Euroasia: Language, Culture and Travel

Spanish classes are very popular amongst Kiwis. Many choose to kick off the year with some Spanish lessons, in preparation for an upcoming trip to South America or Spain. Some choose to learn Spanish because of business reasons. At Euroasia, we are often asked why Spanish lessons are so popular. Here are some reasons.

• Spanish is unquestionably one of the world’s most important languages, spoken not only in Spain but also in most of the Americas, from California to Cape Horn!

• The Spanish-speaking countries are exciting places: the cities offer a round-the-clock buzz, while the great outdoors has huge potential for adventurous outdoor activities.

• Within the Spanish-speaking world, there is an enormous range of exciting places to visit: in Mexico and Central America, the cities of the Maya and the Aztecs, and resorts such as Acapulco and Cancún; in South America, the cities of the Aztecs (including Machu Picchu), the colourful Andean cultures of Peru and Bolivia, the strikingly varied landscapes of Chile and Argentina, and the cosmopolitan excitement of Buenos Aires.  Although some English is spoken, getting around is much easier with a little Spanish.

• Spain itself is one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations, famous not only for its Mediterranean beaches, but also for its stylish cities, its well-preserved small towns, and, in the south, its unique Moorish heritage.  Not to mention Ibiza, with the hottest nightclub scene in Europe, if not the world!

• The Spanish language has been the vehicle of great writers, from both Spain and Latin America.  Both areas have also been the home of world-renowned artists and, more recently, film-makers.

• New Zealand is increasingly looking to South America for trade links, especially Chile, the most prosperous of the South American states, and the one closest to New Zealand.  Spanish speakers will be in demand in the future (in fact right now we have Kiwi businesspeople doing business in South America learning Spanish at Euroasia).

• Young Kiwis can work in Argentina, Chile or Uruguay for one year under a working holiday scheme.  A knowledge of the Spanish language would obviously make a huge difference to anyone’s job prospects.

Find out more about Spanish lessons at Euroasia.  Or to enrol for a Spanish course, check out the Spanish timetable!

2-week intensive Spanish language courses start this week (20 January intake) and the once-a-week option kicks off early Feb. Enrol now.

Euroasia Language Academy is successful because we have a unique system to teach foreign languages.

We have small classes of no more than 10 students, with expert native teachers. We use a curriculum uniquely designed for New Zealanders, with an emphasis on helping students to start speaking as soon as possible. Most importantly, our classes are fun and interactive.

Languages available include Spanish, French, German, Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean etc. Check out our website for timetable and pricing details.

Euroasia is an award winning provider of foreign language and cross-cultural training programmes, helping New Zealanders understand how to work with people from other cultures. Courses available in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch or online.

German has traditionally been a very popular language in New Zealand. German is the main language of Germany and Austria. It is also spoken in: Switzerland (most of the country), Luxemburg, in small pockets in countries neighbouring Germany or Austria (Belgium, Italy etc.), Namibia; and widely spoken in eastern Europe and the Balkans as a second language

The number of mother-tongue speakers worldwide total about 110,000,000.

Here are some key reasons why New Zealanders should consider learning German.

• German is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union.
• Germany has the largest economy in the EU, and is an industrial giant on the world stage.  Companies and organisations from Siemens to Carl Zeiss, BMW and the Deutsche Bank have formidable reputations world-wide.
• German technology and know-how are widely respected around the world, and organisational skills are immediately apparent when one visits any of the German-speaking countries.
• New Zealand has to engage more with the German-speaking world if it is to establish a stronger base for its exports in Europe.
• Young Kiwis can go and work in Germany for one year under a working holiday scheme.   A knowledge of the German language would obviously help enormously on this particular OE!
• Some of the big cities such as Berlin are among the liveliest in Europe, with an enormous range of events throughout the year, many of them geared to the younger population.
• Young people in Germany seem to be on the same kind of wavelength as young Kiwis; they usually get on well.
• The Germans and the Swiss come to New Zealand in large numbers – and usually love it!
• Germans are usually very environmentally aware, and are often innovators in green issues.
• Germany has a rich cultural heritage, and has made huge contributions to world literature, painting, music and philosophy.
• The German-speaking world has produced thinkers whose ideas have changed the way people look at the world: from Luther to Marx, to Einstein and to Freud.
• People are often surprised by the beauty of the German countryside, with its dense forests and deep valleys, also by the charms of its many historical towns and villages.  Austria and Switzerland have wonderful mountain landscapes.  And with extensive hiking trails, all three countries are a tramper’s paradise!

Find out more about learning German with Euroasia. To enrol for a German course, check out the German timetable on the Euroasia website. Last intake for 2008 is coming up on 10 November.

Recently I wrote that Britons are missing out on jobs at home and abroad because of their inability to speak languages other than English. Leonard Orban, the EU commissioner for multilingualism, says that small- to medium-sized companies in the UK are increasingly turning to foreign nationals to fill jobs that call for more than one language. In previous articles, I’ve explored the reasons why people need to learn a second language.

In recessionary times, it’s even more important to keep improving and to consider learning a second language. Now is the time to be upskilling to future proof yourself. The ability to speak a second language puts your business or your job prospects one step ahead of the competition. You are also demonstrating to future employers that you have what it takes to stick to something. Employers realise that people who embark on language learning have some key characteristics that are highly valued in such times: commitment and dedication being some key ones.

The reasons people give for not learning a language include lack of time, the cost involved and the difficulty of the subject area. Part of what makes knowing a language a great skill to have is simply because it’s not that easy for someone to acquire fluency. If it was, it would quickly lose it’s value and won’t be treasured as much.

