Living in Costa Rica

Living in Costa Rica: An Expat Story

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Intercultura is Cactus’ partner school in Costa Rica and its founder, Laura, tells us about living in Costa Rica and realising her dream of setting up a quality Spanish language school

I came to Costa Rica for the first time in the summer of 1990 to study Spanish and fell in love…with the language, the country, the people, the music, even the monsoon-like rains. When I went home 6 weeks later I was determined to come back at some point, become fluent in the language and spend more time in this country that already felt like my adopted home. Three years later, I had graduated from college, spent a year in Asia travelling and volunteering, and I was ready to get back to Costa Rica.

My first year, 1993, was spent working at a language school in San José as a receptionist. I was thrown in at the deep end, answering the phones in Spanish, and while overwhelming at first, it definitely helped me to improve my Spanish – quickly! When their marketing coordinator left they asked me to step in, which I did. My degree was in Literature, and I had never taken a business course in my life, but I found the process fascinating and enjoyed learning a new skill in an intercultural context. I met a lot of people, worked long hours, and at the end of the year chance put me in contact with two colleagues who were starting up a school.

Living in Costa Rica: the start of Intercultura

Heredia Costa RicaThey asked me to come on board as a partner in the project, and I accepted in a temporary capacity, still thinking I would be going back to the US or England before too long. The beginning was rough, especially after we lost the partner who was the financial backer, but with lots of luck and a $600 loan from a friend, Adelita Jiménez and I ended up starting the school, which we named Intercultura, in Heredia.

We had a lot of help along the way: the owner of the house was an older gentleman, Don Jorge Vargas, with two daughters who were teachers, and he was incredibly kind to us. He gave us our first reception desk, lowered the rent, and eventually ended up selling us the building purely on the strength of an IOU, as we had no collateral to put up for a loan. A university group from South Florida contacted us and again pretty much on trust decided to send us their 40-person group down for a month-long Spanish immersion course in the summer of 1994. Their deposit was what allowed us to furnish the school with tables, whiteboards, chairs and the million other things we needed before the group arrived.

Costa Rica classroomThe first couple of years were lean. Adelita and I did everything between the two of us; Spanish teacher, tour guide, cleaning lady, receptionist, you name it. My Tico host family was supremely generous, happily letting me live with them for almost nothing and welcoming me into their lives, and for this they have my eternal gratitude and affection. Adelita’s family was also great to us, providing many a shared lunch during the early days at the office.

Finally, a couple years later, we were making enough to hire a receptionist and buy some furniture for the apartment I was living in by then. The school had taken off, we had 8 Spanish teachers, had opened a low-cost English as a Second Language school for locals, and were doing a beach program in Playa Dominical (then later Jacó) for one week each month. We had made it! Along the way, I was able to study for a Licenciatura in Linguistics and Translation, get my Masters in Cultural Anthropology, and learn French and (some!) German.

Spanish courses in Sámara

Playa Samara living in Costa RicaIn 2001 we decided to look for a permanent home for a beach campus, and chose Sámara for the friendly local community, as compared to other beaches like Tamarindo where we felt like foreigners dominated the population. We wanted a place where we felt like we were in Costa Rica, where we could integrate into the community, and hopefully make a positive difference in the area. Sámara was the ideal place, and once again, we were extremely lucky to meet many generous people along the way who helped us tremendously. Homestay mother Cristina Castillo sold us the first part of our oceanfront property, again with just an IOU to guarantee payment on an installment plan. Jorge Salazar from El Lagarto gave generously of his time and introduced us to everyone we needed to know locally, especially the mothers who would become our first families for the foreign students to stay with. And the whole community in general welcomed us, gave us good advice, and made us feel like this was the place we needed to be.

