Going abroad to learn

Travelers hit road, bring home language skills

In this story: Cultural closeness Stay with a family Economical option Learn a little, a lot RELATED STORIES, SITES

By Thurston Hatcher
CNN

ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- Habla Usted Espanol? Parla Italiano? If not, maybe you need a vacation.

Traveling abroad to learn a language may conjure up an image of CEOs studying verb conjugation in stuffy salons.

But these days, language programs cater to a variety of customers, whether they're businesspeople who need a quick language fix or travelers simply trying to broaden their overseas experience and have some fun.

GET STARTED The National Registration Center for Study Abroad can help you choose a language program that's right for you

RELATED STORY Get a personal perspective from someone who studied Spanish in Antigua, Guatemala

"Even if studying a foreign language brings back horrible memories of high school, taking foreign-language classes in a country that interests you gives you an excellent opportunity to learn more about and interact with the local people," said Louise Harber, who operates the Miami, Florida-based Foreign Language Study Abroad Service.

"You get to know the region and the people in a way you cannot do with a guidebook or from a tour bus, and you might just find out that you really like foreign languages."

Cultural closeness

Vacations involving language study allow travelers to immerse themselves in a culture in a way that a traditional vacation might not.

"You are right with the people, you're living in their neighborhoods," said Mike Wittig, a director of the National Registration Center for Study Abroad in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. "You have real contact with the people instead of looking at them out of a deluxe hotel. It kinds of brings people together a little bit."

Having some ability to speak a language can also bring you closer to local residents, said Rene de Jong, founder and director of the Don Quijote language program in Spain.

"They tremendously appreciate the effort, and it is a very different thing if you can approach people in their own language," he said.

Sylvie Vela, director of operations for Berlitz Study Abroad, agreed.

"Parisians tend to be a little cold, and if you show you're trying to learn the language, they'll open up and be more understanding and more willing to help," she said. "Plus you're in somebody else's country, so you should try and learn their language."

Stay with a family

Many programs encourage (but don't necessarily require) a "homestay" with a local family, which they say not only enhances students' cultural experiences but can help them better learn the language.

At Don Quijote, students get a choice of living with a family or in a student flat, which typically are within walking distance of the school.

A homestay program might be particularly beneficial to more introverted travelers, De Jong said.

"If somebody is outgoing, if somebody doesn't have a problem going out and meeting people, such a person could get enough practice in the language without being with a host family," he said. "People who are more hesitant or afraid to approach people would be more likely to choose a host family."

He said his program closely screens the host families to make sure they'll be good matches for students. Participants can make a switch for no extra charge if they don't like the arrangements.

"We basically want to make sure every student goes home happy," he said.

Economical option

A language-study vacation also can be an economical, easy way to travel, Harber said. Lodging is taken care of, and the language programs often arrange excursions and other cultural activities.

Prices can vary dramatically, depending on how many days and how many hours you want to study, the location, and whether you want one-on-one tutoring or group sessions. And a hotel room is likely to cost you more than staying in a private home.

At Don Quijote, a one-week class with 20 hours of group training runs about $181, plus about $230 for a single room in Madrid or Barcelona with a host family and full board, according to the school's Web site. Accommodations in other Spanish cities cost slightly less.

A two-week Berlitz program in Berlin, Germany, featuring a half-day of group instruction and host family accommodations, is listed at about $920.

Learn a little, a lot

Don Quijote suggests students can learn the same amount of Spanish during 20 hours of study over one week as they would over a yearlong, 30-hour course involving one hour of study per week.

It also guarantees that students who participate in its nine-month program will get the official Spanish state diploma. If they don't pass, they'll get four weeks of free extra instruction.

While the experts advise that you shouldn't have unrealistic expectations about mastering a language in a matter of weeks, they're confident you'll come away enriched.

Harber said the average stay for people she places is roughly two weeks, but that even shorter programs can be beneficial.

"People say 'How much can you learn in a week?' The answer is much more than if you didn't go at all," she said.

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Louise Harber/Foreign Language Study Abroad Service
National Registration Center for Study Abroad
Don Quijote
Berlitz

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