You may want to learn a language at any time of your life. When you’re young, an additional language often represents new career and development opportunities, which is why language schools mostly welcome students between 18 and 25 years. But time flies and many of us don’t get a chance to travel abroad after graduating. From the age of 30, we start feeling the need to learn a foreign language, be it for the experience of travelling abroad or for seizing new work development opportunities.
| Agnès, like many other ESL students, opted for a programme especially designed for the over-thirties. She says: “I am very happy I chose the 30+ programme. The classes were simply fascinating and offered a remarkable mix of grammar and culture.” |  |
While the 30+ programme is becoming increasingly popular, ESL is happy to give people of all ages the opportunity to study abroad and have one of the most enriching experiences of their life. Integrated into classes with people of all profiles, they find the diversity among students to be an additional source of inspiration and motivation. Back home, all agree that their course abroad changed their life, enriched their knowledge and broadened their horizons.
| Let’s start with the champion of all categories: Uta, from Germany, who was awarded the “student of the month” prize at 81 years old! According to her teachers at our partner school in Sydney Bondi, Uta proved to be particularly assiduous in class and impressed all of the participants by her enthusiasm and thirst for learning. Is this the recipe for living longer and better? |  |
Jordi, 35, decided to learn English in India. He didn’t regret his choice at all. He remembers: “in New Delhi, I discovered new flavours, scents, colours and sensations that are so strong I will never forget this exceptional language study stay.” The quality of the ILSC language school and its skilled teachers made quite an impression on Jordi too. He returned to his native Spain with lots of images in his head and new language skills that are now very useful to him in his professional life.
It is in Barcelona that Aude-Sophie chose to study Spanish. Two years in a row, she took courses in a language school and each time, she went back home transformed: “the lessons were well though-out, well-structured and the teachers were dedicated and interesting.” Seduced by Barcelona (“an ever-bustling city offering a perfect mix of party, joy and culture!”), she particularly remembers the beautiful encounters she had there: “these stays allowed me to meet people from all over the world and of various cultures. And that’s a great thing too! The big tables at the restaurants, in the evening, where all languages mix…”
At 48 years, Hector Jaime has temporarily left Bogota for Wimbledon and tells us, with much enthusiasm: “I am just into my fourth week here and I have the chance of sharing my experience with many people from all over the world. Various cultures, various ways of looking at the world… this is what really contributes to enriching my English learning experience!” Here he is, like a fish in the ocean, surrounded by younger learners from Asia and beyond.
Happy in his fifties, Paul-Hubert is a creative man, always on the lookout for new challenges. Confortable in his own body and with an inquiring mind, he chose the programme in the teacher’s home to study English in a small town in Kent.
| “I was treated like a member of the family and totally integrated into the social life of my hosts: friends’ visits, family gatherings, cultural outings, walks… [Thanks to this full immersion in the English language and culture] I made great progress. I realised it at the end of my stay when I saw how easily I could take part in conversations.” |  |
| Jean-Pierre doesn’t look his 56 years and he’s proved us he’s young at heart too! After travelling to Odessa in 2012, he left for Kiev in 2013, where he took two courses to perfect his Russian skills. Twice, he enjoyed the unique atmosphere of the Ukrainian capital – twice he went back home with a heavy heart. “Back in France: a strange feeling overwhelmed me. I was missing Kiev and its atmosphere…” |  |
Next year, he knows he will take another 2-week course in Kiev and enjoy, once again, the “homogenous groups made up of participants from all backgrounds, united by one passion: learning Russian.”
To conclude, the radiant smile of two young women in their thirties who studied English in South Africa: Sarah and Nicole enjoyed their stay in Cape Town and “particularly their class, with its participants of all nationalities.” They also enjoyed the view from their residence – over the whole city and across Table Mountain! “We learnt a lot and practised English during our hobbies, especially while exploring beaches around Cape Town and climbing Lion’s Head or Signal Hill”. Charmed by their host country, they will be back next year to discover other aspects of South Africa – this is for sure!
What do you think?