THERE are few holidays where you take a test on your first day... and then divide your time between beaches, attractions, textbooks and a classroom. But a trip to the Instituto Malaca is an incredible experience and guaranteed to boost your linguistic skills. It's the opposite of nightmarish school trips and foreign exchanges.
The language school (or hotel, whichever way you would rather look at it) is in the southern Spanish coastal city of Malaga, just a stone's throw from the traditionally Brit-filled Costa Del Sol but far removed from the usual stereotypical trip to the region. It is a multicultural haven for people of all ages and nationalities, who want to learn Spanish and see a little of what the country has to offer.
Every new student is given a test on their first day to establish their level of Spanish and then put in an appropriate class. My seven classmates were a diverse and friendly bunch, including a retired Japanese man, a 25 year old French Canadian PhD student and a young Swedish lifeguard.
Our four hours of lessons every morning involved a helpful mix of grammar, vocabulary, plenty of conversation... and were taught completely in Spanish. For the first time in my life. I found myself speaking a foreign language to strangers, without fears of being laughed at. But I did raise a few smiles when I accidentally said I had been a journalist since I was three years old!
In my dual role of holidaymaker and student, I quickly adapted to the routine of language lessons in the morning and sightseeing or sunbathing in the afternoon. As well as doing my homework on the school's luxurious sun terrace, while sipping a glass of wine.
On the first day, the school organises a whistle stop tour of Malaga, taking in some of the city's main attractions, including the bullring and cathedral. The city was the birthplace of Picasso and the Museo Picasso is the highlight of attractions linked to Malaga's most famous son.
The school also arranges day trips to other nearby cities, including Seville and Granada. My afternoons were spent in the school's dance studio, learning Salsa. Thanks to the patience of our Argentinian teacher, Hernan. After a week I was able to follow the moves without treading on any feet... a miracle if you had seen my attempts on the first day.
Lessons were incredibly fun and made even more entertaining as Hernan told us on the first day: "No hablo ingles". Not only do I now know basic Salsa moves, but the Spanish words for left, right, forward, back and change are ingrained on my brain. The school is a short bus ride from the centre of Malaga, giving plenty of opportunity to practise Spanish with bus and taxi drivers.
After a few days of lessons, and a couple of glasses of Rioja. I was able to have a conversation with a taxi driver about Arsenal's Champions League game that week, probably helped by the fact that nil-nil is a universal expression.
There are various accommodation options: from the residence at the school, which has rooms ranging from student halls standard to quality hotel suites, to nearby apartments and, for the bravest people, living with a host family. But friendly students and staff make you feel at home wherever you are.
My week long trip was arranged by British travel agency Cactus language, which sorted out my accommodation and course, then left me with the simple task of booking a budget flight to Malaga's easily accessible airport.
Cactus has a wealth of experience in organising these foreign language courses,
not just in Spanish but for a multitude of languages in a variety of destinations.
My next stop is Argentina, but whether you choose to follow in my footsteps
to Malaga, or head to Barcelona. Madrid or Buenos Aires, bien viaje.