to shelters, but some 15,000 people were unable to find transportation and were forced to ride out the storm in their homes.
“They couldn’t be evacuated because there is no fuel to take them to safe areas,” said Carolina Echeverria, a lawmaker from Cabo Gracias a Dios on the border with Nicaragua, where Felix landed.

Felix's landfall marked the first time that two Category 5 hurricanes have hit land in a season since 1886, according to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Hurricane Dean also came ashore just last month as a Category 5 storm. Only 31 such storms have been recorded in the Atlantic, including eight in the last five seasons.
"This is an extremely dangerous and potentially catastrophic hurricane. We just hope everybody has taken the precautions necessary to protect life and property," Richard Pasch, a hurricane specialist at the National Hurricane Center, said Tuesday.
Henriette now a hurricaneMeanwhile, off Mexico's Pacific coast, Tropical Storm Henriette strengthened into a hurricane with 75 mph winds and the U.S. National Hurricane Center said it was churning toward the upscale resort of Cabo San Lucas, popular with Hollywood stars and sea fishing enthusiasts.
Henriette was on a path to hit the tip of the Baja California Peninsula on Tuesday afternoon. The had sustained winds of 75 mph.
At 8 a.m. ET it was centered about 80 miles south-southeast of the peninsula.
Before dawn Tuesday, strong waves pounded the resort's beaches, rain fell in sheets and strong winds whipped palm trees. More than 100 residents spent the night in makeshift shelters as the storm approached, and more were expected to leave their homes Tuesday.
On Monday, police in Cabo San Lucas said one woman drowned in high surf stirred up by Henriette. Over the weekend, the storm caused flooding and landslides that killed six people in Acapulco.
source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20546847/#storyContinued

Spanish Lessons (group and private) - Fall 2007

Spanish Lessons!

This Fall: have fun learning one of the most popular languages – Español!

spanishinhalifax.blogspot.com

Space available for private and group classes.

Beginners Group class (10 lessons) on Thursdays 7:30 to 9:00 pm - begins Sept. 13th at North Woodside Community Centre, 230 Pleasant St, Dartmouth.Flexible schedules, reasonable fees.

For more information, email Ron Chavez at spanish.halifax@gmail.com or call 495-7067.Hasta la vista!!

Las Frutas

LEARN TO SPEAK SPANISH IN HALIFAX!

IMPROVE YOUR CONVERSATIONAL SPANISH!

My Spanish lessons focus on real-life conversations. You learn Spanish words in context and you will learn the fundamental language structure. If you are planning on traveling to a Spanish speaking country you will be miles ahead when it comes to communicating with your local hosts.
I select exercises and adapt lessons to the student's own interests and motivations. For example the environment, traveling, art and culture, etc. I put emphasis on practicing conversations.

I offer three levels:

Vamos a Platicar I
Vamos a Platicar II
Vamos a Platicar III

Each level consists of 10 lessons. The student decides its own pace to complete each level.

In addition, I offer special Spanish lessons with focus on social activism and solidarity work. In these lessons students learn plenty of Spanish social-justice vocabulary and practice real-life conversations.

I offer private lessons: one-to-one, for couples and for group (three or more students).

Lessons are taught at my place in Dartmouth – central location close to MacDonald Bridge and ferry - classes can also be taken at student’s home or office – depending on distance additional charge may apply. For groups (4 or more students) we book a public meeting room (e.g. public library, etc).

Schedules are flexible. Lessons start every week. Lessons are taught on weekdays, am, pm and evenings (depending on time availability).

Please contact me for more information and let me know what time and day(s) work best for your lessons.

Muchas Gracias!

Ron Chávez
spanish.halifax@gmail.com

Langosta

la langosta (una)

las langostas (varias)

Ummmmmmm ....me gusta la langosta!

Spanish for the home

Hi Halifax, Dartmouth, Bedford, Sackville and all amigos y amigas from the maritimes:

This web site - 1 2 3 teach me - is one of the best resources I have found on the internet for learning Spanish. Best of all it is absolutely FREE!

Bookmark it and use it as much as you can!

There is no excuse not to learn Spanish this time ;-)

Here is just a sample of audio clips - Spanish for the home

Click on the following link and then on the image to hear the Spanish pronunciation.

http://www.123teachme.com/learn_spanish/vocabulary_for_the_home

Guess what the big news was this week in Latin America? in Spanish ;-)

PARIS HILTON SALE DE PRISIÓN

Also, there was another important news in Latin America. This time it was about the creation of a big bank for the people of the South! A bank where profit is not the driving force! Can you believe this! A bank that wil help to clean the mess created by the IMF and the World Bank in Latin America.

