We recently did an interview with one of our Spanish students from Brisbane, Australia. Loren is here in Valencia for 10 weeks taking an Intensive Spanish language course with us. She has a Bachelors in Japanese and Spanish Language and Linguistics, and also holds a Masters in Spanish-English translation. She studied Spanish in Barcelona for 3 months in 2009 and ever since then she has always wanted to come back to Spain and improve her Spanish. Here she let’s us in on her motivation to come to Valencia and her Spanish learning experience thus far… 

Why did you decide to come to Valencia to study Spanish? 

I like Spain and I really liked the look of Euroace and the way to course was presented. It sounded like a good value for money and had numerous positive reviews from past students. I liked the idea of coming to Valencia as the city is big enough but still not as hectic as Madrid and Barcelona. Valencia is not so pricey and so I didn’t have to worry about being on a tight budget.

What improvements have you noticed since you started studying with us?

I see lots of improvement, in my pronunciation, grammar and written Spanish as well as speaking the language. I am much more confident, I can understand spoken Spanish as well as films and videos that I watch. I am combining group and private classes at Euroace in preparation for the C1 and DELE exam.

You are living with a host family in Valencia, how are you enjoying this experience?

I feel very welcome in the family that I am staying with. My host mama is very hospitable, we talk every day, and there is a good synergy between us. I have learnt a lot from her, particularly about the customs and traditions of Valencia. I live with her, her grown up son and some other students who have opted for a home stay in Valencia, just like me.

What do you like the most and what do you find the most difficult about living in Valencia? 

Valencia has a very welcoming atmosphere, lots of nice restaurants, bars  and parks, as well as the beach. It is a complete city. The most difficult part was getting lost in the beginning, but now after a few weeks I am very comfortable and when I look up streets on my GPS, I know where they are. I enjoy living in the city center and being close to everything, although obviously with apartment living I do miss having a garden. 

What advice would you give to other students coming to Valencia to study Spanish?

Do it! Take all possible advantages of studying Spanish in Spain, join the additional after class activities Euroace organizes and also the language exchange nights to meet other students and some local Spanish people. Make the most of weekend trips too, to see more interesting places around Valencia, again organized by EUROACE.

Would you recommend EUROACE to other students looking to improve their Spanish?

Yes, definitely. I really like the attitude of the Euroace team, very welcoming and always ready to help, and organizing activities like yoga classes at the school’s facilities. I would also mention that the teachers are very focused, have a clear plan of the activities for every class and take an individual approach to every student. They let students customize the classes according to their interests and this makes it a very fun learning experience. There is also a great dynamic in the class, we talk and laugh a lot.

If you would like to take an Advanced Spanish language course with us, combining private and group classes as Loren has done, take a look here for more info!