Post: #1

I'm looking into taking some Spanish courses in one of these cities for a couple of months. Has anyone been to both cities and can give me a good comparison? Nightlife, quality and quantity of women, feeling of safety, etc.

I'm looking at these two cities because I want a good-sized city on the coast with beaches and lots to do. And it has to be Spanish-speaking, of course. However, if you guys have other recommendations too feel free to let me know. I'm also considering San Juan, which I love, but I've already been there and it would be quite a bit more expensive than Cartagena or Santo Domingo.

Thanks,

LS

Post: #2

I'm like you, wanting to spend some time in a Spanish speaking country in SA. My short list are either Medellin, Cartagena in Colombia; Lima in Peru or BA in Argentina. Was very impressed with the city itself as well as the cost of living in BA as well as the range of activities one can indulge in but not impressed at all by the women. Loved the passion for football there, specially from the Boca fans. Anyone has any experience in taking spanish courses in these cities?

Post: #3

I lived in santo domingo for 8 months. Its not possible to learn spanish there

dominicans who dont have the money to pay for an education (almost everyone) dont get one

so they speak this ridiculous fucked up slang. They also do shit like not prounoncing the s on the ends of words

a native spanish speaker from say spain would not be able to understand them

Post: #4

VP,

I used to be all about Argentina but have been pretty turned off by all the things I've read on this forum (mainly the women). I understand I still need to visit and generate my own opinion, and I plan to, but not for this trip. Lima interests me somewhat but I've heard it's pretty shady. I probably need to read more about it. I also thought about Cali, which seems quite tropical and is relatively near the coast, but had difficulty finding any info on language schools there. If anyone has info on Cali schools please do share.

Lumiere,

Thanks for the info. I knew there was an accent, but didn't think it was quite that severe. This is definitely something to keep in mind. However, besides the poor quality of their Spanish, what would you say about Santo Domingo? Did you like it? Would you recommend it?

Post: #5

Not really

go live on the northern beaches if you want to enjoy dr

Post: #6

Just to second him, I've heard the same thing about the Dominicans: their Spanish is totally unintelligible to any other Spanish-speakers, it's totally fucked, don't learn from it.

Post: #7

(06-03-2010 07:39 AM)Shaman Wrote:  Just to second him, I've heard the same thing about the Dominicans: their Spanish is totally unintelligible to any other Spanish-speakers, it's totally fucked, don't learn from it.

I am a native speaker from Spain; do not learn Dominican spanish. They speak extremely fast, uneducated and use words that do not even exist in the spanish dictionary. It's like telling a non-english speaker to learn English from Larry the cable guy.

I personally have about 2 Dominican girlfriends, and they are very sweet. However, I cannot speak to them in spanish; it both confuses and frustrates the hell out of me. ** they are great in bed however!

IMO, the best countries to learn Spanish from are (in order of Best country Descending):

1. Spain (obvious)
2. Colombia (Probably the best Spanish I have heard next to Spain)
3. Venezuela (Very educated spanish)
4. Honduras (Capital city only of Tegucigalpa)
5. Cuba (Cubans are very educated, but have a strong accent to their Spanish)
6. Panama (These are a close tie to Honduras)
7. Argentina/Uruguay/Chile -These countries try hard to be European, and should try harder to be themselves - which reflects in their speech, and vocabulary.
8. Puerto Rico/Peru/Ecuador - Use these as a VERY LAST OPTION!


Mexico has a very distinct and strong accent, however, the capital of DF has very educated people - still thick, and heavy Mexican accent.


My .02

Post: #8

Thanks MiXX for the breakdown. While I love the idea of balling out some Dominican chicas, the main goal is to improve my Spanish for both personal fulfillment and career progression. And while I think the Spanish they'd be teaching me in class would be fairly proper, I need to able to practice on the streets and that Dominican twang will definitely mess me up. So I guess Colombia it is for me.

I'm aiming at Cartagena unless anyone has info on a school in Cali?

-LS

Post: #9

(06-03-2010 07:36 PM)lilseezie Wrote:  I'm aiming at Cartagena unless anyone has info on a school in Cali?

