Spanish Gap Year Experience in Valencia, Spain

I chose to attend classes at Euroace right from the beginning of my 9 months stay in Valencia cause I've heard good things about the school. Additionally, they were the most accommodating when it came to my language level and needs to adapt the classes to my work schedule. I originally planned on attending the course only for the first few months of my time in Spain but quickly decided to continue throughout my entire stay here, because I did not only enjoy the classes but also loved the support from all the staff members. Participating in the course makes me feel more comfortable with speaking Spanish and living the Spanish lifestyle and I continue meeting great new people who experience the same thing.

I'm from Los Angeles, USA and I came to Valencia to follow my dream of studying Spanish in Spain. I chose to do an intensive language course for 12 weeks with Euroace and at the same time, live with a host family to make the most of my Spanish learning experience here!

My plan is that I would like to stay and live longer in Spain, after the end of my studies, and continue to explore the country and opportunities to teach English.

I chose Valencia for its Mediterranean climate, and the fact that it's not a huge and busy city, but still it is not too small and there is a lot going on. I love the lifestyle, with people going out until late at night, with old people holding hands and small children playing outside all day long. People are very kind and well-mannered. The only thing that I find difficult is that people smoke a lot and I am quite sensitive to cigarette smoke.

I really like living with a host family. My host mama is great, I get to know a lot about Valencia and Spain, by talking to her. She also cooks very well, so I get to know the Spanish customs and cuisine through her delicious meals. We get along well and I practise my Spanish with her, as this is our only language of communication.

My Euroace course has helped me make big progress! I started from a basic level and I can already talk in present, past and future tense after 10 weeks! I can speak the language and have made friends with some of my fellow students who do not speak English, thus it is great that we can communicate in Spanish. The teachers are great, my teacher Estefa is amazing, she manages to have a personal approach to every student, no matter what their level of Spanish, and very successfully involves all students in the group to actively participate in the class activities. We also have lots of fun and laugh a lot in the classes, it makes the learning much more enjoyable!!

When I came across Euroace, I couldn't believe that I would be presented with the opportunity to gain invaluable professional experience, along with daily Spanish lessons, and it didn't fail to live up to expectations! Having 2 hours of classes every morning keeps the language ticking, which can then be put to practise at my Marketing Internship at Villarreal CF. The international nature of the different students and internships means that you are always meeting different, interesting people throughout the experience! I also chose to live with a host family for the first four weeks of my stay, and this was a great experience! You get a more cultural/Spanish experience whilst only speaking Spanish and therefore improving day to day linguistic skills.

I have completed an internship with Villarreal CF which has involved coaching a youth team in the academy and completing tasks for the International Department. This placement has been very valuable to learn more about coaching abroad in Spain and to gain experience in preparation for the future. I have had the privilege of working alongside some high standard coaches within the academy and therefore picking pick up many tips on how I can develop personally. It has also been an excellent experience having the opportunity to learn and work within such a professional setup within an elite club. In terms of my role within the International Department, I have had the opportunity to complete tasks which I haven’t had any previous experience in, and therefore this allowed me to learn new skills which I will be able to use later in life.