Why Learn Spanish in Spain?
With so many Spanish speaking countries nearby, why travel across the Atlantic Ocean to learn Spanish? Here are some pros and cons for making the trip.
Learning Spanish requires a study of verbs, tenses, grammar and most importantly, contact with native speakers. You can get all the reading and writing you like either at home or at a local community college. But speaking takes a little more effort.
The easiest way to get started is to study abroad. Your surrounded by native speakers, you get the immersion experience and your Spanish takes off. Sounds simple, doesn’t it?
Well, it is and it isn’t. There are many study abroad programs that offer all the right resources and amenities. But should you travel all the way to Spain to get what you need?
Reasons why you should study in Spain:
1) Spain is a beautiful country that has many safe and secure cities where you can learn and have all the goodies of home: 24 hour internet cafes, public transportation, lots and cafes and clubs, etc.
2) If you are currently studying Spanish, chances are you know someone who has gone to Spain. They can provide valuable “first-hand” information that you can use to make a more informed decision.
3) You can travel to other European countries very easily. Once you finish studying, you are a train, bus or boat ride away from some of the most beautiful countries in the world.
As you may have noticed, I did not give any academic reasons for studying in Spain. That’s because, I don’t see any. You can get all you need, and more, here in the Americas or Caribbean. Let me explain.
Reasons why you don’t have to study in Spain:
1) You will get a closer look at the Spanish spoken in this country by studying in Mexico, Ecuador or Chile, among others. They have accents and ways of saying things that are similar to the Spanish you’ll find here.
2) You won’t have to deal with Vosotros. If you are studying Spanish, you know that the Vosotros form of verbs is not used in the Americas and the Caribbean. However, it is alive and well in Spain. You don’t have to bother with it if you stay in this hemisphere.
3) You will spend less money. Getting to Spain is expensive. Living there is also expensive. One of the reasons is the Euro. However, if you study in this hemisphere, you will spend less on a ticket and less on daily life.
Are these reasons enough to make a decision? It’s hard to say. Everyone is different. Just keep one thing in mind when you make your choice: in the end, it doesn’t matter where you study. The Spanish you learn in Spain will be the Spanish you use here to communicate.
Yes, there is the Spanish accent that only Spaniards have but you don’t have to learn it. I studied in Spain and I don’t use the “zeta” sound (it’s like a lisp). No one cares.
So when making your choice, keep in mind your finances, your desire to travel and your desire to be in a certain country. After all, if you’re like most Americans, you’ll fall in love with wherever you study and you’ll begin thinking about living there.
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