Let’s think about it this way. What if you manage to land a big business deal in Asia or Europe, or secure a great job, because you speak a second language? What if you get yourself out of a sticky situation in a foreign country because you speak the local language?  What if you find the love of your life as a result of your language learning journey?  At Euroasia, we’ve seen these things happen, and we certainly deem it a privelege for us to play a small role in ensuring the success of our clients.

The economy may be going through recessionary times, but your personal life shouldn’t. This is the time to be preparing yourself for the next boom.

There is one final opportunity to enrol for a language course in 2008. Euroasia has an intake starting 10 Nov.

French is the second most popular language at Euroasia, after Spanish. Here are some reasons why you should consider learning French:

• Together with English and Spanish, French is one of the most international of European languages, spoken in all the continents of the world.
• French was for centuries the international language of diplomacy and culture; it’s still important in those fields.
• The French-speaking world has contributed an enormous number of great artists, writers, philosophers and scientists.
• France has a large economy with a huge international presence.
• Young Kiwis can go and work in France, Belgium or Canada for one year under a working holiday scheme.  A knowledge of French would obviously make a huge difference to anyone’s job prospects.
• France itself has an incredible variety of scenery, from the rugged Atlantic coast, to the beautiful central valleys, to the Alps, to the Mediterranean landscapes of the south.  It offers great opportunities for outdoor activities.
• French cities are active, busy places, where there is always a lot going on.  They have a unique café culture, and there are great opportunities for cinema, theatre, eating out and clubbing.
• French cuisine is world-renowned, and French is still the international language of cooking, so at least a smattering of the French language is useful for chefs and food enthusiasts.
• If France seems a long way off, New Caledonia and French Polynesia are more accessible holiday destinations.  And they are very French!  Even a limited knowledge of the French language can enrich and enliven your tropical holiday.
• Much like speakers of English, French speakers tend not to be very enthusiastic about speaking other languages, so in France, for example, there is no guarantee you will find someone prepared to speak to you in English!

Find out more about learning French with Euroasia.  Or to enrol for a French course, check out the French timetable!

Courses start week of 13 October.

Spanish is the most popular language offered by Euroasia. We are often asked why is this language so popular. Here are some reasons.

• Spanish is unquestionably one of the world’s most important languages, spoken not only in Spain but also in most of the Americas, from California to Cape Horn!

• The Spanish-speaking countries are exciting places: the cities offer a round-the-clock buzz, while the great outdoors has huge potential for adventurous outdoor activities.

• Within the Spanish-speaking world, there is an enormous range of exciting places to visit: in Mexico and Central America, the cities of the Maya and the Aztecs, and resorts such as Acapulco and Cancún; in South America, the cities of the Aztecs (including Machu Picchu), the colourful Andean cultures of Peru and Bolivia, the strikingly varied landscapes of Chile and Argentina, and the cosmopolitan excitement of Buenos Aires.  Although some English is spoken, getting around is much easier with a little Spanish.

• Spain itself is one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations, famous not only for its Mediterranean beaches, but also for its stylish cities, its well-preserved small towns, and, in the south, its unique Moorish heritage.  Not to mention Ibiza, with the hottest nightclub scene in Europe, if not the world!

• The Spanish language has been the vehicle of great writers, from both Spain and Latin America.  Both areas have also been the home of world-renowned artists and, more recently, film-makers.

• New Zealand is increasingly looking to South America for trade links, especially Chile, the most prosperous of the South American states, and the one closest to New Zealand.  Spanish speakers will be in demand in the future (in fact right now we have Kiwi businesspeople doing business in South America coming to us).

• Young Kiwis can go and work in Argentina, Chile or Uruguay for one year under a working holiday scheme.  A knowledge of the Spanish language would obviously make a huge difference to anyone’s job prospects.

Click here to find out more about learning Spanish with Euroasia.  Or to enrol for a Spanish course, check out the Spanish timetable!

Courses start week of 13 October so you can still fit in a course before Christmas.

It is now compulsory for all MBA students at Cranfield School of Management to have a working knowledge of a second language. A friend of mine at the prestigious China Europe International Business School tells me that his colleagues in the MBA program are not just taking Chinese language classes at school but hiring private tutors to give them the extra boost.

On the other hand, in New Zealand, it’s not compulsory even for International Business majors to know a second language. In fact, I wonder how many people who teach International Business can in fact speak more than one language.

Most business practitioners are probably in agreement that knowing the language of the locals helps significantly with doing business on the ground. Granted, most people in the business world these days do speak some English, and if they don’t, they would have an interpreter present. However, not knowing the language is a bit like walking with one leg; a real struggle. Some concepts are difficult to translate. Any native English speaker who talks to a non-native English speaker for more than 10 minutes would begin to see that it’s hard work to find simpler ways of conveying a message.

I recently returned home from a brief trip to Shanghai. Even though I speak some Mandarin, I did feel pretty handicapped. Of course, some street signs and Metro signs carry English translations.

On the other hand, once you go off the beaten track, everything is in Chinese.

As all locals understand Chinese, one can assume that if restaurants carry English language menus, they are targeting tourists, and would also charge accordingly.

Everyone knows that understanding some basic foreign language helps when travelling, but what does it have to do with business success?

Plenty.

In addition to the ability to communicate with your partners in their language, you also demonstrate that you are willing to go the extra mile for your customers and partners.

Knowing the language gives you unique insights about culture. This in turn helps you to better understand your business partner.

For example, in the Chinese language, there are different titles for different members of the extended family. Your father’s older brother has a different title to your father’s younger brother. The term for your mother’s brother is different again. In the English language, they are all known as “uncles”.

This highlights the importance of the extended family and hierarchy in Chinese culture.

Ultimately, as businesspeople we understand the importance of being “on the same page” as our customers, suppliers and colleagues. The best way to make that happen is to have all parties understand one another’s language.