2. Nuestros cursos de español

Intensive course for 3 weeks I went to Taronja as an almost beginner in Spanish and after three weeks I think I’ve made such an improvement but I’ve also learnt so much about different cultures and I think it has been an amazing experience.
I stayed in one of the school’s shared apartments with 4-5 other students from the school all of different nationalities and we were from the age of 18-26 and that was one of things that made my time there so special because you make such deep special bonds with other people in the same situation as you.
Over the three weeks the teachers were so engaging and welcoming along with the interns. There were multiple times where after activities we’d go to a bar or get some food and you felt so welcome and they were all so enthusiastic. In lessons each teacher found a different way to make sure you were taking in everything and the lessons were always fun. They also had a massive focus on conversation which was so helpful.
At the school there was such a range of ages and nationalities but I think we all came together really well through all of the amazing activities. My favourites were the excursions and the paella parties but all of them are worth doing as they improve your Spanish and give you opportunities to meet new people.
Thank you so much Taronja for the experience

A beautiful school with helpful staff I am just back from a week in Valencia studying Spanish at Taronja School. This is a beautiful boutique school. The team at reception are helpful and I loved their speed in replying to emails - they are very good at that. Prior to my visit, as I was travelling solo, I asked questions about the school, the lessons, the type of classes and ages as I was looking for something suitable to over 30 y/o, the accommodation, additional dates and Valencia in general and they were always happy to answer at the speed of light! They are very good at that and it helps when you are in front of your computer, you are tryng to book a flight and you need a quick answer.
The school
Right in the middle of the city centre, great location, near bars, coffee shops, restaurants, metro, bus, taxis, everything really. The entrance is quite understated, the school is located at the first floor of a building. Every class is decorated differently and all have air-con whichis great at this time of the year, when the tempretaure in Valencia is above 32 degree celsius everyday.
All the teachers I had this week were very nice (Isabel, Manu, Sonia), friendly, helpful and they really ensured that we learnt from this experience. The teaching is not based on any book, we were provided with a handout and additional pages during the week to cover the areas which we were going to explore during each lesson. All lessons are interactive with plenty of opportunity to ask 'preguntas' (questions). Internet is used in the school by the teachers to explain words or provide images and other digital tools are also used to write as a board (instead of the out of fashion board and marker). Classes are small, I was in a class of 9. I know that some of the people I met there were in classes of 6 so the classes are of a reasonable small size which is good and allows the teacher to provide full attention to all. Classes last 50 minutes each. You would usually have 2 teachers a day, one for the first two hours of 50 mins each and the second for the remaining 2 hours of 50 mins each.
Oh yes, once you get to your class forget your language as all the teachers will speak to you in Spanish only, which is fine and correct in the approach as you are there to learn Spanish. However, if you are totally unable to understand a meaning of a word or a sentence they will try to tell you the equivalent in English or Italian or French to heelp you.
You may have a T1 or T2 programme. T1 - Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning classes, Tuesday and Thursday afternoon class. T2 - the other way round. I had a T1.
If you want to go to museums or go shopping it may be worth booking some additional days in Valencia so that you will have entire days to visit them as it is a little difficult when you have classes in the morning or the afternoon, you would just be rushing around and the majority of the museums close at 13:00 for the day or some reopen at 16:00 but only few of them.
Weekly activities
I did not participate in all the activities as some were aimed at the younger crowd (I'm not old, just in my early 30s but what may be fun for a 17/18 y/o may be less fun for a 30 y/o - however, it is always great to mix with all ages) but the ones I participated in were the following:
Noche the tapas - Monday:
A little bar not far from the school (can't remember the name) with seats outside-only. One drink included with your 'tapa' but you could not choose which tapas to go for as you were given what came from the kitchen so it was more about luck. I was fine as I am not allergic to any food but one of the girls in my group was allergic to dairy products and she got a ham and Cheese croquette which she could not eat so I and the rest of the group helped her what are friends for!!!
Fiesta de bienvenida con paella - Tuesday
This party for all newcomers was a great idea, a great opportunity to meet other students and the teachers, in a location near the beach. We all met in front of the school and then we all went to the metro, we all bought tickets and then we got to the other end and got the tram, then we walked a bit and got to the location of this bar. The idea per se is very nice but I think more can be done in relation to the place where the 'fiesta' takes place. The bar was just a little run down, the drinks were cheap but we all complained about the quality of them. The Sangria tasted bad, the white wine we wondered why it was sold with ice (?) and tasted bad anyway, a mojito was prepared from a mixer so forget mint leaves, brown sugar etc there was none of that so it didn't taste like a mojito but like something with a little bit of rum and the chupitos (shot) were of an unknown taste. The paella was nice, there was a meat and a vegetarian option.
The music was ok, some was from the 90s (not a problem for those over 30 y/o!) but generally fine.
I think Taronja should consider other options when organising this party in terms of the bar and the quality of the service provided by the bar. The idea of the party is great but the bar 'not so great'.
Noche de Orchata and historia - Wednesday
The Horchata is a typical Valencian drink made with chufas. It looks milky but it's not as it is made of a root (I think). It tastes nice, it is very sweet and it is supposed to be had with fartons which to me are like sweet light bread, to be dipped in the Horchata.
We all met in front of the school with Vito (he is a cool man!) and walked to Mercado de Colon to taste the Horchata, oh, yes, with a little bit of history of some buildings in between. There are several bars were you can have the Horchata in the Mercado so we did not all have to be in the same location. I think we sat in 'Daniel', it was ok.
There were other activities organised by Taronja during the remaining days but I and some others opted out and did our own thing!
30Hood - group for 30+ y/o - great concept and a WhatsApp group was created for 30hood to share ideas, activities etc. However, may be Taronja could consider putting together some activities which may be suitable for those in their 30s? Just a thought
Accommodation
I booked a single room with the school. Taronja provided all the details, map etc of the school, very good service. I had to pick up the keys from a specific location, a beautiful yellow building nowhere near a metro station so you could either come out of Angel Aguillera metro and walk to the building (about 15 minutes walk) or get the taxi service provided by the school at 55 euros or also get a taxi from the aiport which should cost about 25, 26 euros.
When I got to the building I was given the keys for the house and my room and some bedsheets. I was based in Ruzafa. I waited for a taxi which took me to Ruzafa and costed just over 6 euros. My room was beautiful, large, massive window, double bed, a wordrobe, a sofa a big table for at least 4 people, 4 chairs, 2 side tables and lamps. The only issue was the lack of a fan. Valencia is extremely warm in this period and I believe that fans should be provided. Although the room was big the heat made nights and even the the day uncomfortable. A fan or air con should be provided.
My room was quite big but I had a look at that of my other flat-mate/student, I think it was half the size of mine and not very spacious, there was also another room which was an inbetween size. I think I was lucky with the room but I guess what you get may depend on availability.
The apartment had 5 rooms but only 3 were in use, there was no leaving room which was a shame as we had to stand in the corridor to have a chat. The kitchen was very small and would have been impractical if all rooms were taken and all were using the kitchen at once. Luckily it never happened!
The apartment had 2 bathrooms which was quite good and we never queued. However, one of the locks in one of the batrooms didn't work so you had to ensure that you made people aware that you were in there - not an issue though although may be it is best if this is repaired.
Ruzafa is a very nice area for bars, restaurants and there is a nice covered market, Mercado De Ruzafa where you can buy fruit, veg, meat and fish. It is smaller than the central market and there is no sit down bar/restaurant inside of the one in Ruzafa but it is equally good.
The apartment was at a 15 minutes walk to the school, the distance was ok or you could take a bus, line 7, to Xativa which is 1 minute away from the school and the center of Valencia or 2 minutes from Placa de Ayuntamento.
All in a all a great school and I had a great time!!! The teachers are great and the staff at reception are lovely and helpful.

