'Because reliving a trip is almost as fun as the trip itself, we talk every month with travelers who have just taken a language course abroad. In this blog Sanne (23). Just before her language trip, she quite rigorously quit her job as a sales support employee. She doubted whether that work was really for her. During her language course at Hispania in Valencia, she found peace and figured out what kind of work would truly make her happy. She did a job interview via Skype and upon returning home, she had a new job.
I've made a promise to myself to learn something new every year. I find that it truly enriches my life. Last year, I went to San Diego in America for 6 weeks to take an English course. This year, I decided to go for Spanish. I think the language is beautiful, and besides English, it is the most spoken language in the world. So, speaking a bit of Spanish seemed very useful for work purposes or future travels. Plus, I had just resigned from my job as a sales support employee and liked the idea of really taking a break before looking for new work.
Haha, yes! I really enjoy continuously developing myself. I was twenty when I graduated from The Hague University of Applied Sciences with a degree in Facility Management. Very young, but I immediately started working as a recruiter. Since I was done studying, but far from done learning, I decided to further educate myself by learning something new every year that I find interesting.
I wanted to stay 'close'. San Diego was very nice, but also felt quite far away. This time, I wanted something less distant. The choice to learn Spanish in Spain (and not in Central or South America) was quickly made. I could immediately cross off Madrid and Barcelona since I had already been to both cities, and I found them too busy and large to stay for two months. The combination of city and beach in Valencia really appealed to me. Plus, the fact that there's plenty to do, but the city also has a friendly atmosphere.
Yes! I really enjoyed it. Valencia is amazing, I felt at home from the very beginning and never felt unsafe. I stayed in the old part, where they hardly speak any English. That was actually nice because it forces you to practice your Spanish really well when you go to a bakery, vegetable shop, or bar. You have to speak Spanish, even if you can't do it at all in the beginning.
You have to imagine: I didn't speak a word of Spanish. Nothing. Okay, just 'hola' and 'adios'. During the course, everything was in Spanish, even the explanation of the grammar. That took some getting used to. At first, I thought, 'wow, how am I going to keep up with this'. But with a bit of help from Google Translate, I quickly realized that you actually learn faster because everything is in Spanish. And it's precisely in those moments when you're stuck in Spanish that you learn the most.
Yes, to give an example. I arrived on a Sunday in Valencia and had just been taken to my apartment by the airport transfer. The fridge was empty and I was hungry, so I thought I'd quickly grab some groceries. That turned out to be difficult: all the stores were closed. After wandering through the city center for a while, I stumbled upon a small greengrocer that was actually open. The little man in the shop didn't speak a word of English and when I paid, he said: "Bolsa?" I had no idea. The little man: "BOLSA???" After another confused look from me, he swung a bag in front of my nose. That Bolsa means 'bag' was the first Spanish word I learned, and I will never forget it.
In the beginning, yes. In the morning, we had classes from 9:30 until about 2:00. During the first week, I went straight to my apartment after class to practice the material on my own. But that quickly fell by the wayside. I found it much more appealing to go into the city with classmates after class. Looking back, I think I would have learned more Spanish if I had made Spanish friends. Amongst classmates and housemates, we always spoke English. But yeah, I really enjoyed myself. That's important too.
I am at level B1. I understand Spaniards when they talk to me and can also make myself understood. But, my goal is to go one or two levels higher so that I truly speak the language. To keep up with it a bit in the Netherlands, I listen to Spanish podcasts and music in the car on my way to work. And I consciously watch Spanish-language films and series, or turn on English films with Spanish subtitles.
Spaniards are much more relaxed and less rushed than the Dutch. Very nice. By the way, that's also the reason why on Sundays time seems to stand still there, there's nothing to do, and all the shops are closed. It's something to get used to, but once you know that, you make sure to have all your food at home by Saturday evening, haha. Thanks to that relaxed atmosphere in Spain, I really found peace and was able to think clearly about what kind of work I would like to do in the Netherlands. One afternoon, I sent out some feelers on LinkedIn with the idea of seeing what would come of it. Things moved quickly then. I was approached by a very nice company, and while sitting in my room in Valencia, we had a Skype call, and suddenly I had a new job. Totally unplanned, haha. Now I've been working for a few months with great pleasure as a talent sourcer at Talentmapper.
Mya is a really cool underground club near Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències. I had never been to such a club in the Netherlands. Oh, and you absolutely must try the cocktail Agua de Valencia when you're there. Made with orange juice, cava, vodka, gin, and lots of ice. Very Valencian and very delicious!
Also interested in taking a Spanish language course in Spain? Check out all the Spanish language schools and destinations here.