First Step

Last week the AAPL (Associacion de Anglo-Parlantes de Loja) met with the Department of Cultura and the Alcalde - Miguel Castellano -  to sign the long awaited CONVENIO. In this important document the AAPL and Cultura commit themselves to work together over joint projects during the next 24 months with the aim of assisting the members of AAPL to be better informed of local issues, better informed of local cultural events and to to have the opportunity to participate for the first time in the cultural agenda of the town.

The President, Vice President and Treasurer were all present as well as a small group of active members to celebrate the event. Although Loja only has just over 300 English Speakers officially enrolled with the town hall, everyone knows the figure is much higher. AAPL hope to encourage all English Speakers to empadronate and to play a more participative role in local life on order to avoid the ghetto-isation that has occurred - and continues to occur -  in many other towns in Spain.

With already over 100 members - including 30-40 Spanish speakers, AAPL hopes to entice more residents of all nationalities into the association by organising activities that would be of use or of interest to everyone.

Already underway are the new language evening classes run by the Universidad Popular: Spanish for Beginners and English Conversation. Similarly, the yearly Arts Exhibition: Con Otros Ojos will take place after the summer of 2010, and for the first time a yearly short cinema cycle will run in spring next year jointly organised by AAPL and Cultura to offer films in V.O. for both Spaniards and Foreigners to enjoy.
Other activities include cultural trips, the setting up of interest groups ( computers, art, music etc) as well as language intercambios for students of both languages. These are almost ready to start and a date will be announced shortly.
Finally, all members of AAPL can enrol for the Culture card (Artifice) for a discounted yearly price of just 1.50.

Anyone not yet a member and wishing to join, can contact the address below.

For more details email:
lojanglo@gmail.com