I really enjoyed my time at Taronja. For me everything came together for a fantastic experience. The teachers and teaching methods are great, the school has a great atmosphere where one rapidly feels comfortable and part of what is happening. The mix of different ages is also fantastic, it is great to get so much intergenerational contact. Finally, Valencia is a fantastic city; a nice size, loads of things going on, and I would almost say that it has a spirit.

Taronja is a great Spanish school and also great fun! I have been to Taronja twice before, both times for 2 weeks of their intensive course. The course is for 20 lessons a week, over 4 hours each day Monday to Friday and there are also lots of cultural and social activities run by the school for students, normally without extra charges. These include cooking presentations at the school, cultural walks, lessons off-site at interesting locations, group outings to restaurants, bars and other attractions and cultural presentations at lunch-times as well as the weekly paella party for current and past students.
Teaching is done in small groups (6-10) of people with a similar level of Spanish and is done in a creative way and all in Spanish. As well as following a broad curriculum and working towards the standard learning levels, the lessons include a lot of fun activities and all sorts of diversions into exploring Spanish language and culture.
I can recommend this school very highly and Valencia is a beautiful city well-worth exploring. It is especially good during the Las Fallas festival 15-19 March each year and I will be returning to Taronja again this year 2019 to see it.

I spent one week at Taronja School, studying A1 Spanish and would go back in a heartbeat💕. The small classes were very engaging, and teachers were enthusiastic and caring. Taronja is much more than classes though, every night they had engaging activities where you could practice Spanish with fellow classmates and explore new places all over Valencia, and beyond with the teachers and ambassadors of the school. I had so much fun and met the most wonderful people from all over the world. I am in my 50s which I think is significant because they truly treated every person like family and had a group Buena Vida for people over 27 😂 to connect and be able to do things together. I'm really looking forward to going back In the future. They also have housing at a reasonable rate if you're staying for a longer period of time . Thank you Taronja☀️💐🎉

The school is located in the center of the city and easy to reach by public transportation or by walking. Everybody at the office is friendly and very helpful, they listen and understand your needs. They help you not only with school stuff but also with the matters of daily life and culture. Teachers are always prepared for the classes and they teach with an effective fun way. They understand your level and find out a way to make you understand and learn in a supportive way. Modern methods like internet and interactive whiteboard are used during the classes , which make the lessons flow easily. Grammar , reading, conversation, listening are well balanced. In a week different teachers are teaching in any given class that provides different styles, techniques and accents. Besides regular classes there are more classes to choose from ( like conversation ) according to one’s needs. Every week there are some activities, day trips and social gatherings so one can learn and experience more about the culture. The timetable of classes is constantly rotating hereby assigning a morning class on a day and an afternoon class on another day. Altogether it makes learning Spanish and Spanish culture easy, fun and effective process. Additionally Valencia is a very beautiful city with lovely locals. The city offers almost everything. Thank you all so much.

Amazing school! Learned a lot here, even more than at my own school in The Netherlands. Love the way they teach and how they interact with you. Always small groups of different levels so it’s easier to learn. Many nationalities and a lot of motivated and happy people study here 🙂

Pasé en Taronja dos semanas inolvidables aprendiendo español con mejores profes entre los estudiantes de todo el mundo. Buena ubicación, ambiente amistoso, actividades interesantes para todos los gustos. Me encantaría volver este año.