No matter where you go in the U.S. you are likely to read Spanish signs or hear the Spanish language being spoken. Spanish is the world’s third most spoken language behind English and Chinese, and it’s becoming the most popular language to speak in the U.S. because of the rising Hispanic population in the country. That means there’s a higher demand to learn the Spanish language to be able to communicate to native speakers in businesses, to watch Spanish television programs, to listen to international radio stations or to read Spanish magazines. It will benefit you to learn the Spanish language just because you live in the U.S., but you can also study Spanish abroad to increase your communication skills when you study for a semester or a summer in places like Spain, Costa Rica or Mexico.
Why Study the Spanish Language Abroad?
Spanish is one of the most popular languages taken by college students in their curriculum. It’s not too difficult to learn because the English language has many Latin origins, so many of the words and pronunciations sound very similar. The Spanish language is also spoken by over 400 million people globally. If that’s not reason enough to study Spanish abroad, here are a few more:
- It’s an official spoken language on 4 continents
- Hispanic consumers are the fastest growing market in the U.S.
- 1 out of every 10 residents in the U.S. speaks Spanish
- You can communicate with peers in your host school to gain a better understanding of their lifestyle
- If you stay with a host family you can learn about their lives and their home city
- Being able to read, write and speak Spanish allows you to appreciate Spanish art, literature, film and more
- Once you learn a language like Spanish it will be easier to learn other foreign languages
- If you learn a popular language like Spanish then you can make friends no matter where you travel in the world
Most importantly, when you study Spanish abroad in a study abroad program you gain the opportunity to enhance the Spanish that you already know and become a true master of the language. You have fun communicating with others and gain college credit at the same time!
Where to Study Spanish Abroad
Whether you want to travel to Spain or study Spanish in Costa Rica, there are many programs across the world that offer in-depth Spanish courses and one-to-one interaction with students. You can choose from beginning to advanced-level classes, and you can stay either with a host family or at a hotel, hostel, apartment or dorm. No matter where you study Spanish abroad you will have fun doing it!
Here are a few locations and programs where you can study the Spanish language abroad:
When you study Spanish abroad you gain a deeper understanding of the Spanish culture, and when you return home you can use the language to communicate with the ever-growing Hispanic population. You can also use your newly acquired language to communicate with the friends that you made in other countries in your study abroad program. Learning Spanish can take you many places in life, whether it’s right at home or across the world.