Students share their diverse experiences of Spain
ISLA Salamanca
“ISLA is a real island of adventures, strong emotions,
and first-rate Spanish in Spain’s most famous university city. Maybe that first phrase sounds like a bit of a cliché, but for me it really was like this. I’ve been to ISLA twice, and I always remember these holidays as being full of new experiences, discoveries, and good friends. The teachers at the school are always so friendly. I learned more in one month than after a whole year of Spanish class in Russia. ISLA’s team organizes lots of activities. I dream about going back again and immersing myself again.”
Ana Kirik, Russia
Cultural Vistas Internship in Spain
“My experience working as an intern in Madrid was nothing short of life changing. I have a newfound awareness of myself, my country, and the world, which will continue to deepen and evolve. Leaving my internship and returning to the States, I see my future career developing before me. I now understand the workings of an NGO and working in public affairs. I felt comfortable in this type of office and really enjoyed the work I was doing. Being that Spain was my first experience outside the United States, I now know I can independently travel and want to continue.”
Elizabeth Deschaine
Hispania, Escuela de Español
“Studying here was a great experience and I don’t think
I could’ve learned this much in any other place. The teachers are amazing and make the lessons as enjoyable and informative as possible! I truly think this school deserves the title of Best Language School in Spain.”
Leila Erzen, Ukraine
International House Seville–CLIC
“I have spent nine weeks in this great school located in the center of Seville. The classes have been amazing, as well as all the teachers I met. My teacher’s enthusiasm, patience, and humor made the classes very productive and fun. Furthermore, the combination of up-to-date textbooks, linkage of study subjects to daily news, and usage of multimedia during classes helped me understand and learn the Spanish language quickly. Aside from the Spanish classes, the school offers an optional cultural program. This program (varying from wine tasting to guided tours to salsa courses) added unforgettable experiences to my time in Seville. I would definitely recommend this school to everyone who is thinking about studying Spanish! CLIC, ¡Te echo de menos!”
Jacqueline Smits, The Netherlands
Instituto de Idiomas Ibiza
“As a complete beginner, only able to attend the school for a week, I was worried I might be out of my depth. But I was really impressed with how well the school catered to all abilities. Once you step into the classroom, you are only spoken to in Spanish. This was tough at first, but all the teachers are so helpful and friendly that it wasn’t intimidating. Instead, it was really motivating. The school organizes a lot of activities in the evenings and afternoons to get you oriented in Ibiza, which helps you immerse yourself in the culture. The atmosphere in the school was very social, and a lot of the students organized activities together themselves. I would highly recommend the school. I looked into quite a few, and this one is a brilliant value for the money. The courses are engaging, and you get a sense that the teachers care. The location is great; there is a lot of beautiful scenery to explore, as well as the famous nightlife and music scene. If you challenge yourself, then you are sure to learn a lot of Spanish and enjoy it along the way.”
Pippa Smart, 25, UK
School Year Abroad
“My nine months in Zaragoza, Spain changed my life. SYA allowed me to grow as a person while providing a support system and an education consistent with my home school. I learned to be independent and open to new situations. I learned to be comfortable being uncomfortable in a given situation. I learned to get lost in the windy streets of the old quarter. Most days I spoke more Spanish than English and by the end of the year could discuss politics, feminism, and cute Spanish fútbol players with my Spanish homestay mother. I traveled constantly and opened my eyes to the rest of the world. I miss Spain every day!”
Claire Tellekson—Flash, SYA ES15–MA, U.S.
Eurocentres
“My stay at Eurocentres was very good. What I liked the most was that the teachers are always in a good mood and they make sure that there is always time for laughter in the classes; they dedicate a lot of time to make that possible. I was received with affection and attention; that is how I met most of my friends. I have enjoyed my stay in Barcelona and a lot of that is thanks to Eurocentres.”
Antonio Gitahy, Brazil
Colegio Delibes
“If you ask me why I love Colegio Delibes so much, I would say that everything is perfect here. All the teachers are so nice and they have a lot of teaching experience. They can solve your grammar questions in very simple ways. The classrooms are so original and beautifully decorated. The school is centrally located. You can walk to Plaza Mayor in less than five minutes. Colegio Delibes is my second home.”
Yiying Wang
Tía Tula Colegio de Español
“I wanted to learn Spanish, but I didn’t know my options that well. I was told that Salamanca would be the perfect city to go to. In Salamanca, no dialects are spoken, which makes it easier to talk with the locals and with the thousands of Spanish students who are living here. It is safe, there are a lot of cultural activities to do, and life costs are low. I found out that Tía Tula would fit me best, because their standards are internationally acknowledged, prices are very reasonable, the school is based in a modern building with state-of-the-art facilities, and all the information about your stay can be found on the website. In fact, now, after the first four weeks of my stay, I feel very confident when communicating in Spanish in class and in my daily life thanks to Tía Tula.”
