How to prepare

5 THINGS TO PACK IN YOUR LANGUAGE SUITCASE

BEFORE STUDYING ABROAD

My name is Fleur and I am Belgian. Last summer I went to my first language camp and had the time of life, even though I had some problems at first because of vocabulary. I learned fast because I made a lot of friends and the trainers were great, but looking back there are a few things I wish I had done before leaving for camp. I want you to have as much fun as I did – or more – so here are some things I would do before heading off for to study abroad at camp.

1.   Learn basic vocabulary

When I first got to my camp in Ireland, I didn’t even know how to say “please” in English. When I wanted to ask nicely for something, I would just point! I would have felt a lot better if I could have at least said “please” and “thank you” from the very start.

2.     Learn how to introduce yourself

You get to meet a lot of cool people when you arrive at camp, and everyone wants to know something about you. It really helps if you learn how to talk a little bit about where you are from and things you like to do.

3.     Learn about the things you want to do at camp

There are so many fun things to do at camp, and before I left for camp I already knew which ones I really wanted to try. Reading up on those activities and learning important vocabulary in your new language will make doing the activity – for me it was sailing – a lot more fun.

4.     Watch your favorite shows in your new language

It’s good to get the language in your ear before you leave for camp; that way you are already warmed up when you are totally immersed in the language. If you watch shows you already know, then it’s easier to pick up new words because you know the context.

5.     Play games on your smartphone

There are a lot of apps with fun games that teach you the basics. Find the ones that you enjoy and you’ll have a good foundation before you even get to camp.

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