-LS

PM Nacirema, he has some solid info on the schools in Cali you'll need to get going.

Post: #10

Thanks for the tip MiXX. Would you recommend Cali over Cartagena for the women? What about for the general vibe and enjoyment of the city? After all, women are important but I want to have a blast too. Cultural options and the aesthetics of a city are important.

Post: #11

Cali for living and studying abroad hands down. You could always visit Cartagena as it's the main tourist city but is much more expensive & you wouldn't have the bigger immersion factor you would in Medellin and Cali. Cali is the home for salsa in Colombia and is the cheapest big city in Colombia and offers a better environment for learning Spanish (less gringo tourism and foreigners there). Women are very friendly and I found more Afro mixed flavor there with the cultural and music scene and you would have access to the un explored Pacific choco regions which are goldmines! I've been to Colombia around 10 times since 2005.

Post: #12

Nobody answered lilsezzie qustion, damn, and i was thinking to myself, i found the right question.

Do cartagena chicks look as good as dominican girls? Do they have nice booties like dominican girls, if you were to compare the girls of cartagena and santo domingo in terms of quantity and quality, which one would you choose? Thanks

Post: #13

im pretty sure Cartagena women look better than the women from Santo Domingo.

Post: #14

(06-03-2010 09:02 AM)MiXX Wrote:  

(06-03-2010 07:39 AM)Shaman Wrote:  Just to second him, I've heard the same thing about the Dominicans: their Spanish is totally unintelligible to any other Spanish-speakers, it's totally fucked, don't learn from it.

I am a native speaker from Spain; do not learn Dominican spanish. They speak extremely fast, uneducated and use words that do not even exist in the spanish dictionary. It's like telling a non-english speaker to learn English from Larry the cable guy.

I personally have about 2 Dominican girlfriends, and they are very sweet. However, I cannot speak to them in spanish; it both confuses and frustrates the hell out of me. ** they are great in bed however!

IMO, the best countries to learn Spanish from are (in order of Best country Descending):

1. Spain (obvious)
2. Colombia (Probably the best Spanish I have heard next to Spain)
3. Venezuela (Very educated spanish)
4. Honduras (Capital city only of Tegucigalpa)
5. Cuba (Cubans are very educated, but have a strong accent to their Spanish)
6. Panama (These are a close tie to Honduras)
7. Argentina/Uruguay/Chile -These countries try hard to be European, and should try harder to be themselves - which reflects in their speech, and vocabulary.
8. Puerto Rico/Peru/Ecuador - Use these as a VERY LAST OPTION!


Mexico has a very distinct and strong accent, however, the capital of DF has very educated people - still thick, and heavy Mexican accent.


My .02

I am a native Spanish speaker as well. Dominicans and Puerto Rican Spanish is truly jacked up. The best clear and easier to understand hands down Spanish that I have ever heard has to be in Antigua, Guatemala. I spoke to Gringos in Spanish there who came to Antigua's language school for two weeks and their Spanish pronunciation and vocabulary was very impressive.To me Spanish accent (as in Spain) is very hard to understand. Whenever I am watching a movie from Spain I put the English subtitles on.

Post: #15

(02-21-2011 12:32 PM)playa_with_a_passport Wrote:  

(06-03-2010 09:02 AM)MiXX Wrote:  

(06-03-2010 07:39 AM)Shaman Wrote:  Just to second him, I've heard the same thing about the Dominicans: their Spanish is totally unintelligible to any other Spanish-speakers, it's totally fucked, don't learn from it.

I am a native speaker from Spain; do not learn Dominican spanish. They speak extremely fast, uneducated and use words that do not even exist in the spanish dictionary. It's like telling a non-english speaker to learn English from Larry the cable guy.

I personally have about 2 Dominican girlfriends, and they are very sweet. However, I cannot speak to them in spanish; it both confuses and frustrates the hell out of me. ** they are great in bed however!

