Spain may well be one of the most spoken languages in the world, but there are still over 7 billion folk who cannot hold a conversation in it. And, while South America has some stunning scenery and friendly people, many of the nations suffer from political and economic stability. For many, Spain is the nation they come to in order to learn, but this article looks at why Valencia might be the best option.
Clarity and immersion opportunities
Valencia has a linguistic advantage. The accent spoken in regional Valencia is often perceived as relatively straightforward and clear. In a UK analogy, this would be like heading to Buckinghamshire rather than Birmingham or Liverpool to learn English.
It’s also important that Valencia, while multicultural, isn’t as much of a tourist hotspot as many other regions nearby, like Benidorm and Jávea. There are visitors, but many are already on Españolé courses, meaning that they too have good intentions of learning the local language. The historic center may well treat you as a tourist, but there are many neighborhoods where life goes on as normal.
This really helps when learning. A busy city with busy people means that they don’t have time to consider your English needs, and this forces you to adapt. People in Valencia are considered open and friendly, though, so many people will have patience in the right setting.
Affordability factor
Your budget can often dictate your language learning experience. Valencia is a good option in this sense, as it’s cheaper than Madrid, Bilbao, Malaga, Mallorca, and Barcelona. Leisure activities are plentiful, giving you opportunities to interact with others, and it’s more affordable to go out because there are a lot of students around. It’s also easy to get around. The Metrovalencia system, which has both a metro and a tram, is affordable, along with a bike-sharing system and generally good walkability. This makes a huge difference when learning a language compared to car-centric places, which often render your experience to be more insular.
Lifestyle and climate
Valencia strikes a good balance for a language learner. It’s vibrant and youthful enough to be very sociable, but it’s not so big that it’s unwelcoming or anonymous. Neighborhoods like Ruzafa are trendy and social, while Benimaclet is affordable and has many students. The key is to not go somewhere too international, because then English can sometimes become the default language in large groups of mixed Spanish abilities. Plus, because it’s midway down Spain, the climate is perfect for outdoor activities and meet-ups, like running clubs.
Culture & recreation
Learning Spanish can only occur when you become integrated with daily life. Otherwise, much of your conversations will be small talk and repetitive, like with cashiers and bar staff. This is where the broad range of museums, markets and clubs are great opportunities to meet people. The Turia Gardens and nearby beaches like Malvarrosa can be good places for meeting locals, where they’re relaxing in their free time. But, language exchange groups certainly exist too.
Valencia’s clear accent and social capacity make it ideal for Spanish learners. It’s an extremely safe city, and surprisingly affordable compared to some of the larger alternatives. But, no matter your setting, a lot of the learning needs to come from yourself, and your ability to put yourself in uncomfortable situations to spark up conversations.
Also Read: Natural Language Processing: 5 Key Insights You Need to Know
