Ana Arasanz, a Madrid-based travel writer and editor for the web version of the leading Spanish newspaper El Pais, has posted a lively article based on her experiences during her two-week English immersion course at Acadia Center this summer.  Titled (translated into English) From Maine’s Lobster Festival: A Tour of the Rugged Coast of Maine from Camden and Rockland to Acadia National Park, Ana’s travel article features her own photos taken during her excursions in Camden and Midcoast Maine and on Monhegan and Mt. Desert Island.

Ana’s favorite places in Camden include Laite Beach, a small stretch of sand near the downtown with a spectacular view of Camden harbor and the Camden hills beyond, and Mt. Battie, from where you can see many islands in Penobscot Bay.

Sailing and kayaking were among her favorite activities here, and the article provides many links to more information about things to do in Camden, such as sailing on the schooner Olad with captain Aaron Lincoln, whom Ana describes as an entertaining guy (un tipo divertido) and born storyteller.  

Impressed by what she describes as the varied and cosmopolitan cultural offerings in Camden, Ana recommends the concerts, theater performances, readings, and other events at the Camden Public Library, the Camden Opera House, and the Owl and Turtle Bookshop.

Her lodging recommendations include the Captain Swift Inn, the Camden Harbour Inn, and the Inns at Blackberry Common, and her dining recommendations include Port Clyde Seafood Co., Paolina’s Way, and the Waterfront.  

Summer is in full swing in Maine, and it’s a great time to take your English to a higher level while enjoying a great learning vacation. New English immersion courses start every Monday, so sign up today for a time that is convenient for you!

Raising sail on the schooner Olad, playing tennis, snowshoeing in the Maine woods, skiing at the Camden Snow Bowl, performing our own special version of Men in Black, reciting a poem by the famous Camden poet Edna St. Vincent Millay – you can see clips of Acadia Center students up to all these tricks and more on Acadia Center’s new YouTube channel. Check it out, leave your comments, and subscribe so you don’t miss the next installments! 

Acadia Center has added more features to its most popular course packages, giving more value to you and making it easier to plan your immersion course in Maine. The packages for both our combination (private/mini-group) courses and our private courses now include the following features:

• 16 hours per week of English lessons
• weekly individual 30-minute meeting with a teacher to assess your progress and objectives
• 11 hours per week of guided study in the study center
• all books and materials
• 2 afternoon teacher-led excursions per week (Tuesday & Friday) including all admission/activity fees and transportation 
• accommodation in a comfortable private room at Acadia Center or in a village home near Acadia Center
• lunch and dinner with teachers at Acadia Center (Monday through Friday)
• breakfast (self-serve) every day
• free high-speed wireless Internet access
• course certificate
• free admission to indoor swimming pool, gym, indoor track, and fitness center
• transportation between Rockland (Maine) or Portland (Maine) airport and Acadia Center on the first and last days of your course

In short, everything you need to raise your English to a higher level and make your stay with us relaxing, comfortable, and fun.

Three new discounts are also now available, and they can all be combined:

Early Registration Discount: Take 5% off the package price when you register and pay the deposit 10 weeks or more in advance of your course starting date.

Friends/Couple Discount: Take 5% off the package price if you attend a course with your spouse or a friend or colleague.

Alumni Discount: Take 5% discount off the package price if you previously attended an immersion course at Acadia Center.

See our course prices page for complete details. New courses begin every week, so you can start your course on a date that is convenient for you. To get the largest possible discount, plan ahead and book your immersion course now using our online Registration Form. If you have questions, contact us!

Announcing Acadia Center’s first-ever alumni T-shirt contest!

Send us a photo (by e-mail) of yourself wearing your Acadia Center T-shirt and try to win one of our contest prizes.

Contest rules:
1. The T-shirt must have the authentic Acadia Center logo (not the cheap replicas you find in Times Square).
2. You have to be wearing the T-shirt.
3. The photo must have been taken outside of Maine - either where you live or somewhere you have visited in your travels.

Contest deadline:
March 15, 2010

Contest prizes:
The three winners will each receive his or her choice of either: a free 30-minute online English conversation lesson (value $30) or a $30 discount to an English immersion course at Acadia Center. Prizes must be redeemed by June 1, 2010.

Fresh local seafood, fruit, and vegetables, delicious meat and pasta dishes, healthy salads and freshly baked whole grain breads, luxurious desserts — it’s all on the menu at Acadia Center.

