I work as an IT Consultant in the UK but my field of expertise has all but disappeared in the last few months and I'm about to get the boot any minute.

So now that I'm about to be released (unfortunately involuntary) from the corporate ladder I'm free to do what I want, and that is to learn Spanish in Spain and then who knows!

I've got a couple of questions I would like answered

I know this is a "how long is a piece of string" question but how long do you "Spanish speakers" think it would take me, a total beginner, to become fluent enough in Spanish so that I could go looking for a job in IT in Spain. Taking into account I would be totally committed to learning the language, went to a good school (any ideas) and tried my best to emurse myself into Spanish life. I was thinking 6 months?

Now having reached my early thirties (where did it go) and having been a suite for a quite a few years I'm worried about becoming a student again.

My major hangup is that I can see myself being the only one in my class who has actually seen the smiths and almost certainly the only one who is becoming increasing worried about his distinguished hair line. Am I worrying for nothing?

Replies would be appreciated

Greetings SpainOrBust!

You are quite right that if you immerse yourself in the culture and language you will generally learn quicker. How long? This is a question that one of our resident professors like Jer or Tony Torero are adept in answering.

I, on the other hand can tell you that going back to school after you have been out in the cruel cold world, and competing with younger students is downright FUN! Makes you feel young again. I went back to school to work on another degree a few years back, and enjoyed every minute. You tend to forget your true age (mine's 50) and you focus on the project at hand. I hung around folks that were half my age, I learned from them and they learned from me, a very healthy catharsis.
Soul cleaning. as we age we tend to think we know everything, and our grey cells get set in one way of thinking. Education tends to make us all equals!
Best of Luck!
Saludos,

Hey SpainOrBust, welcome to the board

Impossible question to answer, even as a resident "profe" of Espa�ol

Depends on the person but I would say that if you eat, sleep and breath Spanish, you should be pretty good in 8 months. That is of course taking a good course at a quality school. Usually, the 6 month point is the crossover moment when you really begin to cath on so plan on putting in more than 6.

As for your fears of being the "coot" of the class, sign up fo your course at =elemadrid= ( www.elemadrid.com ) for they do not accept any student under age 20 and there are quite a few students there in their 30s at any given time.

=elemadrid= is a serious school for serious learners and is also a fun place to study. You will not be in class with teenieboppers for they are not allowed to study there.

Saludos,
jer...

Thanks for the replies

I've had a look at the elemadrid website and it does indeed look a good school. However, I've now decided to stay for 8 months (advice from Jer) and I think the fees are going to be a bit on the pricy side for that length of study.

Is there any other schools in Madrid, Salamanca, Barcelona etc that have an equally good reputation but are a bit cheaper.

I agree with Jer on the 6 mo. minimum. However, it also depends on if you know any other languages or if you have a natural ear. It could be less, but 6-9 months to be confortable for sure!

As far as the age, I wouldn't worry about it!

Other schools... the Universidad Complutense has a good course for foreigners at the Facultad de Fiologia. They have everything from beginner to advanced, each course being 3 months and after your regular classes, Grammer, Speech and Literature, they give seminars (lectures) also on a variety of different subjects, everything from literature, politics to customs.

The classes are a mix of foreign students some people working and learning Spanish, students from exchange programs in their Universities, a little bit of everything really. The good thing about it is that everyone has to use Spanish to communicate and the professors are very helpful and very good.

Good luck!

Hi SpainOrBust,

I don't know if you are worrying for nothing, but then there will be two of us.
I'm im my mid thirties and are also moving to madrid to study, in the beginning of march. I have been to elemadrid two times, and as Jer says - it is a very good school. But it's also very expensive when you are taking a long-time course. I'm considering two schools; Enforex and Don Quijote, I will wisit both of them in january before I decide.
You know if we both are signing up for the same school, we will be two "oldies" in the class - and nothing to worry about

Hilde

The best and quickest way to pick up a new language (apart from attending regularly classes) is to get a girlfriend as quick as you can, sharing flats with spanish university students (wild parties every weekend)..and so on. Take my word for it and good luck!

There's no reason why, just because you're going to stay in the country 9 months, why you should have to be in a language school all of that time. Could you afford to sign up to elemadrid for 12 weeks, for example, which would give you a 15% discount as well, and then support yourself by working in a bar or something for six months on top of that?

Hi SpainOrBust

Just returned from my trip Madrid and after visiting Enforex and Don Quijote there is no doubt in my mind; It have to be Enforex.

Please notice that this is my personal point of view and it’s also based on the courses I’m taking and the duration of my study (one-year).

