'What's happening at Christmas?' Having long desired to learn Spanish but never found the time, I thought the question could be answered with: 'An intensive Spanish course.' I left family obligations, Christmas lights and traffic jams behind as I flew into the city of stately boulevards, monumental museums and fizzing night-life - Madrid.

Back-to-school butterflies preceded a short test, after which we students were divided into classes. Mine turned out to be too large - and, oh, the agony of being relegated to the bottom half! With protestations and tears I clawed myself into the higher group where they were using irregular verbs in a past tense. Had I overreached myself? Supported by teacher and classmates from Germany, Sweden, Holland, Japan and America, I did eventually catch up.

We worked 9.30am until 1pm, with two breaks. The coffee machine was always surrounded by students attempting to communicate in many-accented Spanish. The goal was to speak the language at all times, and we all tried our best to do so. The students were of all nationalities (Brazilians predominating), and all ages, mostly twentysomethings (the youngest was a 14-year-old boy from Hong Kong and the oldest an English actress in her seventies).

I shared a huge flat with Lara from Russia, Vincent from Holland and Su-Lin from south-east Asia. Clean, warm and, once I had bought a bedside lamp and found a space in the fridge, perfectly comfortable. Tours of the city and museums were laid on in the afternoons, as were some evening get-togethers. And on Saturdays, trips to nearby Toledo, Avila or Segovia. Friendships and romances developed with startling rapidity. White faces appeared after all-night discoing. Information changed hands on a fab flamenco spot, an incredible restaurant or the hot nightclub. Favourite paintings and artists were debated, as we became familiar with the Prado, the Thyssen-Bornemisza (how could the UK have turned this stellar collection down) and the Reina Sofia (housing Picasso's Guernica ). And then there was homework...

Taking classes over Christmas meant that the school was less full, an air of celebration pervaded the young, preppy staff and we also experienced a Spanish Christmas. The streets were full of nativity scenes - lavish set pieces, which the public often queue to see. Every home has a crib, or belén . The Three Wise Men are emphasised - it is said they travelled through Spain on their way to see the holy manger. And they, not Father Christmas, bring presents. On the eve of twelfth night children leave out a pair of shoes so that Balthazar, Gaspar, and Melchior can fill them with goodies.

I had asked to transfer from my flat to a home, to help my accent and conversation. The family very kindly invited me to join in the celebrations. Christmas Eve, known as noche-buena, is the big moment. The dinner, starting later than usual, began with a fish delicacy. It looked like spaghetti but my halting Spanish, suddenly hopeless in this real environment, could not decipher its origin. Then there were huge, delicious prawns, followed by the main dish, a four-week-old suckling pig, complete with head, trotters and all. Scissors were brandished and it was neatly snipped into portions. Finally came the cake, traditional nougat and cava. And there was still midnight mass, presents and carol singing. ' Es noche-buena, y no es noche de dormir.' ('This is the "good night", and not a night for sleep').

On Christmas morning I walked in a former royal park before repairing to the nearby Ritz. Amid the elegant guests and festive décor, I sank into a huge armchair sipping a large Bloody Mary, before returning to my family for another Christmas feast. More of that delicious fish dish which someone, unfortunately, explained were baby eels!

I returned home on New Year's Eve - Noche Vieja. In Madrid the crowds were gathering. As the clock chimed midnight everyone, armed with a glass of champagne and a bunch of grapes, ate one grape per chime. It is imperative to eat them all to ensure a year of good luck and have your wishes come true.

And as for my Spanish? I learned three past tenses, irregular verb endings and wrote two poems. I still haven't learnt the future tense. Perhaps this Christmas...