After taking the written and oral test online, the school will inform you of your Spanish level and of the time that you have to come to school on your first day. On your arrival at Debla you will be welcomed by a member of our school who will take you to the meeting point with the other new students. We will also show you the school so you can get acquainted with it.

On the first day of school there is also a small meeting with the other students in the school to get to know each other and a visit to Málaga city center.

• Be a friend of Debla on social network and share opinions and experiences with us and other former students and see what we are organizing (activities, events, etc.)

• The school has 9 classrooms. Furthermore, in the sunny-season, we are using some classrooms on the school grounds. A garden, a porch as well as two terraces are at your entire disposal when you are at our school. Furthermore, the school has a small bar which is open during the breaks. You may buy soft drinks and snacks. We have a common-room where you can surf the Internet, etc. We dispose of 4 lavatories, one on the ground floor, two in the basement and another one on the upper floor.

• The school is a non-smoking area.

• Breaks: during the breaks the terraces, the garden and the common-room are at your entire disposal.
• School business hours: 08:30 – 18:00 (times may vary).
• Consulting hours: to fix an appointment with your teacher please ask your teacher one day in advance.
• Evaluation: on the second day of your course you will receive a link to an evaluation sheet. This is to guarantee the right function of the course, the accommodation, etc. We kindly ask you to fill it in.

The week after your course ends, we will send you the final evaluation sheet. It is not obligatory to complete these forms, nevertheless, we recommend it as it helps us to resolve any issues and make improvements.

• Certificates: the week after your course ends, we will send you the certificate of assistance and achievement. To obtain this certificate you should join the course at least 80%. This certificate has no official validity.
• Dress-code: To assure the sense of well-being of all students, we would like to ask you to assist class dressed adequately (in summer with T-shirt, etc.)
• Lost and found: if you have lost any object at the school, please ask in the office.
• Library: there is a small library with easy readers.
• In case of a very important emergency, you can call the following number: +34 638603490.
• Evacuation: In case of an evacuation of the building please follow the marked signs in the plans shown in every floor.
• Health insurance

Students from the European Union and Switzerland should have their European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) with them.

Debla offers you the possibility of a health insurance. We have a special arrangement with the insurance company. If you wish to receive further information, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Causes for an expulsion of the programme

• Consumption of drugs in either the school or accommodation and/or an excessive consumption of alcohol in the accommodation.
• Unexcused absence of more than one week.
• Lack of hygiene.
• Inappropriate use of furniture.

The accommodation is available from the day before your course starts until the day after it finishes. If you wish to stay an extra night, you should inform the staff in the office. Extra days will be paid at the published rate.

In all the different types of accommodation it is not allowed to lodge anybody else in your room.

• Family: if you have chosen to stay with a family you should do everything to adapt yourself to the family’s customs. Many customs are different, first of all the time table of the meals. In Spain the principal meal takes place at about 14 o´clock and the dinner is at about 21 o´clock. Furthermore, you should be punctual for the meals and above all, you should inform the family if you are not going to eat, sleep, etc. with them. The price includes a weekly laundry.

In Spain it is unusual that young people meet their friends at home. That’s why you should not invite too many people into your room, and especially it is not allowed to invite someone to stay overnight. You should always have a key with you, in particular if it’s late. The consumption of alcohol is not allowed for under-aged people.

• Shared apartment: in this kind of accommodation you should respect the following rules:

1. Please do not be noisy; you are living together with other people.
2. It is not allowed to smoke in any of the accommodation.
3. You should maintain your room and the common facilities clean during your stay. If the school considers it to be necessary to be cleaned, the costs for the cleaning will be shared by the students living in the apartment.
4. Please take out the rubbish every day.
5. It is forbidden to use fans without prior notice to the school.
6. When you leave the apartment, you should take out your rubbish and please do not leave any food in the fridge/cupboard.
7. For the shared apartment there will be a supply of bed linen but you should bring your own towels.
8. Spain is suffering from drought, so we kindly ask you to save on water.

• Change of accommodation: If you have any problem with your accommodation, please inform the administration at once in order to solve it or change the accommodation. We will be at your entire disposal. All changes are subject to terms and conditions. Please enquire.

This is some useful information about Málaga in order to make your stay in this wonderful city as pleasant and as enjoyable as possible.

Banks: the opening hours are from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. from Monday to Friday.

Bull fights: most of the bull fights take place during the summer. There are only a few during the winter session. The prices vary from 15 € to 50 €. The cheapest seats are the ones in the sun (al sol), then “sol y sombra” and the most expensive seats are the ones in the shade (sombra).

