IN CO-OPERATION WITH EF LANGUAGE TRAVEL
Going on a language trip - why? When I set off on a language trip to Bournemouth in the UK at the age of 15, it was probably the adventure that attracted me, not so much the idea of learning a language. Looking back, I'm grateful for both - the adventure and the language.
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Language trip to England
When I was 15, I went on a language trip to England with my best friend Johanna. The year was 1991 and I had just moved from Skåne to Stockholm. Johanna still lived in Skåne, so when we left for England by bus (to see Paris on the way) we met for the first time in a long time. But really good friends you keep in touch with, regardless of geographical distance. And yes, Johanna and I are still in touch!
At the time, in 1991, it was of course very exciting to be travelling "alone" without your family. At the same time, the language travel company was always there for questions and help. We lived with a British family and learnt all sorts of interesting things, such as how to eat bread and butter pudding. At the same time accidentally we get better at English. Well, mostly in the bargain.
Lots of experiences
In addition to the excitement of experiencing another culture, we got to see and do a lot during our weeks in England. We travelled by train to London and visited Stonehenge. Fantastically exciting! Now this is of course eons but language trips are still organised today. You can read more about language travel at EF, which organises language trips for all kinds of ages and to all kinds of countries.
Language holidays for adults
Travelling on a language trip as an adult is probably a bit different. EF organises language holidays for adults to a whole range of destinations - from England and Australia to Germany and Japan. Trips range from 1 to 52 weeks in length and vary in intensity. Where would I like to go? To France! Definitely, without a doubt.
I studied French for four years at school and somehow managed to learn the pronunciation, somewhat. The comprehension is a bit worse. I can read aloud from a book, but I don't understand. But it makes me frustrated, and hungry. French is such a beautiful language!
Language is key
Peter doesn't quite agree with me that French is the most appealing, but when I read out the countries where you can go on a language trip to him, he said "If I was 15 years old today, I would want to go on a language trip. all those journeys". You don't always realise it as a 15-year-old, but learning languages is key.
Of course, I didn't only learn English from the language trip, but it helped to release some barriers, which made it easier later on. Today I'm grateful for that because now I use English all the time, both at work and when travelling. The only thing I wish now is that I could speak a few more relevant languages, like German, French or Spanish (preferably French).
What is your experience with language travel? Have you been on a language trip as a young person ... or as an adult? Or have your children been on a language trip? How has it affected you/your children?
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Across the board says:
I have not been on a language trip, but I have studied French, via Skype, in the "old days" Taking Skype lessons suits me perfectly. I can choose how often and what time suits me and at the same time get an hour's worth of pronunciation and vocabulary. Incredibly fun because my teacher is really a bundle of energy! And she organises the lessons so that I am involved in deciding what I want to learn, so she doesn't follow a course book (unless I want her to) The first time we talked and decided how to organise the lessons to suit me and I can say that I learned a lot in just one year!
27 January 2018 - 8:22
Helena says:
Yes, I remember you telling me about your French course! Seems super good! Glad that you managed to hold on and that you feel that you are learning a lot! 🙂
27 January 2018 - 10:44
Anonymous says:
I, your mum, also went on a language trip once. I was on the Isle of Wight. I stayed at the Westwing School for Girls.I shared a room with an English girl, with whom I later exchanged letters. She married a Spanish officer. He was stationed in Gran Canaria. When we were there, when your big brother was little and before you were born, we were invited to their summer house. So you don't just learn languages on language holidays.
27 January 2018 - 9:06
Helena says:
How nice that you write a comment here mum! Yes, I remember you telling me about this trip. Funny that you kept in touch and met again in Gran Canaria!
27 January 2018 - 10:46
Matts Torebring says:
I myself am one of the very last generation in our country to have only seven years of schooling. I often say at work that I am very proud of this! My whole life has then been a learning experience. When I see and hear how little many young people grasp and understand, I wonder if they even went to school.
I have missed not speaking English fully. I have sat in on many conferences at work, but have only been able to take in maybe 3/4 of them. I attended a number of evenings at Komvux, but would need to know more. But now I'm resigned, I'm doing fine. We have spent 17 summers in Europe.
27 January 2018 - 9:07
Helena says:
You can learn things in many different ways, and school must of course be adapted to society if it is to be useful. Languages are always useful, and it is important to have the courage to use your language skills, even if they are not perfect. Then you often go a long way!
27 January 2018 - 10:48
Ama de casa says:
I went on a language trip for a month in the summer holidays between the 6th and 7th grade. A riding camp where we were 24 Swedish girls. Luckily there were lessons too, otherwise I probably wouldn't have learnt much of the language on that trip 😉.
Nowadays, you could say that we go on language trips every now and then. Our trips inland and out in the countryside here in Spain are very useful - we are "forced" to get by in Spanish. Here where we live speaks - unfortunately! - most people speak English, and it is easy to fall into the trap and "escape".