After several years of travelling back and forth between our main campus in Heredia and our Sámara beach campus I decided to make the move to live full time in Sámara and dedicate my efforts to helping the school grow and reinforce our participation in the community. One of the things I am most proud of is the non-profit association CREAR, which we started in 2005 to provide year-round, free supplementary education to the local children. It also offered periodic workshops for adolescents and mothers, support for community initiatives in general, such as the first public library in town, and volunteer groups and materials for a variety of construction projects in the local schools and community center. In addition to its dedicated coordinators, many local community members continue to volunteer their time and expertise to teach and coordinate activities with us.

Living in Costa Rica: hope for the future

living in Costa RicaNow it’s 18 years later, and I’m still living in Costa Rica. In 2010 our daughter Ela was born. She will have the incredible good fortune to grow up playing on this beautiful beach, speaking two languages, and living in the wonderfully supportive and diverse community that makes up Playa Sámara. People often ask me what’s next. All I can say is that I hope to see Samara develop in a sustainable way, with environmental safeguards in place and new businesses that are committed to giving back to this town and making it a better and safer place for everyone; locals, foreign residents and tourists. Issues such as security, recycling, children’s education and local employment opportunities are among the topics that need long-term attention from all of us, but I think we’re off to a good start this year with the new mayor, Marco Jiménez, who is committed to these and many more issues.

To end, I’d like to say a heartfelt thank you to all of the amazing people who make this area what it is…our incredibly dedicated administrative and teaching staff here at Intercultura, our wonderful homestay families, the great businesses and services in Sámara, and most of all the people who live here and make up our community.

Thank you Laura for contributing this article and to Intercultura for the images.

Cactus offers Spanish courses in Costa Rica through Intercultura in Colonial Heredia and Playa Sámara. Students have the unique opportunity to study Spanish in both historic Heredia and the idyllic beach location of Samara, and experience two very different Costa Rican lifestyles. Courses are available for adults and juniors, and there is even a Spanish & Surfing course to make the most of the excellent surf for which Costa Rica is renowned.

Cactus also offers Spanish courses throughout Central and South America.

Our tailor-made division, Cactus Language Training, specialises in language training for relocation for those considering living in Costa Rica.

Junior French Course Feedback: Montpellier

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Cactus recently sent a 13-year-old boy on a Junior French Course in Montpellier. Here, his father gives feedback from a parent’s perspective and describes the importance of giving a child the gift of another language.

“Caspar attended the school at Montpellier when he was 13 (he will return for a fortnight this year). It is, and was, a big step for him – his first taste of semi-independence and that within an foreign culture. He had doubts before going, but thoroughly enjoyed. His words to me were ‘At home I am Caspar with the shocking blond hair, and am treated according to what people think I am. In Montpellier, I could be what I wanted to be. It was freedom’. The cultural experience was / is as important to me as the linguistic experience – there were students there from several countries and continents.

He stayed with Mme Meson, an excellent guardian who took care of Caspar. He will return to her this coming Summer. She has little English; or rather she chooses to use little English, thereby offering a semi-immersive experience in a home environment.

Junior French course MontpellierRegarding Caspar’s French, he had only a very basic knowledge before last year’s course (and his French is still elementary). However, he came away with a nascent understanding of grammar and a basic ability to understand spoken French, but lacking the confidence to communicate in the language – this bridge obviously takes some time to cross. He said that those who had spent several weeks at Montpellier had indeed succeeded in crossing into fluency – a matter of time and money.

My son is not overly gregarious. However, I hope that returning for a fortnight, to a familiar regime and place will give him further confidence to open up and attempt to communicate. On the back of this year’s course he will fly straight from Montpellier to stay with a family in Nantes. They have little English and so he will be forced to use the skills he will acquire in Montpellier.

Would you recommend a Junior French Course?

