What it’s like to do a Spanish course abroad.

You will have an amazing time! According to Victor. He began his Spanish course in September and follows the lessons of the course 20 hours a week. Read beneath the interview we had with him and see how it is to follow a Spanish course abroad!

Why did you want to do a Spanish course to start in the first place?

Well, first of all, it is really handy to learn Spanish because it is one of the most common languages around the world. But I’m also really fond of the Spanish language. My mother also followed a language course but then in Madrid, and she recommended me to do the same!

And why did you choose for Valencia and not another city?

I‘ve already been in Valencia two times before and I liked it so much. It’s a big city but not too big. You can easily meet new people and the nightlife in Valencia is great.

What’s your experience with the Spanish course so far?

The school itself is really good. People are friendly and the lessons are great, but I have to say the lessons are quite intensive. The teachers only speak in Spanish. You can ask something in English if you really don’t get it but overall you will speak the whole lessons Spanish. That’s quite exhausting sometimes.

What do you like the most about Hispania?

I find it really comfy that you can plan your own schedule. If you want to follow a lesson in the morning, you can schedule your lessons in the morning on their website. The same goes for the afternoon classes. What I also really like, the teachers are quite young so the interaction within the classes is great.

What do you do after class?

After school I hang out with classmates at the beach. I’m going a lot to the beach because of the beautiful weather. If I’m not at the beach I’ll go for a run or go shopping with my female roommates (You know how girls are..) No joke it’s mostly for me haha. I also often sit on a nice terrace drinking a beer with friends. ‘’Terassje pakken’’ as we say in Dutch. That’s what I love about Spain, the relaxed atmosphere.

Do you have recommendations for students who want to follow a Spanish course?

When I started the Spanish course, I thought I would speak with the inhabitants fluently within a few weeks, but it takes some time. You need to put some effort in learning the Spanish language, even after school. If you will practice it a lot you will easily speak with Spanish people and learn it quick.

 Do you want to read more experiences of students? Click on this link! 

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Couchsurfing; what is it? and why you should do it.

Are you social? Do you want to travel? Interested in other cultures and do you want to meet new people? Then Couchsurfing might be something for you.

On the website couchsurfing.com people from all over the world can offer a place to sleep in their home or come into contact with people who offer a place to sleep in their home. If you are the one who offers a place to sleep then in couchsurf terms you are called a ‘host’ and if you use a sleeping place yourself you will be called a ‘couch surfer’.

The following reasons make you want to do couchsurfing:

Ask questions

Sometimes you miss a little background information when you are traveling. Of course you have travel guides, tourist information points and the internet where you can ask your questions. But how nice is it to hear it from a local where you’re staying as well? They can tell you so much more and it is even more fun because it can give you very nice and interesting conversations. In addition to that, they will give a fair and comprehensive opinion that’s more valuable than a simple review on the internet.

Live like a local

To just have a look, observe the ‘normal’ life in a country and experience it. Isn’t this what every traveler wants? As a couch surfer you get that chance. You participate in the daily life of a local and this way you get a quite real experience of how it is to live in the country you’re visiting.

Meet new people

You may have a very good connection with your host. Chances are that you not only meet your host but also his or her friends and family. The ultimate way to meet new people and maybe make new friends yourself.

Discover hidden places

One of the best things about couchsurfing is that you’ll probably see the most special places. Places which are not in ‘top 5’ lists and which you don’t find on Google. But very impressive places that you will centainly mention when you share your stories.

Interesting conversations

Most people who practice couchsurfing are very open-minded, social and are certainly open to other opinions and cultures. This can cause very interesting discussions about cultural differences. It can give you a completely different view on certain things.

It’s for free

An additional benefit of couchsurfing is that it’s free. It can save you a lot of money for an accommodation. But you have to keep in mind that it’s not intended that you see it as a free hotel. You have to be social and you also have to try to give the host a good experience as well, just like they try to do that for you.

Are you still not convinced of couchsurfing? We would like to share the experience of Hylke with you:

In 2013 I traveled to Madrid with a friend. He is a fanatic Real Madrid supporter and this was the first time he went to visit his favorite football club. He had mapped out the whole journey: train tickets, air tickets and accommodation. The accommodation was arranged via couchsurfing: first one night in Brussels and the rest of the week in Madrid. We stayed with Alfredo, our host. He lived alone in the center of Madrid, less than 500 meters from the beautiful Estadio Santiago Bernabeu.

We had a bathroom for ourselves and we were allowed to use his kitchen. Alfredo was very friendly and he told us nice stories about Madrid and the Spanish culture. He also took us a couple of times with him to show some special things. Among those special things, he took us to a rooftop bar where you had a beautiful view. We could see the city and the mountains near Madrid.

