Testimonials

Students

These testimonials from Global Village students will tell you in their own words why they liked to study English with us and what they learned from their language program and experience.

GV Vancouver
General English Program Francis: "I never thought about having friends from other countries" "Hi, I have been at GV Vancouver for five months and I have had a great experience. I want to talk about three important things for me: My friends, the school and my homestay. My friends: I met many people from different continents of the world. I never thought about having friends from other countries and now, one of my best friends is from Switzerland and the other one is from Japan! The school: It is excellent. The teachers are very friendly and they have helped me all the time. My homestay: It's with a special woman .She likes to talk a lot so my speaking skills have improved a lot thanks to her. Also we have a good relationship, we're like friends. In conclusion, I have had one of the greatest experiences in my life at GV Vancouver, because I learned not only different cultures but also English and I lived with a great Canadian family. I highly recommend this school. It is great!" Francis, student from Venezuela
General English Program Yuji: "The word “family” has a real meaning" "Hi, Before talking about how I spent my time at Global Village Vancouver, I would like to suggest to you that if you are thinking about studying English, you should consider studying here. The school is wonderful! I could meet so many international exchange students from different countries who are really excited about not only studying English but also doing a lot of activities that GV organizes. There are lots of great teachers at this school, and they are quite friendly. Also, there are so many different nationalities that it's a great way to meet different people while improving our English. I recommend this school because it offers so many programs. I actually took three of them: general ESL, Cambridge FCE and TOEFL. I was most interested in the Cambridge program even though it was challenging for me. Finally I would like to talk about the homestay program. While I was living in my homestay, I learned that the word "family" has a real meaning beyond description. Even though I was an exchange student, I realized I was also one of the family members. In conclusion, Global Village Vancouver and their homestay service is perfect! I have been totally pleased with the courses and my life in the homestay family." Yuji Sato, student from Japan
GV Toronto
General English Natalia: "I'll never forget neither GV nor Toronto" "I'm totally convinced that my four months in GV were worth it. I really improved my English and now I'm not afraid of making mistakes. If I make them, I know that it's just one more way to learn. I'll never forget neither GV nor Toronto. Hopefully I'll be back as soon as I can." Natalia, student from Brazil
General English Program Marina: "The teachers helped me so much! You can do it too! "Hello, my name is Marina. I am from Germany and I am going to tell you something about my 3 months at Global Village Toronto. It was a big step for me to come to Canada, but I tell you, I learned a lot. I arrived and my English wasn't the best, but the teachers helped me so much and now I feel so comfortable to speak. I started in GV 2 and when I left I was in GV 3. Isn't it great? So you can do it, too! The teachers at the school helped me with everything. They are very nice and helpful. Just ask and don’t be shy. You can also see a lot in Toronto and around Toronto because the school has a lot of great activities. I was in New York and French Canada and so on. I also learned a lot about other countries. I have friends now from Japan, Korea and also from Switzerland. I will really miss Toronto and the school. These 3 months were the best 3 months of my life. Now I am excited to go back to Germany to show all my friends and my family what I learned when I was so far away from home. Enjoy and never forget you CAN DO IT!" Marina, student from Germany
General English, Business English, Work Experience Program Hironori: "Customers at the YMCA are very friendly. They just laugh if I make a mistake!" "For the past year I have been studying English in Canada at Global Village Toronto. I have most recently been involved in an internship program through the school at the North York YMCA. I was able to meet many good workers and customers in the YMCA and learn English practically. In one department, which is called "Membership plus", I have learned hospitality and how to keep comfortable for members at there. When we supply towels, coffee, razors and many other things, the most important thing is members can take them comfortable. For example, if we put things a lot on the table, members feel easier to pick them. Also cleanliness is important. Surprisingly for me, customers are also very friendly. For example, when I make a small mistake, people are not serious. Sometimes they just laugh as between friends, but in Japan, people are not, so workers are very stressful. The reason why I came to Canada is not only studying English. I wanted to meet many people who are from different countries and I could because Toronto is an international city, where visible minorities make up as much as half of the population. I have enjoyed the opportunity to communicate with and learn from people from all over the world, and to experience their cultural differences. In my school, I was also able to make many friends. My conclusion is that how to improve English and communication skills is about trying speaking, listening, communicating actively. Canada has good environment to do that because people are friendly and polite. In the beginning, I could not improve my English without my host family. They gave me good practice during dinner, watching movies, weekends, and a lot of situation. They have not corrected my grammar so much, but I could talk to them a lot. For example, if I can not speak or understand well, people are not upset and try to figure. So I am very glad to study in Canada." Hironori, student from Japan
GV Calgary
