Spanish Course in Spain

GlowStick

Hey!

Can anyone recommend any Spanish courses in Spain to me? Basically I've studied the language for about 2 years, and i have the fundamentals. I just struggle when it comes to speaking it. So i'd need help with the conversational aspect. I don't want to enroll in a course and find it's just the technical side of the language, because i have a decent grasp of that. It's the everyday/conversation stuff I have a problem with!

Also any recommendations on cities? I've been told to try and steer clear or Bilbao, Barcelona, Valencia because of Catalan/Basque and all that craic. Is that really an issue?

Oh, and anybody that did Erasmus, can i ask if you found that your Spanish improved a lot? Or what was your Erasmus experience like? In terms of your Spanish ability?

Thanks

playedalive

Hi! If you're looking for a good Spanish course, I've heard great things about Colegio Delibes in Salamanca (a train ride away from Madrid). I've done courses before but they were really crap. I've also heard babylon idiomas in Valencia is good (had flatmates in Valencia who went there).

If it's language practice you need, a 3-4 week stay would really help you to improve. Also staying with a host family forces you to speak the language. When I said with my host family, I learned so much (particularly in context). You'll find that a lot of students will speak English after the course (has always happened). If you're really dedicated, try to find people who just speak Spanish on your course. That way, you have no choice but to communicate in Spanish.

Suerte!

GlowStick

Hey thanks for the reply! Can I ask about your experience with a host family? Like, did they cook for you and stuff? And did you have your own time to just go to town and go out and what not? Cos i have heard of people that could only do things with the family, and weren't allowed to explore the City on their own. I have no idea how the whole host family thing works, thanks!

playedalive

GlowStick wrote: »

Hey thanks for the reply! Can I ask about your experience with a host family? Like, did they cook for you and stuff? And did you have your own time to just go to town and go out and what not? Cos i have heard of people that could only do things with the family, and weren't allowed to explore the City on their own. I have no idea how the whole host family thing works, thanks!

Yeah with a host family, you eat your meals with them. Obviously, you feel quite awkward at the start. But, once you get into your course, it can be fine. You really do get to practise the language.

With host families, you are not expected to shadow them for the whole time. Most schools actually make it a requirement that the family give you a house key (so you come and go as you please). The only time I did most things with my host family was when I was 16 in Spain. Obviously, I was only a minor and had to be supervised to a certain extent by them. Being honest, host families really only take students to earn an extra bit of cash. So, there are not going to force you to partake in everything in the family. But, you probably will get along with them and will eat out/do stuff with them sometimes.

The only disadvantage a host family brings is having to live under their rules (food, shower times, etc). But, unless there are terribly horrible, there is also a bit of give and take with families. If you're going for a month, there's always the ability to change families, etc.

Best of luck! It's a great experience!!