Peter Greenberg: Language Immersion for Those 55+

Q: Hello, Peter. As a high school English-teacher retiree, I am interested in becoming fluent once again in one of the foreign languages I studied in college but never had the chance to master by living abroad. There are countless university programs for young people studying abroad, but I would like to know if there are any programs/learning communities for seniors who want to immerse themselves in learning or re-learning a culture and foreign language (mine are French and Spanish) for a semester or more at a reasonable cost. It would be more comfortable and enjoyable than being the lone 64-year-old in a class of 20-somethings.

–Virginia, Falls Church, Va.

A: There are a variety of companies that offer language-immersion programs for more mature learners.

For Spanish, Lingua Service Worldwide offers programs along Spain’s Costa del Sol, in either Malaga or Nerja. Both offer daily, three-hour language lessons of varying levels, from beginner to advanced-intermediate. (So if you are fairly fluent and very comfortable with your Spanish, this might not be the program for you.) In addition to the daily lessons, the program also offers trips to nearby towns, cooking classes, and weekend excursions to nearby historical sites. There is a quiet and contained campus for people looking to relax. Many Europeans also take courses with the program, so you would meet a wide variety of people of all ages from around the continent. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can also stay with a host family, ensuring an in-depth and engrossing experience. Programs last from one through 12 weeks, and prices range from $340–2,500.

Another company that offers a wide variety of language-immersion programs that cater to the age-50+ crowd is The Learning Traveller. This company offers study opportunities of varying intensities in France, Spain, and Costa Rica.

In France, the Bordeaux, Montpellier, and Lyon programs offer a relatively relaxed experience: You study for only about three hours per day. However, the intensive program in Villefranche-sur-Mer features daily, eight-hour lessons for people looking to perfect their French. But it’s not all work. All of these programs offer weekend excursions and the chance for you to explore the towns and the local area. Programs last about two weeks and cost anywhere between $1,200–2,600, depending on the type of accommodation you choose.