School isn't out at this Cuban property
IAN STALKER
Magdeline Velazquez Perez is a class act.
Velazquez Perez is with the activities department at the Gran Muthu Almirante Beach Resort in the Cuban province of Holguin, where her duties include giving Spanish classes to hotel guests wanting to either be introduced to the Spanish language or improve their proficiency in it.
Daily 45-minute classes are given in the hotel lobby, a quiet setting conducive for learning, with Velazquez Perez reporting that those who are completely unfamiliar with Spanish will be able to learn “basics” during one session.
Her observations have led her to conclude that Spanish grammar is the greatest challenge for her mostly Canadian students.
“Usually it’s easier for French speakers to learn Spanish than English speakers,” she reports, with French and Spanish both being “marvellous” Romance languages that have many similarities.
Multilingual tourism school graduate Velazquez Perez hopes those who take her classes will continue to study Spanish after returning home, something she says will better enable them to communicate with Cubans if they decide to return and explore her homeland.
“It is the language of our country, ” she proudly notes, adding that Cubans appreciate it when tourists address them in Spanish.
And, she adds, resort guests can develop Spanish skills without having to reach for their wallets, which likely won’t be the case if they sign up for classes back home.
“Here it’s free,” she cheerfully points out.
Among tour operators offering the Gran Muthu Almirante Beach Resort is Hola Sun.