The creation of the new bank - Banco del ALBA - is just a small part of a growing trend of integration and solidarity among the peoples in the Americas. You can read the entire news (in Spanish) in this TELESUR link http://telesurtv.net/secciones/noticias/nota/index.php?ckl=12776

El Festival Multicultural 2007

This year marks the 23rd anniversary of the Nova Scotia Multicultural Festival presented by the Multicultural Association of Nova Scotia. The Festival is an opportunity to celebrate our province's cultural diversity through performances, workshops, food vendors and visual displays. The three-day event will again take place at Alderney Landing on the Dartmouth waterfront from June 15-17.

Where to buy a good Spanish - English dictionary in Halifax?

Hola,

Here is a list with a good selection of Spanish-English dictionaries. You can get any of these dictionaries at BOOKMARK II Bookstore - 5686 Spring Garden Road (tel 902 - 423 0419). Also they carry a variety of CD's and other nice resources to help learn Spanish.

Hasta Pronto

Ronald Chavez

---


In Stock - BOOKMARK II Bookstore:

01 Merriam-Webster Pocket Spanish English Dictionary (ISBN 0877795193) $8.95
01 Larousse Mini Dictionary Spanish English (ISBN 203542125X) $8.95
01 Larousse Pocket Dictionary Spanish English (ISBN 2035420849) $8.95
01 Dorling Kindersley Spanish English Visual Bilingual Dictionary (ISBN 0756612985) $17.95
02 Cambridge Klett Pocket Spanish English Dictionary (ISBN 0521753007) $11.95
01 Larousse Concise Spanish English Dictionary (ISBN 2035421373) $17.95
01 Concise Oxford Spanish English Dictionary (ISBN 0198609779) $36.95
01 Vox Spanish English Super Mini Dictionary (ISBN 0071451781) $6.95
01 Wordsworth English Spanish Spanish English Dictionary (ISBN 1853263389) $9.95

On Order

01 Oxford School Spanish English Dictionary (ISBN 019911529X) $13.95
01 Larousse Pocket Dictionary Spanish English (ISBN 2035420849) $8.95

Lonely Planet - Costa Rica Hang ten in this peaceful oasis: the local wildlife highly recommend it.

Mention Costa Rica and people think paradise. The country's Disneylike cast of creatures — ranging from howler monkeys to toucans — are populous and relatively easy to spot. The waves are prime, the beauty is staggering and the sluggish pace seductive.

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/worldguide/destinations/central-america/costa-rica?

Destinos: Caribe Nicaraguense - Bluefields

El Caribe Nicaragüense además de ser un bello y atractivo paisaje natural, que goza de playas de arena blanca y aguas cristalinas --ideales para el buceo y el snorkeling--, es también un lugar lleno de historia y una vibrante cultura, enriquecida por la mezcla étnica y calidez de su gente.

Las Vocales: a, e, i, o, u

• La pronunciación de las vocales:
  
  a English sound: ah
  e English sound: eh (as in let)
  i English sound: ee
  o English sound: oh
  u English sound: oo
  
  Ejemplos:
  
  Ana
  
  Ernesto
  
  Inglés
  
  Oso
  
  Uno

Vamos a Platicar I

This Thursday May 17th we'll start the Spanish Lessons: Vamos a Platicar I.

These lessons are for beginners.

You can start your private Spanish lessons any time after May 17th. Schedules are very flexible. Lessons are also available for couples and groups of three or more students.

I do not follow one specific text book - printed materials are given to students at beginning and end of each lesson. Our main focus is on conversation, practicing real-life conversation excercises. Yes, we will study the fundamental Spanish structure (grammar). Lessons are adapted to student's own interests and motivations for learning the language. After all, learning Spanish must be enjoyable.

All you need is a good Spanish-English dictionary, a pen and a notebook.

Email me for more information on schedules, location and rates.

Hasta Luego

Ronald Chavez

spanish.halifax@gmail.com

Classes begin May 17th

Hi,

I hope you are enjoying this nice Halifax weather. I hope it continues clear, sunny and warm!

Thanks to all of you that contacted me in the last days, I am please to let you know that I will start classes on Thursday, May 17th.

Since classes are personalized you can start anytime after May 17th. I am very flexible with schedules and I do try to accomodate lesson's time as much as I can to your busy schedules.

For more information email me at spanish.halifax@gamil.com

Nos vemos pronto!

Ronald Chavez

Spanish Lessons in Halifax, NS

Are you planning on travelling to Latin America?
Do you want to learn and/or practice your Spanish?
Would you like to learn more about the culture and the people of Latin America?

If you answer YES to any of the above questions then email me at spanish.halifax@gmail.com

I am a native speaker, with teaching experience and recently moved to Halifax from Vancouver, BC. I am offering Spanish Lessons* for beginners and useful lessons of conversational Spanish for those more advanced.

In addition, I offer special Spanish lessons with focus on social activism and solidarity work. In these lessons you will learn plenty of new social-justice vocabulary and practice real-life conversations.

I'm looking forward to hearing from you

Hasta Luego

Ronald Chavez




*Email to find out schedules, location and rates.