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“Seriously?! There are four ways to say YOU in Spanish! What’s wrong with just YOU?” Muttered Lori from Wales as she shook her head. “What do you mean, a table is a girl? It’s a thing, anyone can see it’s an IT!” Exclaimed Mike from England. “Good grief! I can never memorize all those verb endings,” despaired another student from New Zealand. I don’t respond immediately to these exasperated outbursts. I let my students entertain these “unfathomable” concepts until their defenses relax. That was my morning Spanish Grammar class. In the evening, the Spaniards come for their English class; and, I patiently listen to the same comments… only different: “Why is there a W in ANSWER if you don’t pronounce it?” “Why is everything backwards in English?” “If DO means HACER, why do you have the word MAKE , which also means HACER?” These questions don’t have proper answers. It’s become normal for my budding polyglots to compare and defend their English language skills against Spanish, and vice versa. It is pointless to justify the “correctness” of your native language, since languages represent different thought systems, different ways of organizing and communicating the world around and within us. Things really get fun when the Bilingual Adult Immersion class meets on Fridays. This is where the big questions get discussed as natives of the two languages meet head on head. Questions like: “If Spanish is a phonetic language, why do you have an H and not pronounce it?” Last Friday, a couple from Ireland joined the group for the first time. They were excited and had a list of questions for the native Spanish speakers. ”Which YOU do I use to talk to all of you in Spanish?” Alice smiled, waiting eagerly for a rational explanation. María, in her Spanish accent (which us Americans think is gorgeous, but don’t tell my students working on accent reduction!) explained that “It depends on the person’s age in relation to yourage, the social context, your relationship with the person, if want to compliment an older person you might want to use the TÚ form, if you’re angry, you may use the USTED form. With friends always use TÚ, except the older people always use USTED. With us, just use VOSOTROS, we’re all friends here! Does that make sense?» Concluded María with a smile. Wide-eyed horror had replaced Alice’s faded smile. Before she could compose herself, Sonia added her supportive two-sense: In Argentina, we don’t use VOSOTROS, only VOS which is the same as TÚ. For this group, you can use USTEDES! Alice didn’t ask more questions from her list that evening.

Practice your language🤓 and have fun in the bilingual Language Immersion Class for Adults😄 One of our members will explain the history to us while we take a route through Xàtiva. It's on June 21 at 7:00 p.m. We'll meet at the academy (Carrer Sant Domènec, 32) Call 722 126 299. #xativa #adultimmersionclasses #interactivelearningforkids #adultbookclub #darkhaacademy #englishclass #learnspanish #learningissuperfun

Practica tu idioma🤓 y diviértete en la clase de inmersión lingüística para adultos😄 Uno de nuestros miembros nos va a explicar la historia mientras hacemos una ruta por Xàtiva. Es el 21 de junio a las 19:00. Nos encontramos en la academia (Carrer Sant Domènec, 32) Llama a 722 126 299. #xativa   #adultimmersionclasses   #interactivelearningforkids   #adultbookclub   #darkhaacademy   #englishclass   #learnspanish   #learningissuperfun

Join us on Friday, June 7, for a fun and engaging evening at our bimonthly bilingual Adult Immersion class! We will challenge ourselves and bond through the universal language by playing Charades. Let's come together at the academy (Sant Doménec, 32, Xàtiva, Valencia) at 7:00 pm to create unforgettable memories and share plenty of laughter. See you there!

Ignite the power of language! https://wix.to/9AW9ylQ Hello DarKha Community! We are excited to share our latest updates and upcoming events for all age groups. Here’s what’s happening this month at DarKha Academy: 👶 For Little Ones: Fun and interactive language immersion activities designed to spark curiosity and love for languages. 👦👧 For Teenagers: Engaging language workshops and cultural events to enhance language skills and cultural understanding. 🧑👩 For Adults: Comprehensive language immersion programs to help you achieve fluency and confidence in a new language. 📚 Bilingual Book Club: Join our monthly book club to read and discuss books in both English and Spanish. All levels are welcome! 🚶‍♂️🚶‍♀️ Monthly Bilingual Hiking: Explore nature while practicing your language skills. A great way to meet new friends and enjoy the outdoors! 🍳 Cooking Classes: Learn to cook delicious dishes from different cultures and practice your language skills in a fun, interactive environment. 📚 Book Exchange Window: Swap books and expand your bilingual library. Bring a book, take a book! ☀️ Summer School: Exciting summer programs are coming! Stay tuned for more information on our immersive language summer school. Join us and dive into the world of languages and cultures at DarKha Academy!

Join Us at DarKha Academy for English Summer School in Xativa! Looking for a fun and educational way to spend your summer? Look no further! DarKha Academy offers a fantastic opportunity for children to enhance their English skills while having a great time. Schedule: 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM, Monday through Friday Price: 260€ per month,70€ per week, 16€ per day Activities: Projects, cooking, games, songs, activities, sports, stories, and more! Duration: Begins June 24th and runs until September 13th Free Registration.  Multifamily Discount Limited spots available. Reserve yours today.

¡DarKha Senderismo Bilingüe🥾: El domingo 19 de mayo exploramos las sepulturas islámicas excavadas en la roca! Nos reunimos en la academia (Sant Doménec, 32, Xativa) a las 10; lleva buenos zapatos para caminar, agua y ganas de explorar y practicar tu español/inglés. Hay que subir un poco pero no es difícil. 🥾⛰️🤩 DarKha Bilingual Hiking🥾: On Sunday, May 19, we explored the Islamic tombs excavated in the rock! Meet at the academy (Sant Doménec, 32, Xativa) at 10; wear good walking shoes, water and a desire to explore and practice your Spanish/English. You have to climb a little but it is not difficult. 🥾⛰️

Our Bilingual Book Club is reading the Little Prince, join us on Fridays to participate!