Junior French course Montpellier - Montpellier schoolYes, I would recommend the course as it offers a young adult both a personal and socio-linguistic learning curve within a regulated environment. Caspar was not the youngest student last year: there were 12 year olds at Montepellier, some more confident than others. It’s all a question of maturity. Any 12 year old will be amongst 14 / 15 year olds and there is, as you know, a huge difference in slight age differences during the teenage years. To be honest, I was more nervous of letting him go last year, than he was of going – both vigilance and homesickness were issues. The same is true this year; he is only just 14. There are always risks. But, these, we felt, were minimised last year as we always had the assurance that a family friend lived in Beziers (a short drive away). I also had some email correspondence with Mme Meson prior to his visit and she seems a good sort (which through experience, was proved and she was a delight to meet).

This year, he will fly out alone and without a family friend in close proximity. However, he will be  returning to familiar territory. We also feel more confident as we have faith both in Cactus (Laura is always helpful) and Mme Meson. Plus, he’s truly looking forward to going – which is a motivational triumph for a 14 year old boy.

Obviously being a minor poses logistic problems as only certain airlines allow children to travel unaccompanied. Air France do and they have a buddy facility (for which you pay extra) which ensures their safety, easyJet also allow children but, correct me if I’m wrong, not if under 12 and unaccompanied. Last year, Caspar travelled out with our family friend and I picked him up – an opportunity to meet Mme Meson and practice the limited French I possess.

The gift of another language

Our hope, when sending Caspar to France, is that we are giving him the gift of another language. We in Britain are bullishly monolingual which, in our opinion is not a good thing (Caspar is also studying Japanese). I’m sure this is partly why you might be considering sending your child to Montpellier. Whatever you decide, I hope they will, one way or another, realise your linguistic ambition for them.”

Thank you to Ian for taking the time to give us his valuable feedback on Caspar’s Junior French Course. We look forward to sending Caspar to France again this year.

Caspar took a Junior French Course in Montpellier with host family accommodation. There is also the option to take a Junior French Course with residential accommodation. Both courses include 20 French lessons each week, an exciting programme of activities and excursions, all meals and full supervision. Contact us or visit our website to find out more about our Junior language courses and summer camps.

Cactus Evening Course Reviews

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If you are considering doing an evening language course, first hand feedback and course reviews are a great way to find out what it’s really like. Below are course reviews from our April 2015 intake of evening language courses across the UK.

Chinese (Mandarin) Beginner 1, London Bond Street

“Amazing teacher. Great way to build up language skills. A lot of practice and repetitions for everyone. Really enjoyed it!” Camille

French Beginner 1, London Bond Street

“Tabara is very patient and an excellent teacher. I hope to have her for our next course. Teachers can only do so much in 2 hours – students need to do a little extra between classes to stay up to date. Tabara ensured we had homework but never piled it on us. Loved her classes.” Marcelle

German Beginner 1, London Holborn-Russell Square

“Peggy was fantastic. I found her very easy to talk to and very helpful. She is a great teacher. We had various exercises each lesson and I have learnt a lot from grammar and vocabulary, with lots of reading and writing too. I think I’m well prepared for the next level and I hope it will be with Peggy again.” Joanna

Turkish Beginner 1, London Holborn-Russell Square

“A great introductory course. Harika was a great teacher; it was obvious she cared about the students’ learning and she made sure the lessons were engaging and well planned. The course was exactly what I was looking for and the teacher made sure we all understood. I feel I made good progress – more than I expected.” Ambreen

French Beginner 1, Liverpool

“My Tutor was very good and I’ve made lots of improvement. Now I can go to Paris on my own and be able to communicate.” Bibi

Spanish Beginner 2, Liverpool

“Immersive learning is intensive and a bit like being thrown in at the deep end, but it is very effective! We covered a variety of topics as well as going in depth on grammar use, pronunciation, etc. We had more written and listening work than the Beginner 1 course, which was very helpful.

The teaching was excellent – our teacher was patient, encouraging, explained everything clearly, incorporated individual needs and made classes fun.

We had everything we needed and were provided with any additional materials we asked for.