Don Quijote:
Probably a nice school, they have a good reputation, but my first impression wasn’t that good. They couldn’t give me all the information I needed and asked me to contact the administration in Salamanca.

Enforex:
I felt that everything was more professional here. First I visited the administration that are located very close to the school. They where really helpful and gave me all the information I needed.
The school is within 2 min. walking distance from the administration. It’s a big school, with a lot of classes. They also have English classes for Spaniards, and the possibility to have intercambio with other students at the school. The facilities at the school are also better then DQ, with an own multimedia room (at DQ the computers are placed in the hallway), a reading room and a library. The school also has a big garden.
The cultural classes are held in between the morning- and evening classes, so you don’t have to come back to the school in the evenings when you are taking morning classes.

When it comes to the teaching strategies and learning books, I don’t know who school that is the best and what books gives the best explanations. But I will bring a Spanish-Norwegian grammar book, so I can have the explanation in my own languish.

Overall my first impression is that Enforex is better on everything and it’s also a little bit cheaper.

Oh yes – the age-ting. You will not feel as an oldie at none of the schools, I saw people in all ages, but it might have something to do with the time of the year.

Hilde

Hey Hilde, great input!!!! Thanks

Jejejejeje, a little freudian slip on that...

quote:

"But I will bring a Spanish-Norwegian grammar book, so I can have the explanation in my own languish."

Come on, learning Spanish is not that bad

Saludos,
jer...

ENFOREX IS NOT WHAT IS CRACKED UP TO BE.

I am speaking from a personal point of view.

In the Residencia of Enforex, you cannot lock your door, which means that thieves are abound. Right when I left the dorm, two days later, a friend of mine who stayed with the same program told me that someone had $200.00 stolen from him. BE VERY CAREFUL with your valuables. I am not sure if they placed locks on the door. You cannot even lock your door from the inside.

There is a person who cooks and cleans and provides towels and sheets, but don't expect Spanish food there at all. She's Russian and she cooks Russian food. She tries to make Spanish food, but it doesn't always come out right. She does the best with what she has to work with. When I paid, breakfast and dinner were included in the price. Breakfast consisted of toast, jelly, juice and cereal. Don't look for anything to fill you up either. That's just the way it was.

I studied with USM and we had different classes. The other students who stayed in the dorm studied with professors of Enforex. I looked at the Spanish books and I seriously questioned the methodology used there. I am a Spanish professor in the US. The major complaint of all of the students was that there weren't enough examples or grammatical explanations in the book.

I had to agree with them. It's nice to have to look for the conditional in an article, but when the conditional forms and uses aren't really expressed in the grammar explanation, it's a little hard to complete the exercise.

I know that the textbook should not be the driving force of the class, but students have to go home and read the book and complete the activities. Many students just gave up and threw any type of answer in the blanks just to say that they completed the homework assignment. Many instructors didn't go over the homework, according to the students that studied with Enforex when I was there.

Enforex is just like any other type of language school. I won't say that it is the best, for I have been to better. Don't just settle for Enforex without looking at Don Quijote also.

http://www.donquijote.com/

Compare prices and programs before settling on a definite program. That's my input, but if you are settled on Enforex, go ahead. I wish you the best of luck.

Shawn

Hi Jer,
That’s the attitude, you’re absolutely right – learning Spanish isn’t that bad!!!
But you know, just in case, when I’m struggling deep down in the grammar, when los subjontivos, preterito perfectos, indefinidos, imperfectos etc., are having this big huge fight inside my brain – then I will open my cute little spanish-norwegian grammar book and say; Ahaaa que facil.

(Here I would have put in a lot of funny gremlins, but since all my stuff is packed into boxes, I have to use this crappy old laptop who doesn’t allow me to do anything. Ahrrrrrg...)

Shawn,
Thanks for your input; it’s always good to hear different opinions. I agree with you, the housing service doesn’t sounds too good – no locks on the doors! I will try to find an apartment on my own, so the accommodation they are offering is not important to me.
I have decided to go for Enforex, and I will give you my opinion when I have started the classes.

/Hilde
who is so exited because she is moving to Madrid soon, very soon, only 5 weeks left......

Hilde,

Yes, please let me know how classes are. I must admit that my classes were taught by faculty member hired by USM and that we didn't use Enforex teachers, but rather used their space. I am relaying what students who were actually taking classes from Enforex professors were saying.

Keep us informed so that other people can make a good decision before starting with Enforex.

I will be there in March for one week and then move over in August.

BUENA SUERTE

Shawn