Combine your passion with a stay abroad!
A nature project in addition to English lessons, a few Spanish lessons combined with an introduction to cooking, tennis or dance, a language stay focused on horse riding or surfing… Learning languages is all well and good, but not just any old way! Combining learning with one's passion during a themed language stay abroad is becoming increasingly popular… And rightly so.
It's been said time and again: going abroad to improve your language skills is by far the best solution. But once your classes are over, you probably don't want to spend all your free time visiting museums and cultural sites. Here are a few ideas for themed language immersion programs that will allow you to combine fun with learning:
Art classes for all levels
Whether you enjoy sketching or aspire to a career in art, art in all its forms is a favorite pastime for many. From pottery or flamenco classes in Seville to multi-week programs at prestigious universities like The University of the Arts London, training you in 3D design, architecture, design…the range of possibilities is very vast. Depending on your level of motivation, your need for rapid advancement or not, you will have plenty of options.
Eco-volunteering or nature conservation project
Do you prefer wide open spaces? Or perhaps you've always wanted to fight for animal protection or environmental conservation? Themed trips are full of these kinds of opportunities. At Languages and Travel, we've made it one of our specialties. New Zealand, Canada, Australia —your passion will lead you to extraordinary landscapes: deserts, oceans, rainforests… And you'll see for yourself that in this kind of setting, learning a language takes on a whole new meaning.
Playing sports: speaking a universal language
If you have itchy feet, don't worry. Sport is always an excellent way to satisfy your wanderlust while traveling abroad. It's also a great opportunity to meet other travelers who share your passion. The great thing about playing sports is that once you're out of class, you'll speak a universal language. Some people prefer to combine language classes with tennis, others with soccer, surfing lessons in Portugal, or horseback riding while living on a ranch surrounded by horses in the middle of nowhere. And how about going to Canada for a full ski season? We can even find you a job at a resort before you leave under the Working Holiday Visa .
An au pair stay: accelerated learning
Certainly less fun but just as educational, if not more so, au pair stays continue to attract more and more participants. And for good reason: immersing yourself in the daily life of an English-speaking family in Ireland or on the other side of the world will help you progress by leaps and bounds. It's an economical and effective option, but it does require some basic knowledge to understand the needs and desires of the children in your care.
In short, themed travel is a solution we highly recommend for learning a language and (re)discovering a city or country. What do you think? Share your experience with us.