For foreign permanent or semi-permanent residents living at the Costa del Sol eventually it will become a necessity to learn at least a rudimentary amount or Spanish to make day-to-day living in the country easier.
Official documents like car leasing contracts or rental agreements for example will be in Spanish and far beyond the usual “holiday Spanish” that tourists may have. There are numerous Spanish language courses relocating expatriates can take. In Malaga for example one can find a multitude of schools.
Finding and buying a property in Spain is just the beginning. The real test comes when conversing with Spaniards. Simple daily tasks can become a challenge – even going shopping in a market can be a struggle, if the market stallholder happens to speak no English.
Before booking a course students should ascertain, if their selected school is an accredited language centre of the Instituto Cervantes and at the very least a member of the Tourism Board of the Costa del Sol. FEDELE and AEEA membership is also a sign that the courses offered will be of a recognised standard. Classes should consist of no more than 10 to 12 students and for intensive courses there should be at least five hours tuition per day offered by the school.
Holidaymakers attending classes will typically book for one or two weeks, but residents with their own Costa del Sol property in Marbella, Fuengirola or Malaga for example can book courses that stretch from classes for beginners to more advanced conversational levels. Some schools are close to the beach and most charge just under EUR 200 for a week’s general tuition, depending on whether or not accommodation with a guest family is required and around EUR 300 per week for intensive courses.
Language courses are not just about being able to communicate in Spanish – ideally the course should cover culture and society as well to assist expat residents with settling into their new life at the Costa del Sol. Some schools offer a combination of subjects to make the learning experience more fun – there are Spanish tuition courses that incorporate dance lessons for example.
Not only can a student learn to speak the language of their chosen new home country – they can get to known other people while learning the Flamenco. Such courses typically have around 20 hours of language tuition and 5 to 8 hours of dance lessons. There are variations on the theme: some schools offer Spanish and golf, others provide language tuition and offer sports tuition as well.
Settling into the new home in Marbella will be so much easier, when the language barrier is no longer an issue. In Spain’s difficult employment market having Spanish language skills can only help those expats seeking work. On a social level, too, learning to speak Spanish can only be a positive move. Neighbours will be that much more helpful, when they feel the new arrivals in the villa next door are making an effort to communicate.
No matter how bad the pronunciation or how idiosyncratic the grammar might be, addressing a native speaker in their mother tongue will immediately break the ice and easy the path to a good neighbourly relationship for the future. No new property, be it in Marbella or in Leicester, Malaga or Glasgow, comes entirely free of boundary issues, neighbours’ concerns and new owner complaints. Dealing with such issues in Spanish will make life considerably easier, even if a translator still has to deal with official or legal documents; a new homeowner will begin to settle in more quickly into their property and will be more at ease when able to understand at least the general gist of a discussion held over the garden fence.
Going to courses at regular days of the week has the added bonus of providing something to look forward to when homesickness sets in after all the moving crates have been emptied. Leaving home and relocating to another country is a huge undertaking, both financially and emotionally. A dream home in the sun will only remain a dream home, if the occupants are happily settled in. Over the course of 20 lessons one can make new friends – the greatest benefit of Costa del Sol language courses!