Little time and still learning a language
Learning a language takes time. If your days are already jam-packed with work, sports and family commitments, it can be hard to fit in time to study every week. Then it’s a godsend to be able to concentrate completely on learning a language for a week. That's what Edo Boerefijn, Chief Operating Officer at Cryonorm, did, for example.
‘On the advice of my manager, I brushed up on my English. Time is a problem for me. I work long hours and frequently in the evenings as well. I saw no other option than to go to Regina Coeli for a week. That way, I could switch off and concentrate on the language.’
‘It was nice to measure myself against a native speaker for once’
Edo communicates in English every day with people who speak English as a second language. ‘It was nice to measure myself against a native speaker for once,’ he says. ‘I had lessons from an American and a Briton. They’re very different cultures, but from both perspectives, they find us Dutch too direct. You hear that a lot, of course, but thanks to the examples they gave me and the alternatives they offered, I now really understand how you can communicate less directly in English.’
Edo improved his English in many areas during his course. ‘The teaching programme was very flexible. After a few days, for example, the trainer said my emails were fine. From that moment on, we worked more on speaking and having discussions.’
Edo took his English course at Regina Coeli in Vught from Monday to Friday. ‘I really enjoyed the surroundings and how they work. Now that I’ve brushed up on my English, I have more self-confidence and feel like I'm performing much better. I’ve already suggested to other people that they go to Regina Coeli too.’
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