Last chance before starting work! 4 weeks of study in Cebu during spring break | Jessica's experience in the ESL Course

“I want to take on English seriously abroad while I’m still a student.” With that thought in mind, Jessica, a student at a vocational language school, used her spring break to travel to Cebu Island for four weeks. For her, who studies English and Chinese, this trip to Cebu was her “last chance” before starting work.

At 3D ACADEMY, the language school she chose with value for money in mind, she lived days full of one-on-one classes, surrounded by students of many nationalities, enjoying both study and fun to the fullest.

In this interview, we asked Jessica to tell us in detail about the classes she took, stories about her teachers, recommended places in Cebu, real advice about the study trip and her goals after this experience.

“It’s okay to make mistakes; the important thing is to try speaking first. In my four weeks in Cebu, my resistance to speaking English disappeared.”

If you have any interest in studying in Cebu or you are looking for the school that suits you best, we invite you to read to the end.

Just before graduating from university or vocational school, she wanted to use her limited time to try “something she could only do now.” That was the feeling that led Jessica to decide to study in Cebu.

“I felt that this spring break was my “last chance” to study abroad. Also, I already had a job lined up, so I wanted to use English seriously before becoming a working person.”

Jessica attended a vocational language school where English and Chinese are studied. The school has a system for earning credits for studying abroad, and 3D ACADEMY was one of its partner schools. Also, thanks to this program, even during spring break, when there are normally classes, the trip was counted as an excused absence, which allowed her to keep her attendance rate while traveling, something she said was a big attraction.

“Until now I had always kept 100% attendance, and I wanted to keep it until the end (laughs). In that sense, this system was a great help.”

Another of the big reasons she decided to study abroad was “value for money.” Since she had to cover the costs with the money she had saved working part-time, she needed to choose a school that was within her budget and, at the same time, offered good learning results.

“Among the three schools that my school recommended, I chose 3D ACADEMY because it had the best value for money and its classes were mainly one-on-one.”

That is how Jessica’s four weeks of study in Cebu began. Making the most of her limited time, with the attitude of “study and have as much fun as possible,” a very full set of days began.

At 3D ACADEMY, Jessica chose the standard ESL Course. Of the seven daily classes, four were one-on-one and three were group classes, a structure that develops speaking, listening, reading and vocabulary in a balanced way.

“What I remember most is the first class every morning with Teacher She. It’s a time slot when you usually get sleepy, but thanks to her cheerful and funny personality, the sleepiness disappeared completely (laughs).”

A great advantage of one-on-one classes is being able to concentrate fully, face to face with the teacher. According to her, the classes Jessica took followed these steps:

Look at a photograph, predict the content and respond in her own words Listen to the teacher read aloud and then read it again herself Learn the new words and phrases that appear in the text Answer questions to check her understanding of the content

“It wasn’t just about moving forward in the textbook; I was asked to “keep speaking,” so little by little my resistance to using English disappeared.”

Jessica had already had a short study experience in Australia before, but on that occasion the classes were mainly group classes, and she remembers that “I was afraid of making mistakes, so I hesitated to speak.”

“But this time, since in one-on-one classes “there’s nowhere to hide” (laughs), I tried to say something anyway. Even though I spoke clumsily at first, by repeating it every day I felt that “speaking English” was becoming something natural.”

One day, while chatting casually with a Taiwanese classmate who was her roommate in the dorm, she suddenly realized that “speaking English had become normal” for her.

“At that moment I thought: “ah, maybe I’ve grown a little.” It made me so happy!”

One of the goals of her study trip was to improve her “ability to speak.” Jessica seems to have confirmed, day by day, in every class, that even in a short time you can change that much.

The ESL Course at 3D ACADEMY also includes three group classes a day. Unlike one-on-one classes, learning together with classmates offers more chances to get to know how students from other countries speak and think.

“Honestly, at first I sometimes felt that group classes were harder... It was hard for me to answer the teacher’s questions quickly and keep up with the pace of other students’ contributions. But I think that was exactly what motivated me.”

Amid all of this, Jessica especially liked a very particular class called “Movie Understanding.” It consists of watching movies and learning from them the phrases, words and idioms that appear: a perfect example of “English through entertainment.”

