The moment I decided to go on a language study trip was when my relationship broke up. The break-up was really hard for me. I was simply fed up with the people around me and my surroundings, and it was also winter. I just wanted to see something different and find myself again to some extent.
I then decided to go to the USA, to Fort Lauderdale in Florida. The city is a little north of Miami and is beautifully situated right by the sea. The weather was wonderfully warm, always around 30 degrees. I then went to language school there for six weeks. After that, I spent two weeks in Cuba, where I traveled the whole island.
I was very happy with my language study trip to the USA. I got to know a lot of new people. People from all over the world, as well as many people from Switzerland with whom I am still in contact today. Among them was a colleague of mine who is still very good today. It was through him that I later met my new girlfriend, who is his flatmate.
The language study trip was a dream for me. I experienced things that I could perhaps have experienced here, but I perceived everything very differently there. After school, we went to the beach and thought about what we could do with the rest of the day. We went on excursions together, went to the Everglades National Park, went skydiving and traveled to Orlando to the theme park. We rented a car and drove back and forth on the huge highways in a convertible and just enjoyed it. These were all impressions that I will never forget. It has burned itself into my head and when I'm feeling bad today, I like to think back to that time.
For me personally, the language study trip was very beneficial. It changed me and, funnily enough, made me calmer. I became more grateful, today I can do something with myself when nobody has time for me. I appreciate everything in life much more. In Cuba I saw what poverty really is, these people have nothing. It simply helped me move forward and made me more mature.
For my professional career, the language study trip didn't help me as much as I had hoped. Nevertheless, I was able to significantly improve my English skills, even though I was only on the language course for six weeks. As a mechanic, for example, I now understand the English in specialist books much better and can converse with English speakers.
I would give the following tips to people who would also like to do a language study trip:
I booked the language study trip through ESL in Zurich and was really very happy with the provider. Everything worked really well right from the start. The advisor also openly and honestly recommended that I book the flight myself because I would pay less that way. She gave me a telephone number where I could have called at any time during my stay to get tips for excursions or information about the school or where I could have gotten help with any problems or questions. I also received all the documents in good time and was well prepared for the language study trip. I didn't have to do much more than just get on the plane and go. I really have to say: do a language study trip if you have the chance!
Linda, deine Weiterbildungsfinderin