Living an international experience is always fantastic and if we also take the opportunity to learn English during our stay abroad we win twice. Surely you have a friend or acquaintance who has done a English course abroad during the summer and he told you how much fun he had and how much he learned and, probably, now you are considering the possibility of doing the same next summer. If so and you finally dare to do it, we congratulate you, you are about to make a very wise decision.
In this article we would like to talk to you about how experiences abroad, whether to do a intensive English course, or any other language, can help you not only improve your linguistic skills, but also expand your general knowledge.
Reasons why you should take an English course abroad
If you are still thinking about whether taking an English course abroad this summer is a good option, we give you a series of reasons that will convince you.
- You will learn to get around in English
During your stay abroad you will be forced to speak English, here there is no longer any room for shame. The fear of making a fool of ourselves is one of the great impediments to improving our oral expression. This will be the opportunity to launch yourself and leave any type of embarrassment behind, since whether to chat with your classmates or order a coffee you will have to do it in English. These situations will not only allow you to gain fluency when expressing yourself, but they will also help you improve your oral comprehension and acquire new vocabulary.
2. You will obtain an English degree
If you meet the objectives of the course, which will include successfully completing the exercises and being present, you will get a participation certificate, which is not a Cambridge certificate but is not bad at all. When it comes to demonstrating your knowledge in English, any degree we obtain is very helpful.
3. You will make friends from all over the world
In these English courses you will meet people from different countries with the same objective as you: learn English and live an international experience. If you have never made friends from other countries, you still don't know how wonderful it can be to learn about other cultures, try typical dishes from other cultures or learn a couple of words in a language you don't know. Surely in your Cartagena English Academy You also have great friends, but probably most of them are Spanish and there is no cultural exchange.
4. You will discover a new city
Not everything will be going to English class, you will also have time to do some sightseeing. Summer English schools that welcome international students usually organize excursions and activities for all their students. You will be able to see the main monuments of the city, visit the museums and eat the typical dishes of the place. All of this is part of the cultural immersion that these types of courses usually include, since to learn a language you have to understand its culture.
5. You will live an international experience
This may sound trivial, but it is not. We live in a globalized world and being able to function internationally is extremely important. We know that it can be overwhelming to travel abroad and spend a few weeks there without the company of friends and family, but you have to take the plunge, you surely won't regret it. This will make you mature as a person and make you more decisive. You will have to face situations such as getting lost in an unknown city or difficulties understanding what they are telling you, but don't worry, you will surely get out of these situations much more easily than you imagine.
What to keep in mind when thinking about taking an English course abroad
When planning your English course you must take several factors into account. We tell you below which are the most important.
- Duration
Define the dates on which you will be available for your stay abroad, since you will have to check the places available in the courses on those dates. We recommend a minimum duration of 3 weeks, since the first days are for acclimatization and then is when you will really start to enjoy and take advantage of your stay.
2. Budget
This is the most important factor. Depending on the available budget, we can establish the duration of our stay and the city where we will spend it. There are many schools that offer course packs that include classes, accommodation and even flights. A stay in the United Kingdom or Ireland will be cheaper than taking the summer course in the United States.
3. Destination
You will surely wonder which are the best countries or cities to take the English course, well, any English-speaking country is a good option, but you should know that the circumstances will be different. If you are a student you probably do this type of English course in summer, but keep in mind that if you travel to the United Kingdom or Ireland, there is a good chance that you will not encounter typically summer weather, but rather rain and cold. If you are thinking about enjoying the sun you should know that Malta is a very popular destination for summer English courses.
Learning English is a long project, it is not enough to sign up for a good english academy to receive weekly classes, although this is the basis and reinforcement for learning the language. There are many ways to achieve a good level of English and, without a doubt, taking a course abroad is one of them. We recommend that you live this great experience, enjoy it and learn as much as possible.