I couldn’t believe how much I learned in the Beginner 1 course, and the Beginner 2 course has built on that much more than I expected. I feel that I have learned a great deal in a short time and am much more confident in my abilities.” Shelley

Italian Beginner 2, Manchester

“The course is very good, the atmosphere and people are great and Fabiola is an outstandingly good teacher.” Marta

Japanese Beginner, Manchester

“The course was well planned out with a good amount of work set each week. Nicholas is a very good teacher with a good teaching style. He definitely knows his stuff and makes lessons enjoyable. I feel that thanks to the course I now have a solid starting point for continuing to learn Japanese.” Ben

Portuguese Beginner 1, Manchester

“Very effective and enthusiastic teaching. Sara always related our classes to everyday situations and aspects of Portuguese culture where relevant, which made the course interesting and fun.” Paul

Many thanks to all our students who take the time to submit course feedback, as it is important in helping us to monitor and maintain the quality of our courses.

Cactus runs 10-week evening language courses in locations across London and in other major cities across the UK: Manchester, Brighton, Bristol, Oxford, Leeds, Liverpool and Sheffield. Our next courses start in October 2015, with our best ever offering of over 20 languages in 19  locations.

Why not join us for a free taster class and chat to us about your language learning plans?

For more course feedback on evening courses, language courses abroad and corporate language training, please visit our blog. Feel free to get in contact with us by Facebook or by Twitter or contact us here.

My daughter’s language learning adventure: a parent’s perspective

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An American mother shares her thoughts with us as her daughter goes to learn Japanese in Tokyo

“It is with delight that I write this blog for Cactus. Right from the beginning Cactus helped us embark on my daughter’s journey to Japan with confidence, enthusiasm, and trust that all would be well. And so it has been…

I can’t say that I was not a bit anxious sending Dana across the world on her own to learn Japanese in Tokyo. And, I can’t say that as each day successfully passes I don’t enter the next with some trepidation. That being said, having reached the midpoint of Dana’s stay I am pleased to share this parent’s point of view.

Dana is 19 years old and has always had a passion for Japanese. So when she suggested that she take a leave of absence from college to “find herself” and explore her passion, I was not surprised. In fact, I was impressed that she knew herself well enough to know that she was not feeling passionate at college and needed to explore. The hardest part for me was letting go and having the trust to let her do this exploration on her own.

tokyo-japaneseDana is accomplishing her objective. Through the impressive curriculum and faculty at the language school, Dana’s command of the Japanese language is developing every day. Her classes consist of students from all over the world and so she has expanded her social network with friends from places like Spain and Sweden.

Given the diversity of the students it has been inspiring to hear how friendly, helpful, compassionate, and tolerant everyone has been. This is a snapshot of what I hope for the world.

From what I can tell the school is located in the midst of fun and interesting places for the kids to explore. Having the freedom to get to these places easily has not only added to the “fun factor” but has given Dana the opportunity to practise her Japanese skills with the “locals.”

Do I miss her? Yes, a lot. However technology has softened the blow for both of us. We video-chat just about every day. In fact, we spend more time seeing each other and talking now than we do when we are living under the same roof. And, video- chat gives Dana the opportunity to stay connected to her dogs.

There are 25 days left of Dana’s adventure. I look forward to sharing the rest of the story.”

Dana studied Japanese in Tokyo with Cactus. Cactus offers language courses in over 120 destinations worldwide.

Dana wrote about her initial impressions of Tokyo when she first arrived and about her experiences mid-way through her course. For anyone thinking about taking a language course abroad, Dana’s articles offer a unique insight into life in a foreign country, including the fears and excitement that come with a long-term course. Thank you both to Dana and her mother Robin for contributing to our website, and we hope that future students (and parents of) will find their comments reassuring and useful.

If you have a language learning or language teaching query, please visit our blog or get in contact with us either by Facebook or by Twitter. Alternatively, feel free to contact us here or call to speak to one of our advisors on  .