Together with his good friend Angelo we drove a few hours to come to an impressive view and pure nature. At the end of the day we went out for dinner together and we enjoyed typical Spanish tapas. The hospitality of Alfredo and the spontaneity with which he treated us, made this trip unforgettable.

Couchsurfing in Spain

Spain is a very appropriate country to stay overnight through couchsurfing. Do you want to be well prepared for everything that Spain and its cities have to offer you? Take a look here for fun and useful articles about Spain.

Now we only have one thing left to say: happy couchsurfing!

The post Couchsurfing; why you should try this! appeared first on Suspanish Blog.

Why I’m sharing my internship experience Valencia with you

To be honest, I do not really know how to explain how Valencia is. You must see and experience the city yourself. Valencia is a beautiful city with a stunning, but also a really relaxed atmosphere. You will not over-work here quickly, because everyone is super relaxed and very friendly. In case you are interested in an overview of Valencia’s highlights, take a quick look at Ciudad de las Artes Y Ciencias. They made a nice short overview of the ten most popular sightseeing activities in Valencia. I am going to tell you something about my experiences as a Valencian local, how my internship experience Valencia is and how I experience the Spanish culture. So far so good, because I really enjoy my internship in this beautiful city!

Before

It is nice to be aware of some practical stuff before you leave to Valencia. No, not about the city itself. It is the best to not expect too much about the city, otherwise you would not be fully open for enjoying the little things that this amazing city has to offer. But, it is good to be informed about some of the practical stuff before you leave. Before you leave to Valencia for more than one month, it is important to fix your insurances. This includes insurances of material value, but also your health insurance. I do not know exactly how this works in another country than the Netherlands, but in The Netherlands you can fix this in the cheapest way at your bank. Do not forget to take your ID and insurance-card with you to Valencia, because you do not want to get in front of unwanted surprises. Besides insurances, do not forget to fix your eventual bursary’s. You and your parents already pay enough taxes. Grab what you can, or is that typical Dutch…? If you fix an internship via Stage in Spanje, you will not have to fix accommodation or contracts yourself. Very relaxing, because doing business as a non-Spanish student with a Spanish company will be difficult. If you are planning to fix it all yourself: do not forget to sign for a few days in a new month, because the company will let you pay for a full month instead of a few days. Oh, and do not forget that it is not very common to have a quilt in Spain. Only a thin blanket, but that is probably not warm enough during the winter.

My great internship experience Valencia

I’m enjoying Valencia muchos muchos. I am doing an internship at a Dutch company in Valencia: Suspanish. The working environment is outstanding. I have a lot of freedom in choosing my workspace, but still I prefer to work at the office. I can ask all my questions directly, and I am free to share my own innovative ideas with the two bosses of the company. As an intern, I am seen as a real employee at the company and taken very seriously. I get involved in many business activities, and I am allowed to give feedback to the company. After work, we drink a beer or wine with each other and talk about informal stuff. After work, you can find me in the city centre, Ruzafa or at the beach. I have seen almost every popular sights of the city, namely: Plaza del Virgen, Ciudad de las Artes Y Ciencias, Jardin del Turia, Catedral Santa María, Mercat Central, Torres de Serranos, L’Oceanografic, Barrio del Carmen and many more. A nice tip is to rent a bike and bicycle through the pretty and colorful Turia Park. You can rent the local public transport bike ‘Valenbisi’ for just 14 euros for a whole week, and 30 euros for a whole year. Are you searching for a nice activity during the evening? Do a wine-tasting tour or enjoy the music at Radio City. More in for an evening dancing? Visit Umbracle and Mya (this is a two-in-one place). Do not throw your entrance receipt away, because herewith you can consume one drink. You can relax and get over your hangover from last night at the Beach. Here, you can find nice food-spots and places to have a drink. Valencia has got a great and wide beach, including a deep blue sea.

There are many more things to tell you about Valencia, but pack your stuff and visit Valencia yourself. ¡Hasta Pronto!

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Find out more about Joey’s experiences in Valencia

Joey, 24 years old is currently doing his graduation internship in Valencia at a startup in the port of Valencia. In his spare-time he enjoys the city and he is also following a Spanish language course.

How did you  get the idea to go abroad? 

First of all, Spain has always been my number one holiday destination. I have been there so many times with friends and family that I don’t have to think twice about going to Spain. After I did a minor Spanish Language and Culture in Madrid for the last six months, I actually started to love Spain even more. That’s why I wanted to do my graduation internship in Spain as wel. It really feels like home now.

Why did you choose Valencia?

After I did a minor in Madrid, I traveled through Spain for a month. When visiting Valencia I really liked the city. It has a beautiful old centre, a lot of culture and a great nightlife. And important for me: the beach. It still is an authentic Spanish city, something which I do not like about Barcelona for example. Moreover, Valencia is large and prosperous enough to find my graduation internship.