27 January 2018 - 9:43
Helena says:
The riding camp sounded fun, but I understand that there was also a lot of Swedish there ... 😉 And I recognise it because it is easy to take English as a shortcut if possible. Good to be forced sometimes 😉
27 January 2018 - 10:51
Åsa says:
I have never actually been on a language trip like that. However, my whole life is a kind of language trip as I have lived and worked/studied in 7 different countries. Right now it's Portuguese that counts. I learn new words every day and it's great fun.
27 January 2018 - 9:50
Helena says:
I'm really impressed with your Portuguese, Åsa! I think languages are fun too, but these days it's mostly English ....
27 January 2018 - 12:36
Britt-Marie Lundgren says:
I also went on a language trip in 1971 to a small community in Yorkshire. It was a concept without lessons, but I lived with a family with a daughter of the same age and went to school with her. The advantage was that there were only three Swedes there. Then I have tried to learn Spanish through study associations but unfortunately I am probably a pure scientist so language is not the easiest.... but so fun if you knew a little more.
27 January 2018 - 9:53
Helena says:
Glad you went on a language trip Britt-Marie, and interesting to hear about all the different concepts and arrangements when it comes to language travel! I like languages, but it takes a lot of commitment to learn, I agree.
27 January 2018 - 12:38
Ditte says:
I started going on language trips when I was 15 and went to Switzerland for six weeks to concentrate on the French language, but I also had lessons in English and German. No organised language trip but we had arranged it ourselves through a Swiss school. Lived alone in a family and learnt a lot. I had a friend with me and we travelled by train without adult company down through Europe. The following year I went to France, also on my own, to Aix en Provence for four weeks and ended up in Cannes for three weeks. There are many advantages to living alone in a family or at a school as I did with no Swedes other than the occasional friend. Many international contacts were made and language is a key to contacts and provides many openings. I studied English one summer in Camebridge and have also done it there as an adult. Great fun! Even then I organised it myself. I studied French as an adult in Cannes, Nice and Aix. But I have always arranged the trips without any Swedish organisation. It has worked very well. Even today, in addition to English, German and French work - both reading and speaking. I'm working on Spanish and am now struggling with a little Chinese as a trip to China awaits.
I think a language trip, even an organised one, is a good way to brush up on your language skills.
I believe in being in an environment where you are "showered" with the language. It gives so much and faster.
My daughters have also been on various language trips, but we have arranged them without any organisation. But if you are unsure and want help, I think a language trip with the help of a language agency can be good. However, I have no experience with that.
Perhaps now you'll be travelling in languages.
27 January 2018 - 10:30
Helena says:
Wow what travelling you have done Ditte! What experiences! How cool that you got to go to so many different places so early in life! And I'm really impressed with the Chinese language. It is in another dimension if you say so! 😉
27 January 2018 - 18:38
Mr Nils-Åke Hansson says:
I have to say that Matt had 7 years of primary school and then failed studies that were cancelled at a boarding school in Uppsala. BUT I am proud of my professional career and life has been my school. The last years in the job we became US owned and it was just to try to keep up BUT I know many words that you do not use when you go out and shop.
I can say that a relative who was a theologian/psychologist had been to a conference on the subject, but it didn't go well when he went shopping for shoes, he couldn't find the right words.
But we have done well on our travels in Europe.
27 January 2018 - 10:31
Helena says:
There are different ways to get around in life! And there is more than one way to learn things. You learn languages while travelling too, no matter what kind of trip 🙂 .
27 January 2018 - 18:40
Mr Steve says:
What a wonderful retrospective. Language is an important key in life. I have a good command of English after studying it at university. I know German reasonably well but I never understood why I chose German at school.
I would like to know more languages, such as French and Italian, which are beautiful languages with a lot of emotion.
27 January 2018 - 11:18
Helena says:
I'm glad you studied English at university level. I have never done that, but on the other hand, most of my studies have been in English. I recognise myself in wanting to know more languages!
27 January 2018 - 18:54
Emma, sun like sun? says:
"I've never been on a language trip," I reply spontaneously. But then I realised that when I was 13, I went to England with the Scouts and stayed with an English family for a week and camped in the Lake District for a week. As I was one of my Swedish friends who knew better English, it was a lot of English for me!
Then I am in the same situation as Ama. Spanish is the priority right now. I studied French for six years at school and couldn't put a sentence together. So I re-read it at KomVux and learnt much more. I am by no means fluent, but I understand a bit anyway.
27 January 2018 - 13:19
Helena says:
It sounds like your trip at least fulfilled the same purpose as a language trip 😉 Understand that you prioritise Spanish! Interesting also that you learned more French at Komvux than at school!
27 January 2018 - 19:01
Emma, sun like sun? says:
It was probably the case that the foundations were laid in primary school - that's what it's called! - that I could then put them in the right place in my head and build on them.
