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The week I spent in Porec in May 2005 (my second time) proved invaluable in improving my ability to speak and understand the language. There was plenty of hard work to be done but coupled with excellent teaching skills, everyone made good progress. However, that’s only half the story! There was also time for social activities and ample opportunity to soak up the ambience of a beautiful part of Croatia.
In short, both courses I’ve attended have been the perfect mix of study and holiday time.
I’ll be going again.
Paul Fischer
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The week in Porec is an incredibly useful week. Following the weekly lessons in London this is suddenly the chance to try it all out for real! The combination of 3 hours of intensive coaching in a small group, study in spare time, and dealing with local restaurants and going off to explore the local area - islands, beeches and ancient colliseums - mean that by the end of the week your mind has begun to take some aspects of Croatian for granted that before seemed incredibly difficult!
The first week I took in Porec was as an absolute beginner - with no previous experience of Croatian teaching. For me it was a chance to test whether or not I wanted to commit - a self-contained week where I could try it out. The experience convinced me that I might actually be able to learn a language (school had convinced me that I could not!). Returning just 6 months later and being able to have long chats with the locals in the market was simply proof that learning Croatian was a possibility.
Mark Weber
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I’d been studying the language for about 5 - 6 months, and with life and work being what it is, I felt I needed more than 90 minutes or so a week with Linda in Ealing. My partner is from Zagreb, but has lived in the UK for so long that thinking in Croatian doesn’t come naturally to her any more - which makes it hard for me to practice!
Porec works on two levels, and I approached it in that manner. First of all, I was determined to have a break and do a bit of tourism. I hired a car for a few days, and alone and with others visited some beautiful places through Istria - Motovun, Rijeka, Brijuni. Just as important, I wanted to make the most of the opportunity to learn the language. The hotel was first rate, the staff very friendly and happy to engage us as students. I was assigned to the intermediate class, where I was the least skilled student, but which I felt really pulled me along.
My own feeling was that I got almost as much out of that single week as I had in the previous several months; work permitting, I hope to spend a fortnight travelling through former Yugoslavia in September, and attend the next course in Porec in October/November.
I can unreservedly recommend the school to anyone trying to learn the language; the location is beautiful, and the teaching is intense but well-paced. On returning to London I now attend the conversational class in Ealing; again, I’m one of the least experienced students, but I definitely find it stimulates and encourages me. Linda’s relaxed, conversational style suits me well, and the students I’ve met both in Porec and London are a wonderfully diverse group of people.
Mark Crawford
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I have been learning Croatian with CLS over the course of 2 years and even though I am now living in Shetland, I have individual tuition with Linda Rabuzin whenever I am in London and I also attend the immersion courses in Porec, Croatia, which are tremendous fun.
Linda is a wonderful teacher and with her help and support in many practical ways, I had the confidence to go to Bosnia on my own to meet, for the first time, the family of my godson, none of whom speak English.
It was a joyous visit which, without Linda’s teaching and encouragement, would not have been possible.
I cannot recommend her too highly for the first-class service she provides.
Gloria Langridge
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Better than Watching football!
I have excellent experience with the CLS. Because of the small groups, you have plenty of opportunity to practice. The summer course in Croatia is great fun. Combining learning the language and holidays is the ideal combination. Nice atmosphere during lessons and the social activities outside lessons are greatly appreciated.
Berend Jonker
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I started learning Croatian just over a year ago, and I attend one class of one and a half hours each week. When I started I knew only a few words of Croatian, and can now confidently construct sentences using the present past and future tenses. We are a small group, so the teaching is very professional and most enjoyable. Having started with the basic grammar and vocabulary, we have progressed to so much that we are now able to discuss many different topics. Each week Linda (our teacher) presents us with an article from a magazine or newspaper, or the internet. At first glance I always think I will not be able to understand it, but by the end of the class we have learnt several new words and are able to discuss the article. The subject so far discussed have included films, St Patrick’s Day, music, mobile phones, the European Union and the stress of living in a busy city. It’s a very enjoyable class and I never thought I would achieve so much by attending only once a week. I have to travel a long way to attend the class, but it is well worth it, even in the dark winter evenings.
Margaret Mezak
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The course was very professional and good fun.
Mark Sherlock
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Professional teaching in a relaxed environment, which from the first lesson puts one at ease, has meant that I travel around Croatia with confidence and, in fact, I am constantly told that I have a really good teacher in London. Thank you CLS for enabling me to fulfil a dream. Freda Ratcliffe
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I had been learning Croatian for several years on my own, with a teach yourself book and by reading. I was able to converse and get my meaning over if people were prepared to be patient with me. I was lucky enough to be able to practise on Croatian friends. If asked, they would correct me but couldn’t explain why what I had said was wrong. I felt I had reached a plateau and was not making any progress.
Since coming to the Croatian Language School everything has changed. There is a wealth of teaching material and books and videos are available so that I really feel that I am making progress. I can understand much better even when speech is faster and I find it much easier to write. For me the best thing is that individual lessons are tailored to each person’s needs. I have been encouraged to discuss and write about a large number of subjects and I come out feeling inspired to go back home and work hard. This is the best thing a teacher can do for a pupil, give him or her the confidence and the desire to study further on their own.
Sue Pennington
Galeb u ruci vrijedi vise nego dva na moru.....
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The sun, sea and seagulls together with Linda and Jasminka’s excellent tuition made the course in Porec in April 2004 worthwhile. I felt my Croatian developed significantly by the end of the week - I no longer feel like a fish out of water waiting to be eaten by hungry seagulls when visiting Croatia!
Greg Capps
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I’m extremely grateful to Linda for recommending I attend the Porec course. Altogether I spent sunny 10 days in Istria with my Croatian partner, Romana. With the constant exposure to the language through both the 5 day course and our vigorous exploration of Istria, I actually now feel able to say, “I speak Croatian”. Of course there’s an awful lot more to learn, but it was great to watch the surprise and joy of local people having a foreigner try to speak with them in their language. Istria is beautiful too; great wine, and unique cuisine. All in all, one of my best holidays!
David Jepson
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