What are you doing in Valencia?

I do my graduation internship for a startup in the port of Valencia, four days a week. Within the company I keep myself busy with optimizing their virtual simulator.

How did you find an internship? How did the preparation go?

At first I started my search by sending e-mails to a number of companies. Soon I found out that the companies either do not respond or do not have enough place for a graduate intern. When searching, I found the website stageinspanje.nl. I contacted them and after a number of conversations they started looking for me, which was ideal. After I found my internship, I had to arrange a lot of things for my university. There was quite some time in it, but in the end it was all well arranged.

Are you doing things next to your internship?

Besides my internship I have one day a week, four hours of Spanish classes at a school in the centre of Valencia.

Could you already speak a little bit Spanish?

A few years ago I lived with my uncle for two and a half months in San Pedro the Alcántra, nearby Marbella. There I followed a Spanish language course for ten weeks, twenty hours per week. Additionally I did a minor Spanish and Culture for four months in Madrid. My level is somewhere between B1 and B2.

What are the main benefits for you to learn Spanish in the country itself? 

The main advantage is that you will use the language in everyday life. Everyone around you speaks Spanish, so you have to. You also get used to the fact that Spaniards often speak quickly and unclearly. In addition, you also get to know the culture a lot more and you will learn words and phrases that you certainly do not learn in a grammar lesson in the Netherlands.

Did you had to arrange everything yourself? How did you finance your trip? 

Stageinspanje.nl has not only found the internship for me, but they also helped me with a number of practical matters. They also arranged a room for me and they picked me up from the airport. All the other things I arranged myself. An airline ticket from the Netherlands does not have to be expensive, if you book it well on time. The student-loan and the Erasmus scholarship helped me fund the expenses.

What are your monthly expenses?

That can vary a lot. I pay €390 for the rent. Furthermore, almost everything here is cheaper if you compare it with The Netherlands, except for the nightclubs.

Are there any things you cannot miss when visiting Valencia? 

Valencia has quite a lot to offer. There are a lot of cultural things to do, like la Ciudad de Las Artes y Ciencias with the aquarium Oceanográfic, a beautiful old centre with churches, museums, indoor markets (Mercado Central), beautiful squares, small streets and cozy bars. For example I would recommend a bike tour through the Turia river and of course a visit to the beach and the harbour. I would definitely recommend eating paella when visiting Valencia, but above all enjoy the Spanish culture and the life.

Why is it a good idea for everyone to go abroad for a while? 

First, it is very good for your own development. You will become better in foreign languages, your adaptability improves and you will become more independent. Secondly, you will get to know lots of new fun people and places, which will be a great experience. The main reason, however, is that you only really know what you want in your life if you have been to multiple places.

You will find out if you want to live in that tiny and cozy little village for your whole life, or that you want something else. Perhaps it is not necessarily the place where you will go to, but you broaden your horizon and you will be different in life. In addition, getting out of the stressful and hurried country is just as relaxing.

Do you have any tips for students who go abroad ?

Open up to new and other things. Surprise yourself about nothing, because things can be very different. And above all, enjoy life.

The post Joey’s experiences in Valencia appeared first on Suspanish Blog.

Read about hellen’s experiences in this vibrant city!

Hellen, 23 years old and studying executive secretary, has been in Valencia for five months.

What did you do in Valencia?
I did my graduation internship. Besides that, I had Spanish classes at a language school.

Why you have chosen for this city?
I have chosen for Valencia because my school and friends advised me to go there because of their experiences.

Did you make trips during your stay? If yes, to where?
Not that much. I went to Benidorm once and I took part in the activities organized by the language school. I saw a lot of Valencia and its close surroundings.

How do you look back at this experience?
It is an experience I will never forget!

What have you learned, besides the Spanish language?
I have learned about the Spanish culture and I have learned a lot at my internship.

What is the best restaurant in Valencia? Why?
Marina Beach, try the sushi there! The restaurant is located at the beach.

Where can you go out best? Why?
At Mya! This is one of the biggest clubs in Valencia. There are different rooms, so everyone will like it here!

What does a perfect night look like?
On a terrace with a delicious Agua de Valencia and friends.

What you should not miss in Valencia?
The well-known Turia Parc. Go on a bike through this parc or have a picknick, there is always a lot to see!

What is the most delicious Spanish dish or drink? What makes it that tasteful
Paella! Paella is originally from Valencia. There are different types but the traditional one, Paella Valenciana, is the best.

Which song comes up in your mind first when you think about Spain?
Despacito! You heard this song everywhere.

What do you want to say/give advice to other students?
When you go to Spain to study or to do an internship, make sure you take some Spanish classes. If you speak a little Spanish, you will have more contact with the locals!

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