For someone with a working knowledge of Croatian who wishes to increase their communication skills in the language and who has an empathy with the place, but whose spare time is limited, Linda’s new project of an intensive weekend of immersion in Zagreb life, is a brilliant idea.
Last weekend I spent two and half days there and loved every minute. I cannot believe how much we managed to pack into such a short time – from everyday things like shopping and trying to join in conversations to getting a taste of Croatian culture at the theatre with so many things in between, not to mention some one-to-one language lessons to reinforce what I had been learning while out and about. I came home feeling thrilled at what I had achieved and with a renewed determination to carry on improving my ability to communicate in Croatian. Just the incentive I need to cope with all the intricacies of Croatian case endings, perfective and imperfective verbs and all the other stumbling blocks along the way. Now I am determined that I will eventually get to grips with them. And, more important than anything, I really want to!
Thank you, Linda, for a brilliant weekend and all your hard work. I hope I’ll be able to do it again sometime.
Julia Molden, London

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It's a fact that Croatian is a really difficult language but the lessons at the Croatian Language School of London have been excellent. Linda Rabuzin has endless patience and I have really enjoyed some of the on-location schools in Croatia - both in Porec and in Losinj.
Julia Berg, London

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Skype training is a revolution in language training with Linda. Skype enables the person to concentrate on the sound and learning like never before. This has enabled our learners to be at home, work or in any office and still continue learning. We would recommend this to all as an effective tool to advance learning. Many thanks, Linda.
Kerry Halliday Poseidon Group HR Manager, London
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We really enjoyed the lovely weekend in Zagreb. It was packed full of information not only on language but also food, culture, history, places of interest and new experiences. We particularly enjoyed the tour of the old town and the Croatian Theatre experience. We felt so welcome and looked after with typical Croatian hospitality. We would thoroughly recommend the "Zagreb Weekend Experience" to anyone learning Croatian as a way to immerse yourself in the culture and language but enjoy yourself at the same time!
Angela & Gary Connor, London

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Professional and sympathetic teaching builds a strong foundation for further learning, enthusiastic and supportive fellow learners, work in small groups, interactive teaching style that involves all students, interesting and varied fellow students. Fun - especially fun.
David Baker, London

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This summer's Croatian cookery course, held on the island of Losinj, marked a tasty, new departure for the Croatian Language School and a highly enjoyable one. As a nervous and unconfident cook, I was pleasantly surprised to find that cooking could be fun!
The course, led by inspirational chef Mladen Marusic from Zagreb, introduced us to a wide range of regional dishes, as well as teaching us the language and cultural aspects of the food we were preparing. It also took some of the mystery out of the daunting experience of shopping for Croatian ingredients when you cannot understand the labels.
I learnt many basic cooking techniques, which I had never acquired before, and a few of chef's tips, all of which boosted my confidence and success in cooking. The fact that I was learning Croatian cookery, rather than English, helped to eradicate my previous unsuccessful experiences in cooking.
Mladen always had his finger on the pulse and knew exactly what each student was doing. He was encouraging and professional, helping each student at whatever level they were. And he made it fun!
It was a joy to be on this course and, of course, we were able to sit down together afterwards and enjoy the wonderful banquet we had made, while continuing to practise our Croatian language skills.
Since my return to the UK I have been inspired to cook for friends and family, which has deepened their interest in the language and culture of Croatia.
I can't wait for the next course!

Gloria Langridge, Shetland Islands
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During the week I spent in Porec this fall my ability to understand and speak Croatian increased much more than I had anticipated. The
course was intensive; I was working on my Croatian in some way at almost all hours of the day, which, while exhausting, was the key to
my success and progress.
Porec was lovely and the accommodations were great, but the real advantage of studying with the Croatian Language School, I have
found, is the excellent quality of teaching. Linda Rabuzin is one of the best language teachers I have had, especially in that she
challenges students, while also giving each student the time and space to advance at a pace, which is comfortable for the individual. She
is an extremely patient and supportive teacher.
I have been living and working in Zagreb since the course and I find that the words and grammar we practiced during the week in Porec
are the most embedded and familiar elements for me of all the material I had covered in the past year. I am also the most confident in my
use of that vocabulary and grammar. Before I studied in Porec I was hesitant to try speaking to people in Zagreb, in Croatian, but since I
have been back I am more confident and take pride in my ability to communicate with locals.

Karen Magnuson, Zagreb

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After attending my first class in Porec last year, I had really high expectations from CLS. When I came to Losinj this year not only were my expectations met, they were far exceeded; this class was twice as good as I had hoped it would be!
The teaching was excellent - in fact Zoran would have to be one of the best teachers I've had in any subject - we covered a lot of material but it was never overwhelming. The lessons were challenging but still enjoyable, and provided enough opportunity to practice along the way so new things quickly became more familiar. I didn't even realize how much I was learning till I found myself using new words or concepts in conversations later on.
And I can't say enough good things about the cooking class. I think most of us came to the class not particularly excited about cooking, but it ended up being a highlight of the whole course! Mladen was a Maestro in the kitchen, patiently teaching and overseeing every step while maintaining a great atmosphere. We had a lot of fun in the process of cooking and learning about regional specialties, and of course the fruit of each session was a nightly feast! Having a hands-on experience is so great for learning more vocabulary as well, and of course the kitchen is a part of Croatian culture that just can't be ignored.
It was a great first year in the new location of Cunski; all the CLS staff worked very hard to make sure things went well and to provide such a positive environment. And when class wasn't in session we found ourselves in a beautiful seaside location just waiting to be enjoyed!

Megan Richardson, Seattle
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I had been trying to learn Croatian for nearly 3 years studying a book. It was difficult to focus on it for any length of time and I would do a few minutes on the train and usually forget it quite soon.
I attended the course in Porec in May 2007 and it really helped me enormously. The teacher Davorka was excellent when explaining the structure of the language, which made learning much easier. It has also help to enthuse me again and I have been practicing more since I returned.
The teachers and other people on the course were very friendly and there was a good social element to mixing with the others.
I intend to go back to another course in future to take me to another level again once I have built up more vocabulary.
I would recommend it to anyone who is interested in learning Croatian.
Thanks again Linda

Jim Brannan, Glasgow
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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, London

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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, London

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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, London

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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, Amsterdam

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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, London

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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, London,

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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, London
Galeb u ruci vrijedi vise nego dva na moru.....

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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, London

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