“Emilio, when you finish the outside walls, can you build a little box on the side for books?” “What do you mean, a box for books outside of the house?” He asked me with only a hint of sarcasm. Though out the last two years, he had shown up every day to renovate the dilapidated little castle I had bought. He was approaching retirement and, as yet, had never worked with a Californian and their unusual requests. By now, he was more familiar with my peculiarities, but I knew he would never embrace them. “What do you need a box for?” He continued. “I want a free book exchange library. People can take what they like and leave ones they have finished.” “We’ll need to put on a lock for when you are not watching it.” He warned. “No, it will always be open and welcome to all, no matter the day or time.” “Darcie”, he said, shaking his head slightly, showing that I had pushed my uniqueness too far; “but this is Spain, the books will be stolen”. “We’ll see”, I replied with optimistic stubbornness. Emilio never got around to building an actual book box, but I persisted. I loved the idea of those free libraries I had seen in California and France and Italy. They are small boxes, usually on a post and well sheltered from the weather. People leave books and take books. All free. I dreamt of having one in my academy; it supports reading, cultures, education, growth, good will… In short, the things that bring me joy. Since I wasn’t getting much support from Emilio, I found the perfect place that didn’t require adding another structure. Inside the window box! There the books were protected, easily accessible, and simple for me to maintain. Andthe glass of the window was reflective, so I could actually watch people as they browsed the collection without them being aware. A neighbour, who was 10 years old, asked me, “Why are you doing this? What does this mean?” “To share books and ideas,” I replied. And I believe she was speaking for a silent majority when she said, “I have never seen anything like this before! Can you just take books?” “Yes, and you can leave them, too. Why don’t you add some books that you are no longer reading?” And she did. Then a French family dropped off a bag full of French books, and others dropped books in Spanish. I added books in English. People browse through the books, take some and exchange others. It was actually working! Another neighbour exclaimed the other day, “Darcie, you’re changing Spain!!” I was pleased to hear it; however, what was important was that  I had faith in the Spaniards to support our free library! Emilio, now retired, still shaking his head with a smile.

On Sunday, June 23, for our monthly bilingual hiking excursion we will explore the Roman Aqueduct along the Alboi river in Xàtiva! Meet at the academy (Sant Doménec, 32, Xàtiva, Valencia) at 10; wear good walking shoes, water and a desire to explore and practice your Spanish/English. You have to climb a little but it is not difficult. 🥾⛰️🤩

“Asking isn’t as easy as they say and that is because you get what you ask for.” “Well, isn’t that the idea?” I replied to my brother as we walked along the Mediterranean beach in Valencia with the setting sun penetrating both the sky and the water, infusing them with the same deep blue, red, and orange hues. Breath-taking! With Easter upon us, it seems natural to contemplate the deeper “stuff”, to turn inward and perhaps do an internal spring cleaning. We may ask ourselves: ˝what do I want to continue developing as the days grow longer and the flowers and birds come to life once again? And what do I want to discard?˝ At least that is what my siblings and I pondered under the dramatic Valencia sky. It was the first time they were visiting and as we explored the sea, the mountains and the towns together, our conversation got philosophical. ˝I read about Julia Butterfly, a girl who lived in an old-growth Redwood tree in California for two years in order to protect it. There was a point in her protest that she was tiring, so she put her hands together and asked for strength to persevere˝. ˝She got what she wanted,˝ continued my brother, ˝but soon after her prayer, the loggers sent out helicopters that buzzed around her day and night for two weeks. It also began pelting rain, nonstop for the same two weeks.˝ ˝When she was at the point of collapse, in another prayer she asked angrily why she was being beaten down instead of helped! When she could gather herself together, the answer came,˝ continued my brother, ˝one gets stronger by overcoming adversity, not by having things come easily. She had gotten what she asked for. She needed to connect with her inner strength!˝ In the story, she did reach down and find that inner strength to go on. She became even more dynamic and powerful; the tree was saved. I thought of my students who, like Julia Butterfly, wanted to develop skills. If they simply ask to be fluent in English, they won’t magically begin communicating. I suspect what actually happens is that when the petition is heard, we are given the tools to achieve what we want. In this example, a teacher enters the student’s life and begins pushing and prodding against complaints and laziness until the students find that inner confidence and discipline to master English or Spanish! With the realisation of how asking and getting works, we all stopped with all the petitions and simply enjoy the sunset

If you have not been attending our Friday evening, I'm afraid you've been missing out! But don't worry, we keep growing and sharing new ideas, cultural treats and a lot of fun. Here's the schedule for end of March and April: Our "Special" Bilingual Book Club. We just began a new book: The Knight in Rusty Armor, by Robert Fisher. We will continue reading until the end and discuss it on Friday, April 19. If you have the next book in mind, please mention it! Our Adult Immersion Classes are going at a full roar of laughter and learning! As we share our talents, not only do we learn different culturas, but new skills! Adult Immersion Class for Friday, March 29, we will share the Holy Week Processions together. Our Spanish friends are preparing an informative evening. Adult Immersion Class for Friday, April 12 We will have a Salsa Dance lesson! Bring a friend if you like and let's bust out some moves! Will we meet at 7:00 pm at Carrer Corretgeria, 35, Xativa.