Events & Blogs

I have a secret… Spelling doesn’t come naturally to native English speakers. In fact, I divide the world into two camps: those who can spell and those who struggle. There are people who can confidently write “definitely”… and then there are the rest of us — the ones who Google it every time or wait for the spell checker to jump in and save the day. I don’t love admitting this, especially since I’m not only an English teacher but the director of an English academy. Still, t

Join us on Sunday, March 30, for a fun and adventurous bilingual bike ride! 🌿🚲 📍 Meeting point: DarKha Academy, Sant Domènec, 32 ⏰ Time: 10:00 AM 🧢 What to bring: Water, helmet, and your adventurous spirit! We'll be exploring the scenic area around Mount Puig between Genovés and Xàtiva, enjoying the fresh air, great company, and bilingual conversation along the way. All levels welcome! Let’s ride, chat, and immerse ourselves in language and nature. 🌍🌞 👉 RSVP no

🎄✨ Christmas is coming… and so is the DarKha Christmas Club! 🎁🎉 Looking for magic, language, and a little morning peace? Join us for two festive weeks of fun, creativity, and bilingual adventure at the academy in Xàtiva! 🧒👧 From 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., we’ll keep your little ones engaged with hands-on fun in English and Spanish — while you enjoy a well-earned morning break. ☕🎶 🎁 What’s in Santa’s sack this year? 🍪 Whipping up winter treats & hot chocolate 🔬 C

📚✨ Bilingual Book Club – December 12 @ DarKha 🗓️ Thursday, December 12 🕖 7:00 PM 📍 DarKha Academy – Carrer Sant Domènec, 32 This month we’ll be reading “My Brother Walter” from Mouthful of Birds by Samanta Schweblin. Some of us found last week’s story a bit intense 😅 — so this time, we’re exploring a gentler, more reflective piece. “My Brother Walter” offers a new tone: emotional, a little mysterious, and very human. Let’s keep enjoying fresh literary styles while practi

Thursday, November 21 🕖 7:00 PM📍 DarKha Academy – Carrer Sant Domènec, 32 💶 Bring 3€ for supplies. 🥧 And bring something to share with the group! Come cook, laugh, and connect in English & Spanish while learning about the heartwarming American tradition of Thanksgiving! 🇺🇸❤️🗣 Practice your language skills in a fun, real-life setting 🌍 Celebrate culture, friendship, and gratitude 🎉 Friends are welcome – the more, the merrier! 📝 RSVP (685 166 339) please!

As a kid in California, I thought olives were... fine. Nothing special. They came in two varieties: black, with barely any flavor, or green and stuffed with pimientos. That was it. They tasted like the jar — flat, timid, and bland. We put them on pizza and... well, I can’t think of much else. Sure, olive trees grew in California. I loved their silvery-green leaves and gnarled bark, ancient and wise. But their fruit? Always a disappointment. I never would have guessed that,

November 16, We are hiking🚶🏻‍♀️to La Ermita en el Puig.🥾 It’s an  emblematic hermitage of Xàtiva very close to the urban center. Meet at the academy at 10 with water, snack for a 3 hour easy/medium excursion (about 8 km on roads and up a the hill on well trod paths).

Ready to switch stories? 💫 We’re putting Don Quijote back on the shelf (for now 😉) and diving into a captivating, slightly eerie, and beautifully written short story collection: 🕊️ “Birds in the Mouth” by Samanta Schweblin. 🔁 As always, it’s our DarKha Special Bilingual Book Club — where language learners and literature lovers meet to share, laugh, and practice Spanish & English in a relaxed, thoughtful space. 🗓️ Get a copy of book in PDFs in both Spanish and English at

🧶✨ BILINGUAL ADULT COMMUNITY NIGHT ✨🧶 Friday, October 24 at 7:00 PM📍 DarKha Academy – Carrer Sant Domènec, 32. We’re going to knit in two languages! Yes, really. Whether you’re a seasoned stitcher or don’t know a knitting needle from a spoon — you’re welcome! 🧶 We’ve got supplies, 👜 but feel free to bring your own.🧍‍♀️🧍‍♂️ We’re looking for: Knitters and non-knitters; English and/or Spanish speakers; People who love to laugh, learn, and share. 🎁

Here at the academy, September is our month of coordinating and accommodating: matching parents with afterschool schedules filled with sports, music, dance… and of course, English! Lives are modified, groups are formed and tweaked, alliances made and broken — all because of fencing class. It's glorious madness. And then comes October.