Cactus Foreign Language Evening Courses Video

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Find out what it’s like to take an evening course with Cactus with our foreign language evening courses video.

Featuring first-hand interviews with a teacher and a student, the Cactus foreign language evening courses video shows you the benefits of an evening course if you’re learning a language for work, love, relocation, a love of the culture or for personal achievement.

evening-courses-video

Watch > Cactus foreign language evening courses video

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Providing plenty of practice for speaking in social situations, and keeping to small groups with an average of 8 students, our courses will give you the confidence and skills you need to use the language in real life. From Spanish courses and French courses to Mandarin courses and Arabic courses, there is a course for everyone.

Foreign language evening courses: locations

Our evening courses are available in 19 locations across the UK (10 locations within London), with the aim of bringing language learning close to you. Courses fit easily into the working week, offering one 2-hour lesson on one evening each week for 10 weeks.

Learn a language in: London, Manchester, Brighton, Bristol, Edinburgh (coming soon), Oxford, Leeds, Liverpool or Sheffield.

Be inspired and book online!

If you have a language learning or language teaching query, please visit our blog or get in contact with us either by Facebook or by Twitter. Alternatively, feel free to contact us here or call to speak to one of our advisors on  00 44 (0) 1273 830 960.

Spanish course Barcelona – a first-hand review

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Spanish Course Barcelona: Creative Web Manager John Biddulph takes a break from PHP and Javascript to learn a different language – Spanish in Barcelona

I took a Spanish beginner course in Barcelona last October, and my first day was very organised and welcoming. I met five other students in my group of different nationalities and ages.

The times of my classes were just great, starting at 2pm in a spacious air conditioned classroom. There was one day when I was unwell and was unable to go in, so I contacted Cactus who were very helpful and contacted the school for me.

My teacher, Isobel, was lovely. She was very helpful and we all had fun reading and acting from our activity book and also had time for a few language games.

Being a complete beginner to Spanish, I would advise taking a short evening course beforehand to learn the very basics. This means that you can learn some proper Spanish on your course and practise using it out and about in the city.

Barcelona is an amazing city – there are plenty of nice places to go sightseeing and some great tapas bars and cafes for food and drink. It’s easy to get to and it was a great starting point for me learning Spanish. I can’t wait to go back again!

Cactus offers Spanish courses in Barcelona and in many locations across Spain and Latin America.

Learn some Spanish before you go with our Spanish evening courses in London, Brighton, Manchester and other major locations across the UK. Courses start in January, April, July and September in over 20 languages and at many levels.

Learning French in Lyon: language course review

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Cactus Office Manager Claudia Ohde tells us about her French course in Lyon in April 2015

Usually a big fan of any city near the seaside, I had never really considered to visit Lyon – but a tango festival near Lyon at the weekend inspired me to take a language holiday in Lyon the week before the festival.

I was positively surprised by the city. The first two days there was an icy wind but the rest of the time we had the most beautiful weather and I enjoyed discovering the city by bicycle (many French cities have bicycle schemes that allow you to use a bike for free for up to 30 minutes of every ride).

lyon_waterfrontI spent a lot of my time at the Rhône and Saône, sunbathing on stone sunbeds next to river, walking along the river or taking a boat trip. There are also houseboats and restaurants and clubs on boats so I really didn’t get to miss the sea after all.

The language school was not far from the Rhône in a very central and relaxed area of Lyon. The school was small with a very personal touch. We were welcomed by the Director of the school who talked to everyone in the group of newcomers to informally assess our oral level (we had taken a written test beforehand online). We all were given little notebooks with a pen and some chocolate Easter eggs (it was the week after Easter)!

I was placed in the C1 level class and felt that the other students were at a very similar level and that the group worked well together. The teacher was very experienced and made learning easy and fun, but also encouraged everyone to study additionally at home.  The lessons  concentrated on vocabulary, listening comprehension, speaking and of course grammar. For those who had booked an intensive course this was then followed by a writing workshop.