Doctors, fire-fighters and police, etc: the emergency number is 112. If you need to see a doctor you can go to a “Centro de Salud” (medical centre). These centres are open 24 hours and the nearest one is in the “Paseo Limonar”. This centre is closed at the weekends and the closest one then is in “El Palo”. If you need to register an incident with the police you should contact the police station at the “Plaza de la Marina”.

Central market: you can find food markets all over Málaga, but the largest one is “el Mercado Central” situated on the street called “Atarazanas” in the city centre. Here you can buy all kind of fruit, vegetables, fish and meat. The prices are much lower than in the supermarkets and the products are fresher. The opening hours of the market are from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday – Saturday.

Football: Málaga C.F.: The football stadium in Málaga is called “La Rosaleda” and the capacity is for 30.000 persons.  If you wish to watch a football game you can either buy the tickets in the mall “Larios” or directly at the stadium. The prices depend on the games. For more information: www.malagcf.com.

Libraries: there are two libraries in Málaga. One is situated in “calle Ollerías”. The other one is situated in “calle Eslava” in the quarter El Perchel. The beautiful building is an ancient convent. There are also libraries at the different universities “Teatinos campus” and “El Ejido”.

Museums, monuments, etc.: on Mondays, most of the museums and monuments are closed. On Sundays most of the museums are free.

Post office: The nearest post office to Debla is situated in “Calle Puerto” number 11. It costs 1.75 € to send a letter/postcard out of Spain (within Europe). You can buy stamps at the post office or at an “estanco” (tobacconist’s shop).

Public transport: the price for going on a local bus (to the centre of Malaga) is 1,40 €. You can also buy a 10 rides bus card for 4,40 €, the price for the card is 1.90 €. The card is called “tarjeta bus” and you can buy it at an “estanco” or some kiosks. Using this card you may change the bus within 1 hour and only pay for one ride. Most of the non-local buses leave from the bus station which is in the street “Paseo de Los Tilos”. Bus number 3 is the one that goes to the bus station. The buses that go to Torremolinos, Fuengirola and other towns and villages depart from “Manuel Agustín Heredia”. The airport bus is number A and it departs from the “Paseo del Parque”. It departs every thirty minutes and takes approximately 30 minutes to get to the airport.

Restaurants, bars, etc.: there are a lot of restaurants close to DEBLA. Fish is one of the most delicious and typical dishes of Malaga. One of the best areas for fish restaurants is on “El Paseo Maritimo” in “El Palo” and it is not that expensive. You may catch bus no. 11 or no. 3. The local people really enjoy the so-called “tapear” (having tapas). In the Historic Centre of Malaga “the old town” there are a lot of different tapas bars. In these bars you can have a glass of wine or a beer with a tapa. A tapa is a small plate of fish, meat, vegetables etc. which you have with a drink. The Spanish people normally drink a beer “caña”, red wine or a sweet wine. After dinner during the weekends young people go to the historic centre where they meet with friends in different bars or pubs. It is easy to join in with the Spanish people. Normally the locals have lunch at 2:30 p.m. or 3 p.m. Dinner is usually between 9 and 10 p.m.

Small street markets: there are small street markets in a lot of different areas in Málaga, but the most important one is the one held every Sunday morning near the airport in “Recinto Ferial”. You may catch the bus no. 64. Here you can buy absolutely everything. There is also a Saturday morning market in Huelin, which is a neighbourhood west of the centre of Malaga. Please be careful with your belongings and when exchanging money, just as a precaution.

Sports: Málaga has excellent facilities for the practice of any kind of sport. There are areas on the beach for playing football, volleyball, basketball, etc. Just next to Debla there is a gym “Synergym”, situated on “Paseo Marítimo Pablo Ruiz Picasso, 15”.

Stores and shopping centers: the shops are open from approximately 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and in the afternoon from 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., although many shops in the centre are currently open all day. The shopping centres like Vialia, Larios and Rosaleda and large department stores like El Corte Inglés are open during the whole day from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Please note that shops and shopping centres in Spain are closed on Sundays and festive days. Many shops are open throughout the day in the city centre.

Taxi: The number of the Taxiservice of Málaga is: 952333333

Theatres and movie theatres: there are 3 theatres in Malaga, the “Teatro Cervantes”, the “Teatro Soho” and the “Teatro Cánovas”. There are several cinemas to be found in the shopping centres. In Málaga centre, in “Calle Alcazabilla” is the “Albéniz” cinema where movies can be seen in their original language.

