Learn Spanish in Spain with EF

I decided to go to Barcelona to learn Spanish mainly because it's the home of the best football club in the world, but I learned very quickly that you can find so much more than good football here in the mediterranean city. In fact, there is really almost nothing that Barcelona can't offer you. As a person who has been to quite a few cities, coming to Barcelona immediately let's you feel this special and welcoming vibe that flows through the warm and humid air as you wander around it's charming streets. One of the first things I noticed in comparison to other big cities is the fact that there are trees on both sides of almost every street throughout the whole town, which gives a friendly character to the otherwise urban environment. In general, the city is surprisingly green with a lot of nice parks to relax. Also the beautiful harmony of both traditional architectural styles and modern buildings immediately meets the eye even before landing by plane. Looking out of the aircraft, the first things to notice are the magical Sagrada Familia basilica erupting from the sea of identical housing complexes that is the Eixample district and on the other side of town the modern Agbar tower bathed in it's blue and red colours. One can quickly see that Barcelona is a city of culture and history but nevertheless is constantly evolving and reinventing itself. A perfect harmony of tradition and innovation.

I always tell people who ask me about Barcelona that for me it's a city that has everything! There is really nothing left to wish for in terms of culture, nightlife, art, sports, or any other aspect one might demand from a city. I mean the city ends right at the beach! What more could you want?! :) haha.

When it comes to the EF-language courses I really have to point out that I came to the school without knowing Spanish, but after just three months of classes I was already able to manage normal day to day life in Spanish without a lot of difficulties. The language classes are so different from the normal school lessons I was used to. Exciting interactions and modern teaching methods make the courses fun and you kind of learn the language in a more natural way. The competent teachers are always friendly, helpful and encouraging. The fact that I stayed with a host family also helped immensely since you are forced to talk communicate and practice not only in class but also in real life situations. After my time at EF I decided to study Spanish at university so as you can see EF Barcelona has had a huge impact on me. I loved going to class there and thats not very common right? haha

But the coolest thing apart from learning a new language and getting to know a new culture is the fact that you meet so many people from all over the world, make new friends and build connections around the globe. All the students find themselves more or less in the same situation so you immediately have one thing in common. This experience made me grow so much as a person and is unforgettable for the rest of my life. I can only recommend everybody to choose Barcelona: a city that makes you dream big and still surpasses those dream. A city so enchanting you fall in love with it over and over again.
I come back to BCN as often as I can and every time I walk back into the EF-school it's like coming home. EF will feel like family. And Barcelona will be your second home.

The two weeks I have spend in Barcelona were amazing. I have learned a new language and improved my knowledge. I kept in touch with new people and made new friends from different countries like Belgium, Canada, USA, Netherlands and Switzerland. I had a very good time with them in both places, school and outside. The host family was also very friendly and talkative. My main teacher at the EF School in Barcelona was one of my best teachers I have ever had. She is a supportive, talkative, funny and kind one who I will never forget. EF has given me the opportunity to visit an amazing country like Spain and it´s city Barcelona, where I have never been before and I´m so glad that I could grab my chance to visit it. It´s been an amazing time with all the guys and the teachers around me, cause they have given me a feeling that I am not alone in a foreign country, but in a big family where we all stick together as a team. Even if I have visited them just for a short period, it would be always a wonderful memory that I will never forget.
Thank you so much!!!

if you want to have an Experience of a life time, travel with EF to malaga.
You learn the language in another way, you always want to learn more and thats why you always reach your goals. You meet fantastic people during your stay. I chose to live in a host family and for me that was the best choice.

i will never forget my experience with EF, and i will recomend everyone to think about traveling to malaga.

First I went to an other school, but I made a lot of friends at EF Malaga so I wanted to end my trip in EF Malaga. I am so glad I made this choice, I even extended my stay at EF because I liked it that much.
I stayed at the recidence and I loved it. It feels like one big family and everybody knows eachother. I would absolutely recommend EF Malaga! The lessons are very varrieded and it gets never boring. The teachers are really nice and will help you anytime.
I wished I could stayed longer and I would do it over again for sure!

Everything about the EF Language program in Barcelona lived up to and surpassed my expectations. The teachers and staff were great, fun and supportive, and the campus was beautiful. It was also very centrally located near the beautiful neighbourhood of Gracia as well as more touristy destinations such as Casa Batlo by Gaudi. Not only did I have a great time, but I also improved my Spanish significantly and felt comfortable conversing with the locals. Highly reccomend!

