top of page

Events & Blogs


Dear Spanish Speakers: English Will Betray You
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
Darcie Khanukayev
Nov 272 min read


🚴♀️ Bilingual Bike Ride with the DarKha Immersion Club! 🚴♂️
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
Darcie Khanukayev
Nov 251 min read


📚✨ Bilingual Book Club – December 12 @ DarKha
📚✨ 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
Darcie Khanukayev
Nov 131 min read


🍁🦃 Bilingual Cooking Class: ¡Celebrate Thanksgiving with Us! 🦃🍁📅
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!
Darcie Khanukayev
Nov 41 min read


Olive You! Olive Me!
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,
Darcie Khanukayev
Oct 292 min read


We are hiking🚶🏻♀️to La Ermita en el Puig.🥾
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).
Darcie Khanukayev
Oct 281 min read


📚✨ New Book in the DarKha Bilingual Book Club! ✨📚
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
Darcie Khanukayev
Oct 281 min read


We’re going to knit in two languages!
🧶✨ 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. 🎁
Darcie Khanukayev
Oct 81 min read


Constipated or constipada: It’s Not the Same!
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.
Darcie Khanukayev
Oct 22 min read


🔥 Don Quixote’s Chapter 6: The Great Book Bonfire
Ah yes, the legendary Chapter 6… when everyone decides the best way to “cure” Don Quixote is to burn down his entire library. 📚🔥
While our would-be knight sleeps peacefully, dreaming of glorious adventures, the village priest and barber stage a full-on medieval intervention. They team up with the housekeeper and niece, grab some lanterns, and sneak into the library like they’re part of CSI: La Mancha. 🕵️♂️📖
Darcie Khanukayev
Sep 182 min read


✨ September at DarKha: Spanish, Culture & New Adventures in Xàtiva✨
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
Darcie Khanukayev
Sep 72 min read


🚶♀️🌳 Bilingual Hiking Adventure! 🌳🚶♂️🏰
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
Darcie Khanukayev
Sep 41 min read


😂 Chapter 5 of Don Quijote: The (Not-So) Triumphant Return
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
Darcie Khanukayev
Sep 32 min read


🌿🚶♂️ Join DarKha Academy for the III Hiking March "Per La Costereta" 🚶♀️
Our adult immersion activity is joining this special hiking route organized by local town halls. 🌄🥾 📅 March 2📍 Meeting point: 9:00 AM
Darcie Khanukayev
Feb 251 min read
bottom of page
