Program Reviews

One day, there was an activity in school to Ventimille. I decided to go, but didn't know we went there by train. Once we arrived in the station, we found the platform, so we went to the platform and for some odd reason the train arrived early. Alex saw it was our train on the screen, so we took it. After 30 min we arrived in the station of Menton. Over there we stopped like a normal stop, but we stayed there a very long time. After 10 minutes Alex assured us it was normal to stay in the station for that long. But then the unthinkable happened, we drove backwards, back in the direction of Nice. Eventually we had to wait for 45 minutes for another train. After all the problems, we finally arrived in Ventimille. Because of the delay, our time in the town was shortened quite a bit. Anyway, we decided to make the most of it and two hours afterwards our return train was scheduled. So all said and done, at 12 pm, when the train was scheduled was still on the big screen without any platform. After another 5 minutes the train just disappeared, so we asked somebody what had happened. Lovely France had decided to go on a strike, so we didn't have a train at that hour. In the end we arrived 1h30 too late and missed our class. So now I decided to never take a French train again.

Before going to Malaga I was in New York and Tokyo so at first I wasn´t really expecting much from the city of Cervantes to be honest. But as soon as I arrived, I realized that this was going to be a lot of fun. The EF school is much smaller than in New York and Tokyo but it´s actually a great point because everybody get together and it´s like we´re a familly. Of course the whole staff is just incredible if you put the effort your spanish skills will increase fast.
Also, the beach is only at 5 minutes by walk from the school and the region of Malaga have so many breathtaking places, natural landscape and iconic places.
Malaga was the perfect place to end this crazy adventure and La Costa Del Sol has nothing to envy to the other places in the world.

I recently just got back from spending 3 amazing weeks at EF Beijing. When i arrived in China i didn't know any Chinese and i was unsure of how much Chinese i could hope to learn in three weeks. The first week of class was a bit overwhelming since we jumped right into reading, writing and speaking in Chinese, but i stuck with it and studied on my own everyday after class. After a week i was caught up to the level of students in the beginner class who had been studying longer than me and at the end of my 3 weeks i'm proud to say that my Chinese language ability has improved enough for me to feel comfortable taking the HSK 2. Aside from the wonderful language program i would also like to say that the residence i stayed in was really great. My roommates were all extremely sweet and helpful and the location was perfect since it was only a 10 minute walk to school and about a 6 minute walk to the beautiful olympic stadium. On the way to school there were various restaurants and i was able to try a different food everyday. The trips were also incredible, ranging from the summer palace to the great wall and even when activities weren't planned, all the students would get together and go somewhere fun. In conclusion i would definitely recommend this program to anyone who is interested in learning Chinese, the school and the students are fantastic and living in Beijing was truly an experience of a lifetime :)

When I arrived in Berlin, I had no idea what to expect. I knew zero German besides "Guten Tag" and had never traveled by myself before. At eighteen years old, I had just graduated high school from a very small town where I knew everyone. The idea of meeting hundreds of new people in the span of six months all coming from different cultures was mind boggling to me but I am so thankful I decided to come here. Coming to Berlin with EF was the best decision of my life. I have met some of the most amazing people and have made lifelong friends with people all over the world. I have learned more about myself in six months than I knew my whole life. In the US, gap years are not very common. Many people questioned why I didn't just do the typical thing and go straight to college. However, every American here has the same feeling I do and knows they made the right choice. Now I'll get to the specifics. I live in the EF residence which means I live with other EF students. There are other students who live in host families. Those who live in host families do have a more genuine cultural "immersion" since they must speak German to their families at home and get to learn about German culture from actual Germans. However, students living in host families can live up to one hour from the school so it can be slightly restricting when going out with friends (however most of my friends are from host families and still go out plenty). The school is full immersion meaning German is the only language spoken in school which is pretty intimidating if you come in knowing zero German like me. However, this forces you to pick up the language basics very quickly. The residence and school are really in the center of Berlin. The residence is right beside the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe and only a minute's walk from the Brandenburg Gate and Tiergarten. Since it is in the center it is also easy to get anywhere in Berlin with the Ubahn system. Ef really gives you a lot of independence and freedom. They also bring you on occasional trips. For example, I got to go to Barcelona my second month with the school. There is a huge variety of people that come to EF Berlin and there are always waves of new people coming into the school which is always really exciting. Overall, I am very happy with my decision to come to Berlin with Education First.

I was already living in France before I went to Paris with EF. I was spending five months in Bretagne, and had a two week vacation from school. I decided I wanted to see Paris, so I did so with EF. I was familiar with EF because my mother used to work in the AuPair program, and knew someone who worked at the school in Paris.

I had been to Paris before, but being there with people from all over the world was amazing. My only piece of advice would be, LIVE WITH A FAMILY. If you really want to learn a new language, the only way to do it is living with a family and completely immersing yourself. That's not saying that the residential accomodations were bad, it's just, everyone speaks english, or whatever native language they speak. Since I was already pretty satisfied with my proficiancy in french, I was fine, and it was amazing living with so many different people.

The school is very new and modern, and I thought all the profs were awesome! The structures of the classes were also very nice, interactive and interesting.

Thank you EF!

I think the titlle sums up my review pretty well. I went to EF Playa Tamarindo in Costa Rica for 6 months and so far these are the best 6 months of my life. I learnt so much from the staff, the locals and the other students of course. I don t know if it is due to to sun but everyone here is cheerful and always wears a smile alongside their bikini ! I came with a low level of Spanish (A1) and after half a year thanks to the amazing teachers with whom I spoke outside of classroom too and the incredible family I lived with, I graduated in B2 which is almost fluent. I am very greatful and I totally recommend taking a few months to escape reality and routine to come and discover a new culture ; it was amazing.