General English Program Anjelika: "Everybody helped me and made me feel at home" "Hello! I am from Austria and my major in University is Trade and Economics. In my opinion, English is the most important language for a person to be successful in these areas. This is the reason why I decided to come to Calgary - to improve my English skills especially speaking. Choosing to study in Calgary is one of the best decisions I have ever made. My teachers created very interesting classes that included discussions, listening practice and pronunciation exercises. The students got involved — it was learning by doing. I was afraid that I would feel abandoned but from the first moment, I felt welcomed. Everybody helped me and made me feel at home. I have met people from all over the world and was never without friends. I look with a crying eye on my departure day and hope to come back some day soon." Angelika, student from Austria
General English Program Pole of Attraction: Calgary "Hello, This is the second time that I have been to Calgary in order to improve my English at GV. In hindsight, it was a wise decision to come back here because the teachers are extremely perfect and they make you enjoy learning English. Moreover, they make you challenge yourself, which means that improvement is your only chance. I have challenged myself and I enjoyed every single moment at school. Now, I am exactly sure that GV Calgary is the pole of attraction and the right place in order to improve your English in certain areas. Ozer Ozturk, student from Turkey
GV Victoria
General English Program Maki: "I now enjoy communicating in English" "Hi, What I most like about GV Victoria is that it’s like a family. I was so impressed by the staff’s ability to remember names of students; this amazed me! People are so friendly in Victoria; I love the atmosphere in the inner harbor and the scenery around Victoria. I think Victoria may be a little quiet, but I can concentrate on my studies and enjoy talking with my friends from other countries. I think this is the most important thing to do while I am in Victoria. At GV Victoria, we study with great teachers, and we also can enjoy playing pool or chess or participating in other school activities, which are good ways to study English. The Events and Activities Coordinator is always trying to attract and interest students. He takes us to beautiful places such as Goldstream Park and Salt Spring Island, and he also takes us to pubs. Through participating in these kinds of activities, we can improve our English. I used to live with a Canadian host family; they were so nice, and I loved living with them. Three months after I came here, I moved into a shared house. Now, I live with a Canadian and a Chinese roommate. I am enjoying myself with them. I really enjoy using my new English skills to talk to many different people; I feel like I have really changed over the last 6 months because I now enjoy communicating in English." Maki, student from Japan
General English Program Hagen: "The classes were not what I expected "school" to be like" "Hi, I'm Hagen, a student at Global Village Victoria. I chose to come here because I wanted to visit Canada and Victoria has the warmest weather in the country. It's a beautiful city, and I really like the space and freedom that we have here. A city about the same size in Germany would be much more crowded than Victoria. I also visited Vancouver while I was here, but I definitely prefer Victoria. Before I leave, I am taking a trip with some of my new friends to visit the beautiful scenery farther north on Vancouver Island. When I first arrived I was a little bit nervous and shy, but I quickly began to relax. My homestay family is really friendly and helpful - I feel like I am integrated into the family. I wasn't expecting the school to offer so many activities outside of school hours. I've visited the Royal BC Museum, attended a hockey game and - my favourite - taken a tour of the local beer brewery! The classes were not what I expected "school" to be like. I enjoyed them, and felt challenged by them. I feel I can understand English better now, and even though I don't need English for my current job, I know it will help me in my career in the future. I'm going home soon, but know that I will keep in touch with some of the friends I have made in Canada. I have had a very good time here, but my stay is a little bit too short! I would recommend Global Village and especially GV Victoria to anyone wanting to study English." Hagen, student from Germany
GV Hawaii
General English Program Senait: "Don't be undecided about coming here" "If you have the opportunity to come to GV Hawaii don't be undecided about coming here. GV Hawaii is where you can learn English in a great atmosphere, have fun with your teachers, meet many people from all over the world, do many activities, relax or have a BBQ at the beach, hang loose and go surfing, watch whales, or simply have a couple of drinks in Waikiki. This is the best decision I made to come and learn English in a great school and a very nice place, but of course at the same time having a lot of fun. Aloha!" Senait, student from Switzerland
General English Program Carole: "Unforgettable summer, my Hawaiian experience" "That summer two years ago will forever be one of the most beautiful and unforgettable summers of my life. A dream became a reality. GV provided me an opportunity to learn and improve my English language skills. The teachers were all very professional, friendly and truly helped me improve my reading, speaking, writing and comprehension of English language. Special thanks to all the team of GV. At the same time, I experienced the most amazing activities such as scuba diving, swimming with the dolphins, turtles and other sea creatures. In addition to all the memorable and relaxing times at the beach, cruising around the island, I have met many wonderful people from all over the world. Truly, my experience with the different cultures in Hawaii is like experiencing both the Hawaiian Sunrise over Diamond Head and the magnificent sunset at Magic Island. A highlight of my Hawaiian island experience was swimming with the dolphins... a dream come true. It was such an awesome experience to touch and kiss these magnificent animals. I had one of the best times of my life, the fragrant flowers everywhere, the water so blue, the beautiful beaches and the people full of Aloha will forever be in my heart. All of these makes it so difficult to go back home. It has been a fabulous summer in Hawaii. Thanks to God and GV Hawaii from the bottom of my heart!" Carole, student from Québec, Canada
GV Australia Student Testimonials