Sample lunch & dinner menu:

Monday
lunch: spinach and ricotta manicotta with garden salad
dinner: steak with sauteed greens & rolls

Tuesday
lunch: chicken pot pies with garden salad
dinner: fresh scallops with steamed rice and sauteed green beans

Wednesday
lunch: quiche with garden salad
dinner: pork tenderloin with mashed potatoes

Thursday
lunch: tarragon chicken salad
dinner: fresh salmon served with roasted vegetables

Friday
lunch: rustic Italian pasta salad
dinner: beef kabobs served with rice pilaf

Lunches and dinners Monday through Friday are included in the immersion course package. The family-style meals give students the chance to practice their English with teachers and other native-English-speaking guests in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere.

Comments from recent students on meals at Acadia Center:
Excellent: I ate a lot but I didn’t gain weight. Every meal was delicious and nutritious. – Gerard, IT professional, Venezuela
Well-balanced and diverse. – Jean-Marc, international trade agent, France
Delicious and fun - I had the opportunity to speak about many topics and in this way I was able to improve my speaking ability. – Maria, IT executive, Venezuela
I ate very well every day. The meals were all delicious! – Diane, retired nurse, Quebec
The food was very good: fresh and full of variety. – Rodolfo, sales executive, Italy

Farm photo by Marti Stone.

Take advantage of Acadia Center’s winter course discount and the lower off-season airfares to immerse yourself in English — effectively and affordably – in a beautiful New England town!

Enjoy a personalized learning program, lively lessons focused on your needs, delicious and healthy meals, comfortable accomodations, and total English immersion from morning to night.

You might even like to take advantage of the season by skiing or snowboarding at the Camden Snow Bowl, just a 10-minute drive from Acadia Center. The Snow Bowl offers downhill skiing (with ocean views from the top of the mountain), snowboarding, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and tubing — and your lift ticket and equipment rental (and lessons too if you are a beginner) are free during Acadia Center excursions.

If winter sports aren’t your thing, don’t worry — you can stay warm in the cozy shops, cafes, and museums in the area, as well as the nearby fitness center, with its Olympic-sized swimming pool, indoor track, gym, and excercise room — all free for Acadia Center students.

Take 5% off the course fee (not including accommodations) for winter courses. To receive the discount, register and pay the course fee deposit before January 1, 2010, for a course beginning before April 1, 2010. For new registrations only and not for customized courses. Write discount code W5 in the questions/comments line when registering.

Is improving your English essential to doing your job well or finding a new job? Have you been too busy with work and family life to study English?

There’s no better way to improve your English quickly than taking an English immersion course, and with new discounts for fall and winter courses at Acadia Center, there’s no better time to make the commitment to improving your English.

For combination (private/mini-group) courses and for private courses, we are now offering a discount of 10% off the course fee (not including accommodations). The discount is for new registrations only and does not apply to customized courses. To be eligible for the discount, you must register and pay the course fee deposit before November 21, 2009, and begin your course before February 1, 2010.

Couples and friends taking a course together are also eligible for an additional 5% discount off the course fee (not including accommodations).

To receive the discounted rate when you register, enter the appropriate discount code in the questions/comments section. For the 10% discount, enter code: FW10. For the couples/friends discount, enter code: TT5.

Take advantage of Acadia Center’s fall/winter course discount and the lower off-season airfares to immerse yourself in English — effectively and affordably – in a beautiful New England town!

Autumn is a great time of year to take some time off from your job and dedicate two or three weeks (or more) to improving your English skills. Acadia Center has new English immersion courses beginning every Monday all year long.

The best way to improve your English in a short time is to focus on your specific needs in English in private and small-group classes (small means very small: 4 students with 1 teacher maximum) and then give you plenty of opportunity to practice what you’ve learned all day from morning to night, at meals and on excursions in a friendly, relaxed atmosphere.

New England in general and Maine in particular is famous for its beautiful fall foliage. The Appalachian Mountain Club named Camden Hill State Park (only a 10-minute walk from Acadia Center) one of the best places in the USA to see the bright reds, oranges, and yellows of the sugar maple tree.

Register for a course this fall to raise your English to a higher level while enjoying autumn in Maine!

Summer mini-group courses at Acadia Center begin on July 6 and continue through August 28, with new courses beginning every week. Summer mini-group courses are a great option if you are looking for an affordable way to improve your English while also enjoying your summer vacation in a beautiful place.

The Maine coast offers lots of fun outdoor activities like hiking, biking, kayaking, and sailing.

On our excursions you can see a new exhibit of American or international art, sample a red, white, or rose at a vineyard and winery, and take an afternoon cruise on one of Camden’s classic schooners.

Whether you are paddling on a lake or exploring a vineyard, you are always practicing your English — learning with the help of your teachers new vocabulary and idioms and trying out what you’ve learned in class in a relaxed, friendly, and supportive atmosphere.

We are still taking registrations for summer 2009!