IMO, the best countries to learn Spanish from are (in order of Best country Descending):

1. Spain (obvious)
2. Colombia (Probably the best Spanish I have heard next to Spain)
3. Venezuela (Very educated spanish)
4. Honduras (Capital city only of Tegucigalpa)
5. Cuba (Cubans are very educated, but have a strong accent to their Spanish)
6. Panama (These are a close tie to Honduras)
7. Argentina/Uruguay/Chile -These countries try hard to be European, and should try harder to be themselves - which reflects in their speech, and vocabulary.
8. Puerto Rico/Peru/Ecuador - Use these as a VERY LAST OPTION!


Mexico has a very distinct and strong accent, however, the capital of DF has very educated people - still thick, and heavy Mexican accent.


My .02

I am a native Spanish speaker as well. Dominicans and Puerto Rican Spanish is truly jacked up. The best clear and easier to understand hands down Spanish that I have ever heard has to be in Antigua, Guatemala. I spoke to Gringos in Spanish there who came to Antigua's language school for two weeks and their Spanish pronunciation and vocabulary was very impressive.To me Spanish accent (as in Spain) is very hard to understand. Whenever I am watching a movie from Spain I put the English subtitles on.

A Puerto Rican friend of mine went to Ibiza and the local girls told him he sounded retarded. LOL. Spaniards hate it when people come over speaking Spanglish.

Post: #16

(02-21-2011 12:32 PM)playa_with_a_passport Wrote:  

(06-03-2010 09:02 AM)MiXX Wrote:  

(06-03-2010 07:39 AM)Shaman Wrote:  Just to second him, I've heard the same thing about the Dominicans: their Spanish is totally unintelligible to any other Spanish-speakers, it's totally fucked, don't learn from it.

I am a native speaker from Spain; do not learn Dominican spanish. They speak extremely fast, uneducated and use words that do not even exist in the spanish dictionary. It's like telling a non-english speaker to learn English from Larry the cable guy.

I personally have about 2 Dominican girlfriends, and they are very sweet. However, I cannot speak to them in spanish; it both confuses and frustrates the hell out of me. ** they are great in bed however!

IMO, the best countries to learn Spanish from are (in order of Best country Descending):

1. Spain (obvious)
2. Colombia (Probably the best Spanish I have heard next to Spain)
3. Venezuela (Very educated spanish)
4. Honduras (Capital city only of Tegucigalpa)
5. Cuba (Cubans are very educated, but have a strong accent to their Spanish)
6. Panama (These are a close tie to Honduras)
7. Argentina/Uruguay/Chile -These countries try hard to be European, and should try harder to be themselves - which reflects in their speech, and vocabulary.
8. Puerto Rico/Peru/Ecuador - Use these as a VERY LAST OPTION!


Mexico has a very distinct and strong accent, however, the capital of DF has very educated people - still thick, and heavy Mexican accent.


My .02

I am a native Spanish speaker as well. Dominicans and Puerto Rican Spanish is truly jacked up. The best clear and easier to understand hands down Spanish that I have ever heard has to be in Antigua, Guatemala. I spoke to Gringos in Spanish there who came to Antigua's language school for two weeks and their Spanish pronunciation and vocabulary was very impressive.To me Spanish accent (as in Spain) is very hard to understand. Whenever I am watching a movie from Spain I put the English subtitles on.

Plus Guatemala is a LOT cheaper than other countries for learning Spanish. You can get private lessons in Guatemala for the same or less than group lessons in other countries.

Post: #17

(02-21-2011 12:51 PM)Aliblahba Wrote:  A Puerto Rican friend of mine went to Ibiza and the local girls told him he sounded retarded. LOL. Spaniards hate it when people come over speaking Spanglish.

Sorry to tell you that your PR friend is not too smart for not doing his homework on Ibiza ahead of time. My Mother is from Spain, and she feels the same way about Puerto Rican "spanglish" - it does sound retarded. I am VERY surprised he confessed this information to you, or you must have been traveling with him.

I never understood why the majority of Puerto Ricans felt "spanglish" was acceptable speech. Anytime I hear them speaking like that to me, I show them they are LV. However, they seem to be clueless that it is LV, and think it's DHV....what idiots.

It's like mixing Russian with Chinese, and expecting Russians (or vice-versa) to understand, and accept your made up barrio language.

