India, Nov. 12 -- BARABANKI Visitors arriving in 'Pure Barwan', a quiet Awadhi village 86 km from Lucknow, would normally expect a warm 'Ram-Ram' or 'Namaste'. Instead, they are greeted with an enthusiastic "Hola! Mi nombre es Sejal Sahu" (Hello, my name is Sejal Sahu) by 14-year-old Sejal and her friends - an unexpected Spanish welcome in the heart of rural Barabanki.

In this corner of Barabanki's Haidergarh tehsil, Spanish has found an unlikely home. Around 50 to 60 children, some as young as five, attend 'Our Language School', where they fluently count into the hundreds and rattle off the months of the year. They strike up conversations with foreign tourists and act as tour guides for international visitors. The students have even tra...