Walks along the beach after Spanish!

Malaga gave me my first introduction to Spanish culture, proving to me that it is a gorgeous city, full of wonderful surprises. The city has everything I imagine of Spain, and more! Not only does it have beautiful beaches, friendly people, and a laid back seaside atmosphere, but there are also historic buildings, famous cathedrals and museums, and an amazing night life to explore throughout the city!

My classes in Malaga ended in the early afternoon, so I had the rest of the day free to visit the nearby city center and learn more about my host country with my new friends. The Spanish day conveniently is much longer than I am used to, with dinner at about 10pm, so after school I got to enjoy my lunch, siesta, a walk around the city to view the beautiful buildings and architectural styles that were so new to me, and a cultural activity (cathedral or museum), and then the nightlife! Plaza de la Merced is where all the students and locals start the night- just a great place to talk with your friends, relax and have a drink or a laugh before you start your night full of salsa dancing!

Oh, and I can’t forget about the beach! The school is literally minutes from the beach-I was able to enjoy the sparkly water and sunshine of the beautiful Costa del Sol while practicing Spanish with my friends- HOW PERFECT!

I took advantage of the many restaurants and cafes which line the beaches of Pedregalejo, where the school is located. Even now I can still remember the smell of fresh seafood as I walked along the beach, close by the school. Those walks down to the beach, just after class, are truly one of my favorite memories of my time in Malaga!

The location of Malaga makes it is easy to visit other cities as well. The school took us on excursions to see Granada, Seville, Cordoba, Gibraltar, Tarifa, Marbella, Ronda, and Nerja. Some of the other students even went to Morocco for the weekend!

The staff at the school was very helpful whenever we had questions on what to do over the weekend or if we wanted to visit a certain place they helped us with directions. They always made sure to speak Spanish to us, even in the beginning, when we must have looked very confused! This worked well though – we learned so much!

My whole experience of being immersed into the Spanish language and culture is something that I will never forget, and I have the school and wonderful city of Malaga to thank for all of the lovely memories!

Jill (USA)