Tourist offices: There are several tourist offices in Málaga, the most important ones are situated at the “Plaza de la Marina” and on the main street “El Parque”. On the “Plaza de la Constitución” there is a tourist office where you can find information about other cities in Andalusia.

University: the University of Malaga is situated on the campus “Teatinos”. You may catch bus no. 11.

Tarjeta de Estudiante de Español de Málaga: it is a card that allows entry into the main museums and monuments as well as discounts and offers on guided visits, shopping, restaurants etc. The price is 5€. https://visita.malaga.eu/es/que-ver-y-hacer/estudia-en-malaga/tarjeta-de-estudiante/establecimientos-colaboradores.

The Spanish Centre “Debla“ guarantees:

• the quality of teaching
• the adequacy of the classrooms and premises

• the professionalism of our teachers
• the attention to the needs and expectations of the students
• the delivery of an appropriate certificate about participation in the course and reached level (the certificate is not official)

To make this guarantee effective, the students that attend a course in our Spanish centre have to comply with the following standards on their part:

Attendance:

The attendance on the course must be at least 80% to have the right to obtain a certificate. If the absence exceeds the maximum of 20%, it has to be caused by force majeure and you have to justify this accordingly.

Participation:

The student should have an active attitude to the teaching and to the participation in class. This means a positive attitude as well as collaboration in all exercises and learning processes that will develop through the exercises.

When the classes are held in group work, the students should participate as a member of the study group and respect the cultural, ideological and personal differences of the classmates.

The classes are held in the target language to guarantee a fast and efficient advance.

The students should always make an effort to speak and understand the language that they are learning.

Comments:

If any problem, doubt or circumstance occurs, the whole “Debla”-team is available for the students in order to clarify and resolve it. They will take in hand all measures that are within their reach. Once the course is finished, claims and complaints are only permitted if they have been observed during the course period.

Bank holidays 2024:  1/1, 28/2, 29/3, 1/4, 1/5, 15/8, 19/8, 9/9, 1/11, 6/12, 9/12. On these days the school is closed.

The usefulness of your stay in our school not only depends on the school, but also on your attitude and on your energy.

We will give you some advices to profit the most of your stay in Spain:

The school

1. Prepare yourself for the class.

1. Participate in the class, be active during the lessons.
2. Participate in extracurricular activities.
3. Participate in exchanges that the school organizes with Spanish people.
4. Speak only Spanish at school – also with people that speak the same

language as you.

1. Consult your tutor – the school offers free tutor service.

Reading

1. It is important to read in Spanish to be able to “feel” the language.
2. You can borrow books from our little library.
3. Read a newspaper every day and some kind of magazine every week.

It is important to know what happens in the world, in Spain and in Málaga

to be able to speak with Spanish people about current topics.

Listening

1. Listen to the people in the streets, in the bars and pubs, on the beach, etc.

Approach to Spanish people when you have the chance; you will learn a lot by listening to them and also regarding their gestures.

1. Listen to the radio and watch the television.
2. Go to the cinema, it is a good idea to see a film that you already know in your mother tongue (in Spain the majority of films are dubbed into Spanish).
3. Participate in conferences.

Speaking

1. Tend to be extroverted. It is important to speak – it doesn’t matter if you aren’t speaking correctly, people will understand you. If you don’t practice, you won’t learn.
2. Don’t buy in supermarkets; buy in little shops so that you can practice your Spanish. Spanish people like to help you.
3. Search for Spanish people to practice your Spanish. When you go for example to the same pub, you will get to know people and finally you will speak with them.

It’s the same when you buy in the same shops, kiosks, etc.

Vocabulary

1. Increase your vocabulary constantly; always carry a notepad with you to write down new words.

Teaching material:

One book is included in the course price per every 4 weeks

Experimenting

1. Participate actively in excursions.
2. Visit expositions, museums, etc.
3. Go to the market to buy fruits, vegetables, meat, fish, etc.

Listen to the people on the market.

1. Go to the department stores to see what Spanish people are buying,

and how they name the things that they buy, etc.

• Information about official exams:

Debla informs you of the D.E.L.E. exam (Diploma del Español como Lengua Extranjera). This exam is an official exam organized by the “Instituto Cervantes”. It takes place several times a year in Debla or other cities in Spain and in many other countries. Debla also organizes and informs you of the SIELE exam.

If you are interested in this exam, please contact us or http://diplomas.cervantes.es/