I had a really good time and I can highly recommend a language trip to Lyon!

Claudia took a General French course of 15 lessons per week in Lyon. Prices start at £107 for a one week course.

Cactus also offers French courses in other locations across France and Canada, as well as 10-week French evening courses in the UK.

CELTA course in Philadelphia: 2013 scholarship winner’s blog

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Rumina Iftikhar won our Suzanne Furstner Scholarship in 2013, and this summer she took her prize of a 4-week CELTA course in Philadelphia. Here is Rumina’s blog article telling us about her experience. Congratulations Rumina – we’re delighted you gained so much from it!

The Cambridge CELTA certification! It had been my dream for the longest time. This year that dream came true and I got the opportunity to go to the US to do my CELTA. Back home now, I often think about those four weeks that I spent in Philadelphia. It was a memorable time and has left me with many fond memories. At the time, of course, there was no opportunity to think of anything beyond the CELTA. Would I pass? Would I make it through the next teaching practice? What if nobody liked me? It was a new place I was going to and I didn’t know much about their ways and customs.

I soon realized that the CELTA is a lot more than a course that just teaches you ESL techniques. It forces you to challenge yourself, to improve, to grow, to be more, more professional, more determined. It teaches you about life. You are thrown together with complete strangers and these strangers become your family for the next four weeks. You grow to love them, to rely on them for comfort, support and encouragement. For me, it was not easy leaving my family and going off to a country half way across the globe from mine. On the first day I was sure I would fall flat on my face walking in through the door, or say something incredibly stupid and become the butt of all jokes. Instead I found a group of people who, though as uncertain and unsure of what to expect as I was, were incredibly warm and open. For the next four weeks, though I missed my family, I never felt alone. For one, you don’t have much time to feel or think about anything else and secondly, should you stumble or make a mistake, your colleagues are there for you. Always!

During the CELTA, we were thrown into the deep end of the pool almost immediately! Now I didn’t know much about the course so it came as a shock when I was told, on the first day, that I would be the one to teach the first class. Of course, the trainers helped. Their advice and help was invaluable. But the thought of teaching a class while being assessed not only by my trainer, but also by my group members, was daunting! However, if you prepare well beforehand things never go as badly as you fear. I did a lot of things I shouldn’t have done and it was not a perfect class, but the students seemed to enjoy it and that gave me the courage to keep going.   During the feedback session, I was gratified by the encouraging and supportive words of my peers and trainer. Of course that doesn’t mean it’s all praise and nothing else. If you do the CELTA, please leave your ego at the door. Because the feedback is meant to point out not just what you did well, but also what you didn’t do and should have done! So, though couched in the nicest possible way, it is brutally honest. It has to be! You need to learn and quickly. The course simply isn’t long enough to give you time to nurse your ego or learn at your own pace!

The input sessions in the morning were a lot of fun. We got to learn by being the students, by first-hand experience. There was a lot of laughter and a lot of bonding. Then lunch break and the teaching practice. Did we go out for nice, leisurely lunches? No! We ate on our feet and then got down to preparing for the teaching practice. The ‘lunch break’ saw me running between printer and photocopier nonstop. And I had to be quick because everyone else needed the printer too. Actually, I think I had lunch a grand total of ONCE during the course!

The best part of my day was the long walk home. In the morning I would just take the bus, to ensure I wasn’t late. But in the evening, I’d walk back. I still get nostalgic when I think about those walks. It was the only time of the day when I’d put all thoughts of studying out of my mind and the lovely sunshine, the beautiful Philadelphia skyline and the smiling people helped me unwind and prepare for the long homework sessions. For once at home you DO need to put in a few hours to prepare for your next teaching practice. And you should. You don’t want to enter a class unprepared and not ready to deal with questions the students may have. That can be embarrassing and, of course, will affect your grade.

