What is your favorite travel memory?
Many travel memories come to mind, but one from 2013 in China particularly stands out. At the end of our exchange semester, I traveled around China with a group of three friends.
We visited a small city called Luoyang to see the Longmen Grottoes. There, people would follow us in groups, watch us eat at the restaurant by standing right next to us and take pictures of our every move. It was their first encounter with foreigners, and once they realized we spoke Mandarin, conversations opened up. We exchanged thoughts on various topics, and they showed great kindness, curiosity, and eagerness to learn about our lives in Europe.
Despite our diverse backgrounds, we connected deeply on subjects like family, happiness, and food. This is when I realized that even though we do not speak the same language and live on opposites sides of the world, we might not be so different after all.
How have you changed/grown since working for your current company?
Working in a rapidly expanding company like LTL, which has expanded from operating schools in one country to multiple countries, has been a continuous learning journey for me. New and exciting projects regularly come our way, keeping me engaged and evolving.
I was once the student discovering life abroad for the first time, with the joys and challenges that come with it. I now serve as a guide for younger students going through similar experiences, and I am glad my past experiences and knowledge is helping them in their language learning journeys. The opportunity to help students on a daily basis is very rewarding and contributes a lot to my personal growth.
What is the best story you've heard from a return student?
I have met multiple students in my time at LTL that were having such a great time studying with LTL and living in a new exciting city, that they kept renewing and extending their language program. Meeting students again after one year when they come back for another program is also very gratifying, as you can see the progress they accomplished, not only in their language proficiency but also personal development.
If you could go on any program that your company offers, which one would you choose and why?
Having studied Mandarin in the past I would love to study Korean. I would choose the intensive program with both group classes and individual classes for a minimum of 3 months in order to make the fastest progress.
Combining this language course with living with a homestay will also allow better cultural immersion, which is the best way to understand the country and its traditions.
What makes your company unique? When were you especially proud of your team?
Our company is unique because each team member is a passionate language learner with experience living in multiple countries. This background allows us to understand our students better and provide them with a more personalized approach.
In addition, despite becoming a bigger structure with an increased number of students every year, we have maintained our personal touch and a strong sense of community across all schools. We know all students personally and consistently check on their progress to ensure their success.
What do you believe to be the biggest factor in being a successful company?
I believe our success stems from our dedication to understanding our students' unique challenges and helping them achieve their goals with a personalized and empathetic approach. LTL staff members and teachers are language learners themselves, so we know about the learning challenges students can face and how to overcome them.