Learn a language to receive a cultural gift.

Study abroad language programs have the powerful ability to open one’s eyes to the world around them. I’m speaking from experience, not as a language learner, but as part of a family that has opened their doors to the language students of the world for the past twenty years.

Offering homestay accommodation to students studying at a nearby English language school Oxford at the beginning, my family and I began to learn more than we could ever imagine about the countries and cultures of the world. Even when we moved to Cambridge, we kept on offering homestay accommodation after getting in contact with an English language school Cambridge. The thing is, these students come to discover more about life in Great Britain as well as improving their English, and we like to help out in any way possible! Now that our children have moved out and my wife and I are enjoying our retirement, we still have language learners staying with us. It does a great deal to keep us young, I can assure you!

I’ve learned a lot about Portugal and Spain in particular, as we’ve had a lot of students from those parts who come by our way to learn English Cambridge. Some of the students even bring very nice gifts, and my favourite was a lovely bottle of port wine from the Douro valley region. It’s delicious with dried fruits and puddings, and even complements the odd slice of cheese very well!

When we were living in Oxford, we’d get a lot of Japanese and Korean students who wished to learn English in Oxford. I’ve heard it’s the same for those offering homestay accommodation for English in London courses. I’d love to be able to visit Japan one day, but in the meantime, I think the next vacation will definitely be to Portugal!