But when it was done, I was almost overwhelmed by the sense of achievement that washed over me. It was over. I’d done it! What did I take away from the course? The knowledge that if I can survive this then I must be made of tougher stuff than I thought, a head teeming with new ideas and creative teaching methodologies and friends who’d warmed my heart. People I didn’t know even existed a month ago, and yet they’d seen me at my worst, at my best, seen me stumble, picked me up and encouraged me when I didn’t think I was doing anything right.

Since I’ve been back a lot of people have asked me if the course was as grueling as people say it is. My answer is, yes! It’s not a course for the fainthearted or for those who think that they will sail by with a modicum of effort. It takes everything out of you and you do NOT have a moment to relax! But is it worth it? I’d answer (again) with a resounding YES!   These four weeks have taught me more about myself than I could have ever imagined. Most importantly, I learned that teaching can be fun! My pet peeve against teaching had always been that I felt that conventional teaching techniques never left much room for the students to enjoy learning. But after the CELTA I have learnt to incorporate fun in my lesson plans. I can’t wait to use all I’ve learnt on my students, to watch as they take charge of their own learning and see how interactive and lively the classroom can be! To watch as attitudes change from resigned boredom to active interest and they grow to love the language as I do. The CELTA has opened my mind! Not only has it given me oodles of confidence, it has also left me thirsting to learn even more and keep growing and improving as an ESL teacher!

Rumina won a CELTA course through the Suzanne Furstner Scholarship, which gives away a prestigious CELTA or Trinity CertTESOL course each year.

Sun, sea, sand and French…in exotic Martinique

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Assistant Director of Studies Leticia Artiles has taken many language courses, but this one might top them all…

This is the fourth time I have taken a week of to do a language holiday. I think I can admit I am addicted to them. French was the chosen language. The experience last year in Antibes (see my review here), on the coast of France, was fabulous: I did not think it could get any better, but I was absolutely wrong.

Living in England makes you want to choose a sunny destination, and France in summer is very sunny – but I wanted something different this time, something further and more adventurous. A place where I could have French immersion and where I could feel I was definitely on holiday.

Among the wide range of destinations that Cactus has to learn French, a very special one stands out: Martinique! Do they speak French there? Oh yes, they do (apart from creole). Is it a good holiday destination? It’s an island and it’s in the Caribbean Sea. Just in case that was not enough to make me choose it (and it really was enough!), it’s part of France, which means you need no visa if you are a citizen of the European Union, plus they use the Euro.

It was clear that the experience was going to be a good one, but I did not imagine it would be as good as it was. I went this time with a work colleague but this is the perfect destination to go with your family or also on your own.

martinique-class

We took a 20 hours of French in the mornings. This allows you plenty of time once classes have finished to go and explore the little paradise that this island is. The school also offers the option to combine French with kite surfing or diving lessons. Many other activities are also available.

The school is a small school based in the capital, Fort-de-France. We were staying in Trois Ilets in a beautiful apartment in an attractive tourist area. This area had very nice beaches, lovely restaurants to indulge in local food and bars with delicious cocktails. The school also offers other accommodation options such as host families or residences.

The fun started every morning when we had to go to the school by boat. Nothing better than starting the day early with the fresh breeze and 30 degree sunshine in your face.

The lessons were entirely in French; no other language was used in the classroom. Although my level was lower than that of my classmates, I think I managed to make a massive improvement. The methodology followed is very communicative and tasked-based, so it was a good way for me to learn not only from the teacher but also from the other people in the classroom. After a week my vocabulary had grown considerably and my pronunciation was much, much better. The teacher was excellent and she included a lot of cultural contents related to Martinique and to the ultramarine territories of France which I valued a lot as these are not usually included in other French courses. We even had the chance to learn the basic steps of Zouk and to try some traditional dishes, all at the school!

martinique-diving

Our course included a diving lesson. We could have done more than one, but we had no idea how good it was going to be and we also wanted to make the most of our time on the island, explore the diverse landscapes, etc. Taking diving lessons is something that I recommend everyone to do. I never thought that those beautiful shapes and colours did actually exist under the sea. And all is perfectly organized through Cactus and the school.

