Was learning Spanish a key decision factor?
No, it wasn't.

How much did you improve your Spanish?
My level before: Everyday knowledge (shopping, directions, etc.)
My level after: No problems in any areas (including slang)

Personal comments:
This year,for me, has been the most amazing and diversified in terms of languages and cultures. I studied business courses taught in English, and languages all taught in the language itself e.g. Italian taught in Italian, French in French and the regional language Valenciano(of which I had no prior knowledge of), German taught in German and Spanish, Chinese taught in Spanish. Overall, I was attending classes with international and local students and I was taught in six languages - a tryly amazing experience. In terms of communication with the students the majority was done in English, Spanish and French.

Was learning Spanish a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my Spanish

How much did you improve your Spanish?
My level before: Everyday knowledge (shopping, directions, etc.)
My level after: At ease in most situations

Personal comments:
My classes were all in Spanish. I was in the intermediate level. I got most of my practice with my host family. It was more difficult to communicate when I went clothes shopping. Also, travelling one time, I missed my flight and no one spoke english, so that was a challenge to try to explain what happened and that I needed a new ticket, but everything worked out. I wouldn't change anything! I loved my whole experience.

Was learning Spanish a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my Spanish

How much did you improve your Spanish?
My level before: Everyday knowledge (shopping, directions, etc.)
My level after: At ease in most situations

Personal comments:
I wanted to live with natives - I lived with Spanish and Argentinian people, it was very useful because I had to use Spanish all the time of my stay. At the university we (Erasmus students) weren't treated as any special group of students, we have work as hard as Spanish students and we had to cope with any language difficulties.

Was learning Spanish a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my Spanish

How much did you improve your Spanish?
My level before: Everyday knowledge (shopping, directions, etc.)
My level after: At ease in most situations

Personal comments:
I was in an advanced program so all my classes were taught in Spanish and there was a strict rule of only speaking spanish at all times. This was very hard at first but after the first month it became normal and I notice that my Spanish was improving rapidly because of the constant exposure to Spanish all day long.

Was learning Spanish a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my Spanish

How much did you improve your Spanish?
My level before: Everyday knowledge (shopping, directions, etc.)
My level after: At ease in most situations

Personal comments:
After four months of studying in Alicante, i have noticed alot of improvement in my language skills, I can now understand most of what people say when speaking spanish, i understand spanish programs and I am able to have joke around with my spanish freinds. My conversation skills have also progressed as i am able to hold good conversations with people.

Was learning Spanish a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my Spanish

How much did you improve your Spanish?
My level before: Everyday knowledge (shopping, directions, etc.)
My level after: At ease in most situations

Personal comments:
The lectures and support were all in spanish and my progress was notable in a short period of time - my understanding improved dramatically although i still had problems with responding in some situations - this was more a confidence issue than ability! On reflection I would just jump in with both feet - make the mistakes and be corrected!

Was learning Spanish a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my Spanish

How much did you improve your Spanish?
My level before: Basic phrases
My level after: No problems in any areas (including slang)

Personal comments:
When I left from Italy I cannot speak spanish. I attended a course, that lasts a month, in order to learn basic phrases and it was useful but not sufficient. Living in the host country and attending the university was essential to learn fluently the language.

Was learning Spanish a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my Spanish

How much did you improve your Spanish?
My level before: Did not speak it
My level after: No problems in any areas (including slang)

Personal comments:
Being my native language (Italian) and the one of the host university/city (Spanish) similar I had a good advantage, but nonetheless the university courses and activities, student life and the city itself altogether allowed me to learn Spanish very quickly.

Was learning Spanish a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my Spanish

How much did you improve your Spanish?
My level before: Did not speak it
My level after: No problems in any areas (including slang)

Personal comments:
My language and communication experience in Alicante is okay, although I would like to interact more with host students, in order to improve and practice my language & communication skills. There isn't much interaction between host students and international students, which is a shame.

Was learning Spanish a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my Spanish

How much did you improve your Spanish?
My level before: Did not speak it
My level after: No problems in any areas (including slang)

Personal comments:
Before my study experience I had no idea of what was Spanish but I can assure you taht after 4 months I could understand almost everything, on TV, at university, etc. But what's more important is that I could speak very well after only 6 months!

Was learning Spanish a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my Spanish

How much did you improve your Spanish?
My level before: At ease in most situations
My level after: At ease in most situations

Personal comments:
I was housed through 'Houses for you' managing director Javier Ornia. they are the dirtiest most unproffesional, disgusting company I have ever delt with and are threatening and intimidatory. The company is run by idiots and the service they offer is worse than anyone can imagine.

Was learning Spanish a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my Spanish

How much did you improve your Spanish?
My level before: Basic phrases
My level after: At ease in most situations

Personal comments:
First it was difficult to even understand the quick spanish but later on I understood and started talking Spanish myself. Great progress made, it is a pity you lose it quite quickly too, because you're not talking the language actively while studying at your home institute

Was learning Spanish a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my Spanish

How much did you improve your Spanish?
My level before: At ease in most situations
My level after: No problems in any areas (including slang)

Personal comments:
I can speak Spanish and English, but Spanish better. To learn a foreign language, the best way is going abroad to practise, because people there speak diferently. It´s amazing when you can express you emotion like a local people.

Was learning Spanish a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my Spanish

How much did you improve your Spanish?
My level before: At ease in most situations
My level after: No problems in any areas (including slang)

Personal comments:
I already had good skills in Spanish before going to Spain, so I haven't learnt a lot of vocabulary, but it helped me to become much more fluent. An other point is the second local language (el valenciano), but everything was translated into the 2 languages.

Was learning Spanish a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my Spanish

How much did you improve your Spanish?
My level before: Did not speak it
My level after: No problems in any areas (including slang)

Personal comments:
I did a Spanish course and then I learned Spanish by attending university and by speaking with friends.Now I can speak Spanish at every level.I did the Cervantes Exam too at the end of the year.

Was learning Spanish a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my Spanish

How much did you improve your Spanish?
My level before: Everyday knowledge (shopping, directions, etc.)
My level after: No problems in any areas (including slang)

Personal comments:
It was very difficult to speak with local student because spanish people are not very friendly so...But if you begin to be friend with one of them your going to be friend with everybody so you have to be aware!

Was learning Spanish a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my Spanish

How much did you improve your Spanish?
My level before: Did not speak it
My level after: At ease in most situations

Personal comments:
I knew I wanted to learn as much Spanish as possible. I was able to learn the grammar and vocab in class, and then really learned how to speak from my family, and friends.

Was learning Spanish a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my Spanish

How much did you improve your Spanish?
My level before: Everyday knowledge (shopping, directions, etc.)
My level after: No problems in any areas (including slang)

Personal comments:
In few months (speaking spanish quite almost all the time) I spoke fluent spanish and day after day I improved till learning colloquial expressiomad some dialect as well

Was learning Spanish a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my Spanish

How much did you improve your Spanish?
My level before: At ease in most situations
My level after: At ease in most situations

Personal comments:
My Spanish improved greatly but i still feel that it could have been better. once again because of the numbers of foreign students, the opportunity was always there to speak English, French, etc.

Was learning Spanish a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my Spanish

How much did you improve your Spanish?
My level before: Everyday knowledge (shopping, directions, etc.)
My level after: At ease in most situations

Personal comments:
I had gone expecting to gain fluency, but after a month of being there I realized that that wasn´t going to be possible. In order to fully learn a language I recommend staying there for a year.