If it wasn't for the vibrant social life and fun staff, my experience would have been completely different. I had the most incredible time, meeting people for all over the world and the welcome nights were so much fun. My Spanish could have improved a bit more but would not have changed it for the world.

I constantly thought about it but always pushed the dream into the back of my mind until the summer of 2015.
My 3 weeks in Barcelona, Spain turned out to be a life-changing experience beyond my wildest expectations. New friends, new stories, new language...all of these taught me lifelong lessons that I will carry with me forever.

Beginning the first day of your program, you will take a placement exam that will help the school determine the best classroom to place you in. This is just one of the things that EF does to help their students: accommodation. The school accommodates to your needs and makes sure you are learning the language at your individual level. I met people that had never learned Spanish a day in their life, and others who had been learning for 8+ years; the diversity of students is huge. Erase every bad memory you have of a high school language teacher who shoves grammar into your head 24/7. The teachers at the school understand the difficulty of learning a language and put all their efforts into making a conversational, upbeat class environment; it's absolutely incredible.

Essentially, this is how friendships are formed. After attending the scheduled clases for the portion of the day, the rest is up to you. There are many activities planned by the school that encourage students to connect; some you may be interested, others not so much. Regardless, you will never be bored and I vow to that. It's amazing stepping off the plane into a country not knowing anyone or anything, and the next day forming friendships and traveling around the city like you truly belong there.

Host families are unique to everyone. I had roommates come and go for 3 weeks straight; one day it was just me and another student, and the next day there were 5 students living under the same roof. This is where your language is really put to the test because everyone had a different level of their speaking abilities & understanding Spanish.

Time abroad definitely puts your independence and capabilities to the test. These days spent away from home are very valuable and every activity offered to you should be taken advantage of because you never know when you will have that opportunity again. I learned to appreciate times like "getting lost in an unknown city without any cell service" because it essentially proves that even the experiences that seem bad in the moment, turn out to be the best stories you'll look back on later.

Whenever people ask what about it is so great, I always tell them the same six words "You won't know until you go."
Put aside all of your doubts, anxieties, and hesitations because facing my fears and spending my limited weeks in Barcelona introduced me to unforgettable experiences. Learning a language is so unique when you essentially "Live the Language."

The two weeks I spent in Barcelona with EF contributed to one of the best summers of my life.
For starters, Barcelona is an amazing city. There is so much to see, particularly in the arts. It's a perfect city for walking around and getting lost, and the public transportation is very easy.

Upon arrival, EF does a placement test so that you are in a class in which everyone is at your level, which is great. The classes are small, and the teachers are all truly amazing—passionate about what they do, patient, entertaining, and curious about learning from the students as well. The classes mostly revolve around conversation, which I personally loved because I feel that this is what most Spanish classes lack. Not to mention, the conversations address really interesting topics.
The classes are small and lively, and there's just an overall pleasant environment. The teachers are super approachable, and I found myself talking with them outside of class a lot!

The social scene is amazing—I met people from all over the world, people I never would have had the opportunity to talk with had it not been for EF. The program also organizes a lot of activities, so you are bound to meet new people who might not be in your classes.
As for housing, EF has many families they can set you up with to meet your needs. I actually ended up changing families after my first week (I went from a single room to a double), and the person in charge for Accommodation was extremely helpful and attentive to what I was looking for, as is the rest of the staff!
One thing I really loved about this program is the freedom it gave me. I have never been so independent in my life and I truly loved it. I never felt lonely, nor overcrowded, and the activities EF organizes aren't mandatory (though they are really fun!).
Simply put, I strongly recommend this program. I really did advance my Spanish skills, and I had such a fun time. I definitely recommend staying with a host family and a roommate. You can learn a lot from your host family and it's nice to have someone living with you. For anyone who is worried about the presence of Catalán, as I was, I can assure you it is not at all a problem, and it did not interfere with my learning.

I really could go on and on about my two weeks in Barcelona! I encourage anyone who wants to learn Spanish while enjoying a city full of art, amazing architecture, great food, and a strong student presence to go with EF. I will be signing up with EF once again this summer to spend 3 weeks in Madrid!