It's kind of funny because the day before my flight to Barcelona i was actually second guessing my decision to go. Because i planned it within a month and a lot was going on at home and i thought i was running away from my problems. The thing is once i landed in Barcelona i knew i made the right choice. The sphere is great. The people are great. Of course the first two days are the most nerve recking. Meeting my host mom, first day of school and of course all the new people. Especially for someone like me. I mean i hate having to do something new. I like knowing what im getting myself into and i had no clue about what to expect. So hopefully this review helps all future students.

I'll give the 411 on EF Barcelona. What to and what not to expect and of course some advice.

Good or bad first?

Ahh let's do the bad not that long of a list i think.

What not to expect:
1. That everyone will like you. (Rumors spread faster than any disease i know)
2. Teachers to hand feed all the answers.
3. That teachers like it when you speak your first language.
4. That you won't spend a lot of money.

What to expect:
1. Teachers and Staff members are always there to help you
2. I lived with a host family and this depends on the host family because not all are great. But mines was great. Her name was Montse and i had breakfast every morning and dinner every night. Cleaning service every few days. And a great way to practice my spanish outside of the school. I also had a really great roommate from Germany!
3. A lot of new friends and some that may stay in your life for a very long time. I've been gone for about two months now and i still have contact with a lot of the people that i met there.
4. a Great night life! From bars to club to restaurants.
5. Fun in class, well at least i had fun.
6. Fun activities organised by EF. I went on a day trip to Girona and a weekend trip to Valencia. There is also stuff like soccer matches, visiting Camp Nou, bike tours, boat rides, etc.
7. For people that live in countries where they don't have access to a beach or sun. There's plenty in Barca. (Im from an island so that was nothing new to me)
8. If your someone that loves the architectural buildings then Barcelona is the place to be. Thats something i enjoyed the most.
9. School provides you with everything Tech stuff you know computers and what not. There's also a really nice terras where you can enjoy the sun or have lunch. A mini library with some random books haha. Twilight fan? the book is there ;)
10. Meeting people from all over the world! Japan, USA, France, Germany, The Netherlands, and if your lucky someone like me whose from St. Maarten! :)
11. Your spanish improves a lot!!

There's plenty more i can add on this list. But hey i need to leave you future students to experience it for yourselves.

Now some advice:
1. You give 100% you get 100%
2. Do everything!! by that i mean Experience the night life, do the EF activities, your own activities and most of all Go to Class!!
3. Be openminded.
4. Your there to learn spanish so speak the damn language. By that i mean Practice whenever you can. To your host family, in class (very important!! Teacher doesn't like when you speak your native language), in bars, restaurants, you get the picture. Just do it!

I can promise it'll be the best thing you've ever done. Although it was a bit pricey it was the best thing i've ever experienced even if it was just for a month. You won't regret it.

Just go for it :)

I think EF Munich and EF in general, because I also was 3 months in Singapore, is really usefull: on one way to learn a language with a really efficient way and on another way by developing our self skills. I mean I´ve never learned so much about myself, you begin some one smarter, maturer, and you are more clear in you ideas by thinking or to take decisions. It´s not only a language school but also a life school.
Now I know correctly German and English and that´s something fabulous, I´m also motivated, more than before to learn other languages out of the others I´ve already learned, because you meet lot of people from everywhere in the world and it´s also a really grateful experience.

Here in Munich is the staff really super, almost everybody cares how you feel/are and it´s really easy to have a clear discussion. The atmosphere between staff and students is in general really good, and it helps. I´ve also learned from my guest family, they weren´t so good but I´ve learned to be patient and to enforce/impose myself.

To sum up, I absolutely don´t regret this adventure, because I learned to extend my limits, my vision of the world and to know what I want!

PS: Dedication to Jan and his Leberkäse. ;-)

There are so many good places in Beijing.
Also it's really safe in Beijing. So student can travel a lot of places.
And can speak chinese with so many people.
There are many foreigners don't know chinese but they can help each other.
And chinese food is amazing!! yuxiangrousi, tancuniurou, tangcuyu, xihongshichaojidan really nice!! you have to come and taste it!! |'m strongly recommend you to come Ef Beijing!!

EF Barcelona was the best idea I ever had. A little background, I was coming to Barcelona already having 3 American friends over here. I figured I didn't really need EF activities or other students, and I would just take classes, and just hangout with my American friends.
I saw them twice...

The people I met at EF Barcelona changed my life, at age 22. I learned so much inside and outside of the classroom that I could never thank them for enough. The friends I met at EF Barcelona will remain my friends for a very long time. This program attracts really fun and nice people, who are excited to learn, explore and make memories.

Barcelona is an amazing city. I don't have many other words to describe it, you just need to see it for yourself. Never, have I felt so much love in one city from people I didn't even know. I've never laughed and lived as much as I did in Barcelona.

The staff at EF is what will make your experience. I graduated from a great four year college in the states, and never have I had teachers who cared about me as a person, and about my education like the teachers at EF Barcelona. They are VERY special people who truly care about their students. The staff as well, go out of their way to make sure that you are doing well, and having fun. I still keep in contact with one of my teachers, who became a very dear friend and mentor to me. And a girl who was my age that worked as an EF staff member, became a good friend of mine as well.

I don't have all the right words to tell you how amazing this experience can be. The people of Barcelona are loving and alive, the staff at EF is some of the best people I have ever met, and the other students who became some of my best friends are fun and truly amazing people.

I actually left Barcelona to work at an Outdoor School, and I know that EF ranks as an amazing educational institution.

I PROMISE you, if you have the chance to go to EF Barcelona, you will not regret it. Take my word for it. I wish I could go back every day!