Erasmus+ in Malta: Learn English, Discover the World

The idea came straight from the classroom: Teachers at the Lichtenfels vocational school introduced Sebastian and his classmates to the Erasmus+ program—an opportunity to spend two weeks abroad and brush up on their English skills.

Sebastian signed up. ✅

On the first day of school, the students took a placement test to determine their language proficiency level: from A1 for beginners to C2, which is native-speaker level. Sebastian, along with two other students from his vocational school, was placed in the B2 course at the European School of English.

Classes were divided into two blocks: Mornings followed a traditional format—grammar, writing, the typical English class, really. In the afternoons, the focus was on business English, with plenty of communication and conversation instead of rules and grammar charts. Sebastian particularly enjoyed the international mix of his morning class: eight people from all over the world—two, as already mentioned, from his vocational school, one from Hong Kong, three from Turkey, and a Russian woman who had traveled from Spain. He was taught by a native English speaker in the morning and by a teacher in the afternoon who is originally from Senegal, studied in Oxford, and now lives in Malta. It doesn’t get much more international than that.

At the end of each week, there was an assessment, and upon completion, he received a certificate: 30 hours of English instruction at the B2 level, in black and white. ✍️

The language school made sure to entertain its international guests. A welcome party was held on the very first day of school: About 50 people from various courses met in front of the school at 8 p.m.; an organizer led the group, and they headed to the “Footloose” club. Even the teachers from Lichtenfels, who were in Malta for the first week, joined in the celebration.

There was also a dance class every Wednesday. Sebastian chose salsa—a class that was so popular that the venue was practically bursting at the seams. But that was exactly what made it so special. 💃

In addition to classes, the program included field trips—some organized by the language school, some by the vocational school, but many of which we planned on our own.

One highlight was the trip to Mdina and Rabat. Mdina, the famous “Silent City,” served as the backdrop for King’s Landing in the first season of Game of Thrones. It’s a quiet, almost dreamlike city with centuries-old walls. After the guided tour of the city and a visit to Rabat, Sebastian and seven others spontaneously organized their own trip: taking an Uber to the Dingli Cliffs to watch the sunset there. The Dingli Cliffs are among Malta’s most beautiful natural sites and are a popular spot for a sunset stroll.

Another excursion took them by ferry to Gozo, the second-largest island in the Maltese archipelago, including a visit to the fortress there. Toward the end of the second week, the group headed to the capital, Valletta, where the old and the new, the rich and the poor, coexist side by side. Here, too, the group didn’t want to miss the sunset. 🌅

Things got exciting even beyond the postcard-perfect scenery: Through his vocational school, Sebastian took a tour of the Cisk Brewery—one of Malta’s best-known brands—as well as the Lufthansa Technik workshops, where airplanes are maintained and repaired. These are insights that ordinary tourists don’t often get to experience.

Despite all the schoolwork and excursions, the best part for Sebastian was the people. He spent most of his evenings with his group of eight from the language school: karaoke, board and card games, time by the pool, and the occasional evening with the teachers at a small bar.

On the last evening, there was an unofficial farewell party at the bar across from the hotel: celebrating together, saying goodbye, and exchanging contact information. It’s precisely those connections that have lasted. Sebastian is still in touch with one participant from Hong Kong and another from Turkey, including invitations to both countries to visit the families of his new friends.

As a farewell gift, his new friend from Hong Kong even drew a portrait of Sebastian and gave it to him. Friendships for life, as Sebastian says.