“At first I was a little nervous about watching movies in English without subtitles, but since well-known movies or famous scenes were used, it was easy to follow. It was so much fun that after class I felt like watching them again, and that way I could review and prepare naturally.”

In this class, which lets you learn the “living English” that is really used through the content of movies, casual expressions and slang used by native speakers also appear. It is perfect for widening the range of expressions you have in everyday conversation.

Also, there are moments to share opinions in a group, which also serves as practice for expressing your own ideas in English.

“Especially when answering questions like “what does this phrase mean?” or “how does this character feel?”, I felt how hard it is to explain “emotions” in English, but I learned a great deal.”

The movie class, which made her feel that “this is how you learn with fun,” seems to have been one of the classes that helped Jessica most to lower the barrier to learning English.

Life at 3D ACADEMY was full not only in class, but also after class and on weekends. With the wish to “value the experience in Cebu as much as studying English,” Jessica visited many places together with her classmates.

■ How she spent her time after class: shopping malls, cafes and night pools

After finishing classes, she went to the nearby Ayala Mall or SM Mall to unwind. They are very convenient places for shopping, eating and looking for souvenirs.

“I went to eat with friends or relaxed at Starbucks. Even when it wasn’t the weekend, the time after class was really a moment to relax.”

Also, at night she often went to night pools. They are popular places with beautiful lighting and many facilities with jacuzzis, where you can enjoy a resort atmosphere.

“Swimming at night in a pool is something you almost never experience in Japan, so I felt it was something typical of Cebu. Also, it looked great in photos, so I posted a lot of them on social media (laughs).”

The school’s new building also has a self-study room, and all the desks have a lamp and an outlet for charging devices. When she had homework, she often concentrated on studying here.

“Since the self-study room was quiet and comfortable, I finished my homework quickly even on the days I had it, so I could go out and have fun with friends at night.”

■ On weekends, “days full of sea” with her classmates: enjoying Cebu actively

When the weekend came, Jessica actively went out island hopping with a group of 8 to 10 classmates who were studying at the same time.

The main places she visited were the following:

Mactan Island (pools and cafes at resort hotels) Nalusuan Island and Pandanon Island (crystal-clear sea and snorkeling) Bantayan Island (a photogenic island where you can also stay overnight) Oslob (the hugely popular activity of swimming with whale sharks)

“The sea was really beautiful, so I went somewhere almost every weekend. On Bantayan Island I stayed overnight, and it was such an out-of-the-ordinary experience that it became one of my best memories.”

At night, she sometimes went to night markets or stylish cafes, where she chatted with friends or studied together with three other people. It seems she was living, literally, “a hybrid time between study and fun.”

“Only in the last week did I think “this is serious!” and focus on studying (laughs), but the rest of the time I had as much fun as I could.”

As recommended places to eat near the school, Jessica mentioned:

Pink House Alice Garden

Both are popular restaurants with a nice atmosphere, and you can walk to them.

“Since I had come to Cebu, I wanted to enjoy both the sea and the food to the fullest.” Jessica’s weekends, in which she fulfilled that wish with all her might, were full of valuable experiences beyond English.

In fact, this study trip to Cebu was not Jessica’s first experience abroad. Earlier, through a program at her vocational language school, she had spent three weeks studying in Australia. However, she says there were several points that were very different from that experience.

“In Australia I stayed with a host family, and getting to school by train and on foot took me more than an hour. Just the trip left me exhausted, and honestly I didn’t have energy left even to have fun...”

Also, the language school classes were mainly group classes and only in the morning or only in the afternoon, and the small number of classes also left her with a feeling of dissatisfaction.

“What I learned was fine in itself, but honestly I thought it would have been better to have more classes... And since they were only group classes, I didn’t have many chances to speak either...”

In contrast, on this study trip to Cebu, in addition to a full schedule of seven classes a day, the four one-on-one classes gave her plenty of “speaking time.” She also achieved a good balance between classes and activities, combining learning with fun.

“In Cebu I can go out and have fun right after class, and there is almost no stress from getting around. Also, since they are one-on-one classes, every day there is a situation where “if I don’t speak, the class doesn’t move forward” (laughs). That’s why English starts coming out naturally.”

Through her own experience, Jessica learned that studying at a language school in a native-English-speaking country does not always translate directly into an improvement in English level. She says she confirmed once again how efficient and cost-effective it is to study in the Philippines.

