Hi! Could you start introducing yourself?
Hi, I’m Mindaugas-everyone calls me Minde, a little mash-up of “mind” and the letter E. I was born in Lithuania, then moved to Germany to study law. I finished my degree there and now live in Berlin, where I work at a bank. I’m not practicing law directly anymore, but I’m still in the legal field.
I speak Lithuanian as my mother tongue. German is fluent-studying law in German basically forced me to level up. I also speak English. Spanish is my current challenge, and I understand a bit of Russian too.
Why Valencia to study Spanish?
For me, it was kind of a no-brainer. I knew I wanted to go to Spain, but I could’ve done a course in Berlin through Bildungsurlaub if I found a licensed school. So I compared offers in a few Spanish cities.
Valencia stood out fast. The weather here is fantastic, there’s a great beach nearby, and I hadn’t really tried much Spanish food yet-so I figured, why not? I don’t love huge, chaotic cities anyway. Valencia feels like the perfect size-you can walk, you can bike, you can explore a lot without feeling overwhelmed.
From day one I loved it. I arrived on a Sunday and later learned everything’s closed on Sundays. Still, I hit the beach and saw people everywhere, enjoying themselves. If that’s Valencia at its quietest, I’m already super happy. And it just kept getting better.
Had you been to Spain before?
Yes, but only once. I went to Tenerife for my birthday-my only real Spain experience before this trip.
Describe your first week in Valencia. What did you do and enjoy most?
The classes have been great, obviously. But for the city, I joined the walking tour the school runs with Emma. It really helped me get a feel for what’s where.
Since then I’ve loved just wandering the streets. After class I don’t head straight home-I stroll, check out shops, see how people live, what they’re up to. There’s this energy, this vibe in Valencia-it’s really special.
And I’m crazy about Malvarrosa Beach. It’s wide, and you see people doing all sorts of things: families with kids, groups of friends, folks playing sports, others lounging or partying. As someone who loves sports, it’s great to see how active everyone is here. I haven’t joined in yet because I’m usually a bit tired after class, but I’m planning to rent a bike and explore more-especially the outskirts. One place I’m dying to see is Albufera; I’ve heard the sunsets are incredible. That’s my plan for the weekend.
So, in general, what do you enjoy most about the vibe?
The atmosphere. People here truly seem to enjoy life openly, and I love that.
What was your first contact with Euroace like?
I started with an email, asking if they still had open spots. I loved how simple it is-you can start almost anytime, with lots of options for everyone.
I wasn’t sure about my level at first. I thought maybe I was a complete beginner, or perhaps at A2. The funny thing is, as a kid I didn’t know any Spanish, but I had these old CDs from my aunt with Enrique Iglesias songs. I used to sing along without understanding a word. So technically I had some “experience”-just not in an academic sense!
With Euroace, everything was smooth from the start. Katia took care of everything. I even booked the apartment through Euroace, and it exceeded my expectations. I shared it with someone else who studies at a different school, and that works great.
The best part is that the school removed all the organizing stress. I just picked a date, took the entry test, and arrived. Everything else was taken care of.
How have the classes been? Have you seen progress?
Definitely. First of all, the teachers. In just one week I had four or five different teachers. You can really feel their passion for teaching, and that makes all the difference.
Before, when I learned a language, I always tried to do it on my own-never in a school like Euroace. Trying this way, I realize how much I was missing. I’ll definitely continue Spanish at different levels, and maybe even try other languages in a school setting.
The classes feel natural and supportive. You can ask as many questions as you want, and the teachers never pressure you. They help you, but let you find your own answers. That makes a big difference.
My schedule had three sessions a day. Two were with absolute beginners like me, and one with students who had already studied for at least a week longer. That gave me a good challenge. In those higher-level groups, I could feel the jump, but I always felt included. The teachers make sure of that.
And how about life outside class?
It’s been amazing. I’ve connected with my classmates, and we’ve gone out to bars and restaurants together. We chat about Spanish and how it’s going for each of us, plus other topics too. It’s not just studying-you really build a community.
If you had to describe your experience in one word?
It’s tough, but I’d say amazing. Or excellent. Or maybe just beautiful.
And you? Do you wanna also have a Spanish adventure in Valencia? We are not only Bildungsurlaub accredited, but you can also come to Spain and learn Spanish with us if you are a Swedish student and want to make use of the CSN grant.
Check out all of our Spanish courses in Valencia Spain, we have something for everyone. From 4, 6 and 10 hours per week, to our intensive courses of 20h and 30h per week, and even more programs to make sure you Learn Spanish like a local.
