How to improve your language skills as an Erasmus student

Hello everyone!

Today I'll be addressing those interested in improving a language during their Erasmus year.

I think it's an important subject because many of us choose to go on Erasmus not just for the experience but also to improve our language or to learn one if we have no previous knowledge (although this isn't very common given that you have to certify your knowledge of the language or even take an exam before going).

The majority of Erasmus students usually decide to improve their English, why? Because, so to speak, it is an international language, and with it you can communicate with most of the world since, for example in Europe most countries have English as their second language, they study it in schools, etc.

Source

If you want to practice a language, I recommend you do some, or several, of the things I'm going to tell you below:

1. First things first don't get together with people of the same nationality as you, I'm not saying don't have friends of your nationality to chat to or go out with (or whatever), but most importantly try and connect with people from other countries to improve your language skills. It's a good idea because it forces you to follow a routine. You can meet people on Erasmus in the same situation as you in the orientation programs that the universities usually do a week before classes start, get their numbers, facebook, etc. and that will be another way of practicing the language.

2. Secondly, if your university offers language courses to improve your skills you should take them because they will also help you loads with vocabulary, grammar, etc. that you'll be able to practice later when you speak to your international friends. Also if you pass the exam of the module many universities recognise your language level with a B1, B2 or whatever level you're at, and this will come in very handy when looking for a job and of course to continue educating yourself. In my university (UHasselt - Diepenbeek) we have a course called "English for Exchange Students" which is aimed at what I'm telling you; as of yet I haven't had a class but when I do I'll tell you how it goes.

3. Like in every city, I'm pretty sure that the city you go to will have a "Languages School" or a language centre, or something similar where you can study whatever language. In Hasselt there is "PCVO - moderne talen" which is a language centre where you can learn a host of languages like the following: Arabic, Chinese, German, English, French, Greek, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Turkish... I'll tell you later on how this type of language school works.

4. Lastly, my advice is that if you want to learn French, go to France; if you want to learn English go to England and the same for the rest of the countries, why? well I'll tell you my story, I basically want to learn English and I came to Belgium, specifically to Hasselt because the university classes were given in English, because I didn't have the grades to go to England (which is where I would've loved to go), and of course because the rest of the people from other countries would speak in English.

Source

And that's it, but when you go to the supermarkets or shops or public places in general the language is obviously Dutch, and I don't understand a thing... so in that sense it's a bit tricky but anyway, you end up adapting because if you don't understand something you can always ask the shop assistant in English given that everyone will know how to answer (or rather, most - because there are people in Hasselt that can't speak English, but this only happens on rare occasions, so don't worry).

In my next entry I'll talk a bit about the city of Hasselt and places to visit, etc.

I hope today's entry has been useful!

mwah! =)

Photo gallery