Luuk Specht, The Netherlands
AIP Language Institute
“What I liked about AIP Language Institute is that they don’t just teach a language, they give you the opportunity to get to know the real Spain and learn about its language and culture. The teachers make the lectures very fun and informative, and also outside the classroom they are always willing to help you improve your skills. I liked the activities AIP Language Institute offered, because they really complemented the full Spanish experience. The location of the school was perfect, since it is ten minutes from the center and the beach by public transportation.”
Soraya Han, The Netherlands
Academic Programs International Cádiz
“I chose to study abroad with API when I fell in love with the Andalusian town known as Cádiz. Among other aspects of API that drew my attention, their genuine and thorough care of their students and their obvious encouragement for adventure caught my eye. I wanted nothing more than to stroll down those weaving, cobbled streets, to smell the salty Atlantic ocean as I watched the setting sun, and to hear the passionate rhythm of Spanish conversation flowing through the breeze. I went to Cádiz with all kinds of expectations of how life there would be. I had heard that Spain was a wondrous place full of flamenco dancers and bullfighters, red wines and Spanish rice. But no one could have shown me exactly how my experience would be. Probably the most challenging—and rewarding—part of my time abroad was learning to define myself in a place where all of my previously used terminology no longer existed.
Not only was I physically out of place, like a Cheerio among Froot Loops, but I was also mentally isolated, given that I could only use Spanish to express myself. Living in Cádiz, which was largely free of Americans and English speakers, my Spanish improved greatly in the four months I was there. But I didn’t just learn a second language in Spain. I learned that who I am is not defined by that which surrounds me, but by that which is within me. And that is a lesson I will continue to learn for the rest of my life.”
Julie Pleshe
International House Palma–CLIC
“I’ve taken 20 weeks of Spanish lessons at IH Palma, and I still have 15 more to go! I’m extremely happy with this school. I’ve learned a lot here. The teachers are very good and enthusiastic. I really like the fact that every teacher has their own teaching style, so I have loved having different teachers. They have a good timetable and time seems to fly, even though we have four hours of lessons per day. The school also offers a program of activities outside the school, where you can learn about the culture and meet new people.”
Sara Lund, Sweden
International House Barcelona–CLIC
“I really enjoyed my courses here at International House, because the teachers used different methods of teaching so that it was never boring and it didn’t feel difficult learning the language. We always had to interact with the other students by talking about a certain topic with each other. The teachers were always motivated and always had an answer for our questions, even if they weren’t about the course but the city in general, for example. I would definitely recommend International House.”
Vanessa Ritzel, Germany
International House Cádiz–CLIC
“This is my second time doing a Spanish course here at clic Cádiz. The reason I came back is simply because my experience was fantastic! I learned so much over a one-week course. We did a wide range of activities and spoke about lots of different topics. The teachers here are really friendly, encouraging, and well organized. As a result, I feel as though my Spanish has improved in every way. In addition to the classes, there are plenty of activities to enjoy outside of the classroom, such as city tours, trips, surfing, and more. There are endless opportunities to practice Spanish while exploring the city and meeting lots of great people.”
Paris Van-Loo
ACIS Educational Tours, Madrid
“I stepped off the plane in Madrid and knew that the way I perceived life would change. From the cobblestoned streets navigated in Granada to the breathtaking cliffs in Ronda, I had never experienced a world like this, so far outside of the 16-year-old bubble I had been enclosed in. The first day, I stood in the middle of the Plaza Mayor and breathed. My eyes examined every line and color in the architecture scaling the cloudless sky while my ears listened to the roaring language which previously only surrounded me in classrooms. I looked at a smiling stranger—‘Holá bella.’ I smiled back.”
Isabelle Koene
TLCdénia Teenager Summer Program
“During two weeks in summer, I had the chance to study Spanish at TLCdénia with a friend, and we loved it. Everyone in the school is very friendly; the teachers make the lessons interesting by talking about current affairs and giving students the opportunity to learn in the method that is best suited for them. Our class liked to practice speaking and listening. The classes are interesting and of course very useful, and after, you can practice whatever you just learned in class with friends, or if you are staying with a Spanish family, you can practice with them too. After class there are trips that you can sign up for, which are not obligatory but they are really fun and give you more chance to practice speaking Spanish. At TLCdénia, I learned a lot and it improved my Spanish a lot, but it was also really fun and I was able to make many new friends from all over the world, learning more not only about the Spanish culture but also of the countries of the great friends you can make there.”
Rebecca Brahde
And New York
Instituto Cervantes
“I have been a student at Instituto Cervantes in New York City for more than two years, and for me, what is most special about the school is that it brings a little bit of Spain to New York. There are many places to learn Spanish here, and of course, many Spanish speakers, but most are from Latin or Central America. If you are passionate about the culture of Spain, as I am, it is hard to find another place here that brings it so to life. So many of the teachers are from Spain, and they enjoy sharing their language, country, and backgrounds with their students. It brings another whole dimension to the study of Spanish.”
Joan Friedman, New York
