Learn Spanish and Enjoy Carnival (Part I)

If you have ever seen the Brazilian Carnival on the television, or even been to the Notting Hill one, then you might be interested in going to visit one in South America but be put off by the language barriers involved. However, this is a fun time of year when lots of visitors come to see the spectacular shows, learn Spanish and have a good time regardless of anything else, so you shouldn’t let that put you off.
Here are some of the things you need to know before you plan your trip.
1. The date of the event changes year on year. In 2011 it fell at the beginning of March while in 2012 it will be held in the middle of February. The festivities run for at least a week in most places so give yourself plenty of time to enjoy the atmosphere.
2. If you want to go to the Rio de Janeiro Carnival, which is probably the biggest around, then you will need to book well in advance. Alternatively, you could go to one of the pre Carnival shows which the samba schools offer all year round. I went to one of these a few years back and heard a whole bunch of songs all about sugar cane plants, which was kind of interesting but lacked a bit of variety for my taste. However, it is a good option if you arrive outside of official Carnival time. Of course, they speak Portuguese here, but if you go anywhere else in South America you will be in a Spanish speaking country and might like to learn Spanish before you go. Unless you go the French Guiana Carnival that is. Or Guyana. Err, add Surinam to that list