Mixx

Post: #18

No Mixx, it was a mutual friend that dimed him out. LOL. The girl told the PR guy to converse in English from there on out. It really hurt the PR guys feelings. I worked w/ a PR guy (retired Army) that spoke proper Spanish and raised his daughters to do the same. When someone from came up to him speaking bad slang he would lecture them to no end. Shit was funny as hell. I'm glad I learned Castilian Spanish in school.

Post: #19

(02-22-2011 09:47 AM)Aliblahba Wrote:  worked w/ a PR guy (retired Army)

This is another cultural thing, all Puerto Ricans join the Army. Next time you bump into one, if they themselves are not active/retired Army, their cousin, uncle etc is.

Mixx

Post: #20

(06-03-2010 09:02 AM)MiXX Wrote:  

(06-03-2010 07:39 AM)Shaman Wrote:  Just to second him, I've heard the same thing about the Dominicans: their Spanish is totally unintelligible to any other Spanish-speakers, it's totally fucked, don't learn from it.

I am a native speaker from Spain; do not learn Dominican spanish. They speak extremely fast, uneducated and use words that do not even exist in the spanish dictionary. It's like telling a non-english speaker to learn English from Larry the cable guy.

I personally have about 2 Dominican girlfriends, and they are very sweet. However, I cannot speak to them in spanish; it both confuses and frustrates the hell out of me. ** they are great in bed however!

IMO, the best countries to learn Spanish from are (in order of Best country Descending):

1. Spain (obvious)
2. Colombia (Probably the best Spanish I have heard next to Spain)
3. Venezuela (Very educated spanish)
4. Honduras (Capital city only of Tegucigalpa)
5. Cuba (Cubans are very educated, but have a strong accent to their Spanish)
6. Panama (These are a close tie to Honduras)
7. Argentina/Uruguay/Chile -These countries try hard to be European, and should try harder to be themselves - which reflects in their speech, and vocabulary.
8. Puerto Rico/Peru/Ecuador - Use these as a VERY LAST OPTION!


Mexico has a very distinct and strong accent, however, the capital of DF has very educated people - still thick, and heavy Mexican accent.


My .02

Don't they speak with a strong "lisp" in Spain??

And I think Mexico should be in the top 5.

Isn't Mexican spanish is easier to understand then most Carribean spanish?

I'm half Mexican from the West Coast, the accent is really not much at all. Unless of course its a rural type spanish..

Post: #21

"Don't they speak with a strong "lisp" in Spain??"

They do in Madrid kind of.

Spain has tons of different accents and languages ie Basque, Valenciana, Gallego, Catalan etc.

The accents are varied as well.

Mixx,

"My Mother is from Spain, and she feels the same way about Puerto Rican "spanglish""

My mother is from Spain as well, and she doesn't like the sound of Puerto Rican Spanish.

Me?

It doesn't bother me. Especially when a fly Puerto Rican girl is speaking it.

Back to this:

"Do cartagena chicks look as good as dominican girls? Do they have nice booties like dominican girls, if you were to compare the girls of cartagena and santo domingo in terms of quantity and quality, which one would you choose?"

I remember when I first got to Cartagena, I was thinking that Dominican girls where more plentiful and more fly.

But the end of my trip I thought they were about equal with a potential edge to Cartagena.

I think it ultimately comes down to personal taste.

You can't go wrong either way in my opinion. There are fly girls in both.

You won't be disappointed.

Get on that plane already.

Post: #22

Two things to consider might be where and how you plan to use the Spanish.

http://spanish.about.com/cs/historyofspa...ieties.htm

Personally, I don't use vosotros or the Castillian lisp (“th” pronunciation of the “c” and “z”) that are used in Spain. I've traveled to Spain, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Colombia, Costa Rica, Panama, El Salvador, etc. and never had a problem with people understanding my Spanish. I suppose there might be people in England that would advise against learning English in the USA or Canada, but people understand my English in the UK as well. I don't think the DR is a great choice for learning Spanish because of reasons outside of the ones mentioned in this thread, but there are international schools like Berlitz as well as local schools in the DR that teach languages.