Six days after our arrival in Spain, I started my spanish lessons at the Escuela Idioma de Nerja.  I took the age 50+ course which consist of a two week, 3 hour a day in class course and evening cultural activities.  You are therefore busy listening, talking, learning the language for six or more hours a day.  That is a lot!  After a full week, my brain is exhausted!! But, I have learned a lot and made wonderful new relationships with Germans, Swedes and Swiss people.  There are no British, Irish or Americans here at this school which for a Canadian, surrounded by the English language all the time, is kind of nice to be around different cultures.

The school is very well run.  I first thought that the course was pricey but I now feel that every penny was well spent.  The teachers are very good, friendly and very professional.  The level one course is intensive but basic where you learn to meet and greet people in Spanish, order in restaurant, ask for help in stores and learn basic conversation phrases.

The evening activities are a lot of fun.  We went for tapas, wine tasting, flamenco, movies, cooking class (classic paella) and a day trip to Malaga complete with the Picasso museum and the fabulous food market.

I highly recommend this school for a great cultural experience even if you are not serious about learning the language.  Terry will also take a beginner course next month at this school and I plan on continuing with an intensive course in January.

A couple of weeks will not make you fluent however.  Learning a language takes time.  A lot of time and efforts.  I have learn a lot in the first week but I can see that it will take me a couple of years of continuous efforts to really learn to be able to speak it.  I am committed.  It is a beautiful language, a great culture and its people truly worth knowing.

Here are my classmates. A great bunch!