Dear DarKha Community, We hope your summer has been full of light and joy! 🌞 September brings a fresh start, and at DarKha we want to invite you not only to learn Spanish, but to live it in community. 🌟 Spanish Classes at DarKha Classes begin on Monday, September 15th, with groups available both in the mornings and evenings. Over the next few days, we’ll finalize the schedules to best fit your life — because we know every student’s rhythm is different. 📍 Important detail

On Sunday, September 21, we’ll head out for a refreshing morning of fresh air, conversation, and discovery. These hikes aren’t just about moving your body (though the castle views and hills will definitely give you a workout!). They’re also about moving your language forward. 🌍💬 Whether you’re practicing Spanish or English, you’ll have the chance to: Use real language in real conversations while walking with others. Build confidence speaking naturally, outside the classroom

So, our “valiant knight” Don Quijote has just been beaten up by some muleteers (big surprise). He’s lying half-dead in a field, when a kind farmer from his village finds him. Instead of proudly declaring his real name, Don Quijote insists (in true delusional fashion) on being called Valdovinos (a hero from an old ballad). Yes, he’s still roleplaying while bleeding. The poor farmer, trying to make sense of this nonsense, loads Don Quijote onto his donkey (not a noble steed, b

♟️Join us September 5 at 7:00 pm at Sant Domènec, 32 for an evening of language, strategy, and fun! This week’s spotlight game is chess ♟️ — whether you’re a seasoned player, a curious learner, or just want to cheer on the matches, there’s a place for you.. Bring a friend, and if you’d like, something to share for the table. No experience needed — just curiosity, conversation, and community. Everyone welcome!

“Mommy, I slipped a note in your pocket. Everything will be okay. I’ll be back this afternoon.” That was from my 5-year-old nephew. He was off to his first day of school and feeling confident. More confident than his mother, who had set out all his clothes the evening before (she posted the picture…) and fretted about lunch and if he would find friends. I know this because it was on Facebook. Cute, I thought. And then came more postings of little kids, ...

📚✨ Bilingual Book Club Announcement! ✨📚 Hola, valientes lectores y caballeros andantes! ⚔️ This Friday at 7 PM at the academy, our Special Bilingual Book Club meets again — and we’re riding straight into Chapter 3 of Don Quijote de La Mancha! 🐴📖 What madness awaits in Chapter 3? Oh, just your average knight demanding to be dubbed in an inn he mistakes for a castle, with innkeepers, prostitutes, and muleteers all unwittingly cast as noble courtiers and holy men. 😅🏰👑

Summer has always been a season of contrasts, but I’ve never felt it more than when reflecting on life between my hometown in California and my current home here in Spain. Though the landscapes, traditions, and languages are different, there’s an unmistakable rhythm to summer that crosses cultures — one that celebrates community, connection, and the simple joy of staying cool.

🎉 BILINGUAL POOL PARTY 🎉 📍 Benigànim | 🗓️ August 1 | 🕕 6:00 PM Let’s celebrate all our hard work this year with a fun Bilingual Pool Party! 🌞 ✅ Bring: something to share (food or drink), a friend, and your best summer vibes! ✅ RSVP: to confirm attendance and help organize carpooling. 📞 685 166 339 See you at the pool! 🏖️

Yes, I know—it’s quixotic. And we’re doing it anyway. We’re embarking on the bold adventure of reading the classic, the first modern novel ever written: Don Quijote de la Mancha by Miguel de Cervantes—together, in both archaic Spanish and English. Darcie with a group of students from California with Don Quijote and Sancho in Madrid. At DarKha Academy, our Bilingual Book Club meets twice a month to read aloud, share thoughts, and practice both languages in a warm, welc

📅 When: Saturday, June 21st at 10 am 📍 Where: DarKha Annex – Corretgeria 35, Xàtiva 👨‍🏫 Who: George, one of our own community members, will teach us! 💻 What: Get hands-on and comfortable using ChatGPT! We’ll cover the very basics to help everyone feel confident with this powerful  tool. 👉 Bring your laptop and make sure you have a free ChatGPT (OpenAI) account set up before the class! (If you need help, let us know!) ⏳ The class will run about 3 to 3.5 hours, depend