Why Learn Another Language Abroad?

Immersion Schools Where You Can Study AND Volunteer in Latin America

By Amy E. Robertson

Teaching children. Photo courtesy of Habla Ya Panama Spanish Schools.

After studying Spanish from middle school through my sophomore year of college, I took the plunge. I headed to Madrid, Spain, for my junior year abroad. Where I had to, you know, actually talk in Spanish.

I shook with nerves when I walked into a tiny store on my first day in Madrid to ask for a stamp.

Ten months later, I could fluently converse in Spanish about anything from American politics to Spanish cinema. My transition from someone who knew a lot of Spanish to someone who could speak Spanish came from need. I lived with a Spanish family, studied history, literature, and women’s issues in Spanish, and hung out with many Spaniards I met rather than simply sticking to the other international students in my program.  The obligation to think on my feet in Spanish, to reinforce neural connections by pulling up vocabulary studied in class in real-life conversations, and to interact with various Spanish-speaking people, not solely my language teacher, meant that my language skills flourished! I was experiencing what is now often called complete "language immersion."

Trying out a new language can be nerve-wracking. Yet, even the most bumbling efforts are typically met with great appreciation.

A few words in the local language will almost always get you a friendlier smile.

Basic conversation skills can help you get directions or allow you to order at a restaurant.

More advanced language skills can open the door to everything from a new job to a new social life. You’re much more likely to get an invitation to a party or event if your host won’t have to worry about translating for you all night. And the chance to dine in someone’s home, to exchange thoughts on subjects from politics to cinema, is what gives you the opportunity to really get to know another person and, by extension, better immerse yourself in another culture.

If (1) getting to know other people and cultures isn’t motivation enough, studies also tell us that language learning results in (2) brain growth, (3) better memory and mental flexibility, as well as (4) delays in the onset of dementia and Alzheimer’s.

If you’re considering heading overseas to learn or improve another language, you’re headed in the right direction. Assume your interactions outside class are primarily with English-speaking taxi drivers, hotel staff, fellow language students, or your travel partners. In that case, you will miss a golden opportunity for language learning and cultural immersion. Volunteering is an excellent way to create conversation and cultural exchange opportunities. Another option is to choose a homestay over a hotel. Whatever you do, get out there and speak!

Volunteering with children is available at many language schools. Photo courtesy of Habla Ya Panama Spanish Schools.

The following Latin American language schools all offer or even emphasize volunteer programs, and most of them arrange homestays as well: Bolivia Sustainable Bolivia, located in the town of Riberalta in the Amazon basin, offers high-quality instruction in indigenous Cavineño, Chacaobo, and Esse Ejja, as well as Spanish. It also offers many sustainable, research, ecotourism, and conservation volunteer project opportunities. Costa Rica CPI Spanish Immersion School has three locations around Costa Rica, and classes can be combined at two or all three sites. Ecuador The capital, Quito, is home to numerous language schools and volunteer agencies that combine the two activities. Two recommended organizations are the Ecuador Volunteer Foundation and Ecuaexplora. Mexico Becari Conzatti is located in Oaxaca and offers courses in Zapotec and Spanish. Registration fees are donated to the agency where the volunteer is placed. Panama Habla Ya Panama has a campus in the archipelago of Bocas del Toro. Spanish Panama Language School, in Panama City, offers many language immersion options and arranges cultural and volunteer opportunities. Peru Mundo Antiguo Language School in Cusco offers a variety of Spanish and volunteer options. Talking to and teaching children. Photo courtesy of Habla Ya Panama Spanish Schools.

Language learning resources and tips can be found on Twitter and Pinterest; try the hashtags #languagelearning and #learnspanish (or whichever language you wish to study). For live language practice prior to departure, look for a language practice group near you on Meetup.com, or an online conversation partner such as italki.

Many nonprofits and placement agencies also combine volunteer vacations with language lessons; my guidebook Volunteer Vacations in Latin America.

Amy E. Robertson has written many articles for TransitionsAbroad.com as Connected Traveler Contributing Editor. She is the author of numerous publications for Moon Handbooks. Her writing has been published on NPR, Vice MUNCHIES, Budget Travel, Delta Sky, National Geographic Traveler, Wall Street Journal, Christian Science Monitor, and Travel + Leisure. Amy has lived in six countries and traveled in more than 60. Her volunteer experiences include building houses in Washington State and Honduras, monitoring presidential elections in Ecuador, working with youth on social documentaries in Bolivia, and serving lunch at soup kitchens in Seattle and Beirut. Amy has an international development and nonprofit management background and has worked in private and nonprofit sectors.