“On my previous trip, I partly chose the destination simply because “it was a native-English-speaking country,” but this time in Cebu I could focus on “how much I speak myself,” and that was really positive.”

It is not enough to be “in an English-speaking environment”; what you really need to improve your language level is to “actually speak and use it.” Jessica’s two experiences studying abroad show us how important this is.

“Someday I’d like to study abroad, but I feel a certain unease...” For those who have exactly that feeling, we gathered plenty of real advice from Jessica.

■ The unease before studying abroad is something “everyone feels”

“Actually, I was full of unease at first too. Since I was traveling alone this time, the feeling of “will I be able to manage well?” was very present... But when I arrived, there were many classmates in a situation similar to mine, and I quickly became good friends with them.”

Jessica also has experience of having studied abroad together with friends in the past, but she says that a trip like this one, in which she took part alone, offered her a different opportunity for growth.

“When you come alone, there are many situations where I have to decide and act for myself, and that is precisely why I gained a lot of confidence.”

■ The list of items that were really worth bringing

Including the unexpected things that happened during her trip, there are several items about which she thinks: “I’m so glad I brought them!”

Electronic dictionary and wristwatch → they were a great help after I lost my phone! Stomach medicine, sunscreen and insect repellent → since there are many activities at sea and outdoors, it’s important to take care of your health Small crossbody bag or waist pouch → practical for carrying valuables, also as protection against theft

What struck her most was the story of having lost her mobile phone.

“I forgot my phone in a taxi and in the end I never found it... It was a tremendous shock! But afterward I was able to manage with the electronic dictionary and the wristwatch, and I truly felt I had done well to bring them.”

■ What “attitude” did she keep in mind during her study trip?

What Jessica kept in mind during her trip was, above all, to “enjoy” and to “not be afraid of words.” Even if your English isn’t perfect, if you make an effort to communicate in your own words, the other person really listens. She says she saw this every day.

“At first I thought: “how embarrassing if I make a mistake...” But in one-on-one classes, if I don’t speak the class doesn’t move forward, and the teacher supported me very kindly, so I was able to change my mindset to “it’s okay to make mistakes.””

And above all, the warmth of the land of Cebu, the school’s support and the presence of her fellow students were a great support for Jessica.

“I don’t think the unease ever disappears completely. But I truly felt that taking a step forward can change the world.”

Jessica will take a new step as a working person starting in spring. She says that the experience gained on this study trip to Cebu is not limited to language, but will also greatly influence her future career.

“I’m going to work as a sales administrative assistant at a company that does business abroad. Since some clients are from English-speaking countries, I want to become someone who can provide support using English.”

In addition to what she learned at the vocational language school, she has the practical English she built in Cebu. Using that skill to “become someone who can support others” is her current goal.

“By nature, I’m the type of person who likes to support others from behind the scenes. That’s why I want to keep developing my “ability to support using English” in the future.”

■ She will keep “studying English” even after starting work

Jessica says she plans to keep studying English even after starting work. What she especially has in mind are formal expressions in English and business English.

“I’ve gotten used to conversation, but I feel I still lack a lot in the English used in formal situations, so I plan to keep practicing a little every day, even after I start working.”

She commented that she also wants to improve her TOEIC score and, in the future, to be able to handle business emails and phone calls with ease.

■ Her personal dreams are expanding too

Jessica also has a strong desire to use English not only in her career, but also in her personal life. Her next goal is to return to Australia as a tourist. She also says she would like to travel for an extended period around Europe, a place she hasn’t been to yet.

“With this study trip to Cebu I was able to confirm once again that “traveling abroad really is fun,” so from now on I want to be someone who can go abroad more easily.”

■ One last message from Jessica for those who are unsure about studying abroad

“Before leaving, honestly, I was very anxious. But when I actually took the leap, I found that most of the things I was worried about were simply things that “somehow get resolved if you try.””

“It’s okay to make mistakes, it’s okay not to speak well yet. If you take a step forward, something will definitely change! If you’re hesitating, I’d love for you to have the courage to “go and try it.””

Language level, intercultural experience, meeting irreplaceable classmates. Although it was only four weeks, Jessica’s experience of studying abroad, in which she gained great change and self-confidence, offers great hints and courage to everyone who wants to “try something they can only do now.”