31 January 2018 - 16:34
On a journey of discovery says:
We recognise Helena's description of language travel from our youth. We also "happened" to get better at English - despite the language trip. You are absolutely right that language is a key! This is especially true when travelling. Even though many people speak English, you get closer if you can talk to the locals in their own language. Going on a language trip for adults sounds like a clever business idea. Personally, we have tried a free app to learn Spanish with great success. I can only recommend it!
27 January 2018 - 17:53
Helena says:
I agree that speaking the language brings you closer. But just trying or knowing a little can help. We usually try to use what we know, even if it is only a little. But usually you wish you had known a little more ... ; ) I can imagine that there are apps that make it easier!
27 January 2018 - 19:04
Farmers' wives says:
Haven't been on a language trip myself but have experience as a mum. Disaster! It was EF that was the organiser. Total disorganisation and inexperienced leaders. Leaders who cried on the phone when we called them, Families who received 5 students in their cramped apartment far outside the city and who did not engage at all in the moments. Unfortunately, I would not recommend any young person to go on a language trip based on our experience. Nothing that was promised worked. This also applied to the studies.
27 January 2018 - 17:54
Helena says:
How sad that you have such bad experiences, Gärdsmygen! For me it's just the opposite, I have very good memories of my language trip. And that's how you want it to be, of course!
27 January 2018 - 19:08
Johanna in Skåne says:
Nice to read and see pictures from our adventure! Already in the bus to Paris, I learned a lot about how different Swedish sounds in different parts of the country, Värmland expressions that I have not heard before, for example. Two weeks ago I just contacted EF for price information and more info about their language trip to England with Lego focus 🙂 thought it could be something for the oldest son. Not this year, but maybe next.
27 January 2018 - 17:59
Helena says:
How nice that you comment Johanna! ? Yes, we met some who came from northernmost Norrland, a bit exotic for us Skåne ?. How exciting with a language trip with Lego focus, it was something completely new to me!!!!
27 January 2018 - 19:52
Ruth in Virginia says:
Language trips did not exist "in my time", but in secondary school they studied English.
German in the first year. The second year it was also English and the third
French, so the last 2 years we had all three languages. German was number 1.
Had all 3 languages at the Handelsgymnasiet, (which also included the
shorthand).
I got a job as a "foreign correspondent" for Irano Swedish. Their
office in Tehran wrote to us in French, and we wrote back in English. I had no problem reading business French but that
writing - no way! Apparently it was the same in Iran but in reverse. 🙂
After 4 years, I decided to travel to the USA and improve my English.
Worked as a live-in maid for an elderly couple. Their teenage grandson
spent every end of the week with them, and he had a great time.
by pointing out and correcting my English.
Learned a lot of Bahasa Indonesia, when we lived in Java. It's an artificial language; put together to unite the tens of thousands of islands that make up Indonesia; all with their own dialects. Nice to be able to haggle with everyone
traders who came to the house.
27 January 2018 - 18:24
Helena says:
Very interesting to hear your stories Ruth! My mum studied English as a first language, but my aunt studied German as a first language, so I guess it was switched somewhere in between. Interesting that the correspondence with Iran worked! I had no idea that they preferred French at this time, probably I lack some historical knowledge there... Exciting also with Bahasa Indonesia! I didn't know the history of this.
27 January 2018 - 21:08
Ruth in Virginia says:
French was the language of diplomacy in the past.
German was for science. My husband was allowed to read
German at college for his geology degree.
27 January 2018 - 21:21
Helena says:
Ah, thanks for the explanation! 🙂
28 January 2018 - 17:09
BP says:
Language is power! I have always said that. In Sweden today, everyone is bilingual from the age of 7, which is fantastic. I have been on a language trip to Paris (6 weeks) when I was 15 years old, then I became an exchange student for a year there as well. An absolutely wonderful time. Spoke fluent French, but then had to study English like an idiot. No English in French schools at that time.
Since I haven't practised French, I won't be fluent anymore either;-) Spanish is a language I've wanted to learn. I understand two thirds of it, but can't say sentences.
27 January 2018 - 18:40
Helena says:
Really agree with you that language is power BP! Tough with a 6 week language trip to Paris! I understand what you mean about forgetting when you don't practice, but if you just get to practice again, you sure know your French! 🙂
27 January 2018 - 21:11
Travel Linda says:
Was keen on a language trip at that age, but it never happened. Always thought that languages are fun and have studied German at school and also travelled a lot in Germany so I understand quite well, but to get better at speaking and communicating, we will start this summer's four-month motorhome trip with a month in Berlin where I will take a German course.
28 January 2018 - 11:40
Helena says:
How fun that you are going on a long trip with a motorhome! I immediately look into your blog! 🙂
28 January 2018 - 17:15