There were not enough hours in the day, nor enough days in the week, to enjoy every taste of the delicious gastronomy and tropical fruits; to be amazed by every flower and animal; to appreciate every nice gesture and the will of locals to speak to you and explain to you their culture; to learn every step to dance the Caribbean rythms of zouk; to try some of their numerous brands of rhum…

A week was enough, however, to realize that it’s true what they say: Martinique is “a small island with a big heart”.

Cactus offers French courses in Martinique, France and Canada. We also offer French courses in the UK to help you learn the basics or brush up on existing skills before you head off.

French course in Martinique: a first-hand review

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Cactus’ Alessia Ungari decides to learn French in one of our most exotic locations, Martinique, and doesn’t regret it for a minute…

Having started my French Elementary 3 evening course in Brighton with Cactus, I felt it was time to enhance my language skills with an experience on the spot. I wasn’t sure where to go; there were many cities in France that I could have chosen from. But browsing the Cactus website I realized that France wasn’t the only option if I wanted to improve my French. How many of you knew about MARTINIQUE? An island in the Caribbean sea, where the official language is French. The choice was irresistible!

Cactus helped me plan my trip: language course in the mornings, accommodation in a modern and bright residence in the Village Creole and airport transfer from Fort-de-France airport.

This is the perfect schedule for a language holiday, since it gives you the chance to learn the language every day in the morning, and leaves you free time for the rest of the day to discover the local culture, to explore the place and of course to boost your skills by practicing what you’ve learnt in class with the natives. Also, the school’s staff were always happy to advise about activities: every day was a new adventure!

One day we decided to rent a car, heading to the south of the island. I enjoyed driving whilst observing the amazing landscapes on our way: small villages where the locals’ hospitality and friendliness was beyond words.

An alternative to the car is the funny trip on the Taxico (Taxi collectif): a sort of shared taxi, smaller than a bus, that usually departs with no timetable, but when all seats are filled. We found it a convenient and cheap solution to go to the black-sand beaches of the North and to the east Atlantic coast where we enjoyed a whole day on the crystal-clear waters and trying to join a very traditional Caribbean party in the bar nearby.

One afternoon we managed to book, through the school, a diving lesson, called baptism in my case, as it was the first time. What an awesome experience to be 8 metres under the sea: colours, species and shells that I’ve never seen before. Cactus offers both diving and kite-surfing to combine with French lessons, and it’s definitely worth doing one of these activities if you are in Martinique. Also, it could inspire you for future hobbies – for example in my case I’m now planning to sign up for a diving course in my city!

Something that you can’t avoid if you are in the Antilles is the fascinating rhythm of zouk and compas, the two traditional dances of the Caribbean islands. In Martinique I was overwhelmed by this music while buying mangos and coconuts at the Grand Marché, walking in the street, and even during the last day at the school where the teacher showed us the basic dance steps and involved all the students in a fun dancing session. All this, followed by a traditional lunch with poulet Colombo, tropical fruits and local wine. We had lots of fun and unconsciously my French was progressing minute after minute.

Not far from the school is the Jardin de Balata, a botanical garden which contains many varieties of tropical plants and exotic flowers from around the world. As part of the tour in the garden, we did a walk on a bridge between the treetops. How exciting!

In a word, everything about my experience was perfect. I only wish it was longer. Thanks Cactus for this fantastic opportunity! I can’t wait to leave for another exciting language holiday soon 🙂

Cactus offers French courses in Martinique, France and Canada. We also offer French courses in the UK to help you learn the basics or brush up on existing skills before you head off.