EF Stories: Luisa from Brazil at EF Malta

My name is Luisa Bergara, I'm 18 years old and I live in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. In 2018 I decided that I wanted to go on a trip unlike anything I'd ever experienced before. That's when the idea of going on an exchange program came up. My family really liked it, so they said they could help me make it happen.

I had six destinations in mind, and one of them was the island of Malta. Just writing that name makes me emotional and nostalgic. My exchange experience with EF to Malta was simply spectacular! I didn't know this destination before, I'd never even heard of it, and it was precisely this "unknown" that I fell in love with.

You know that idea that an exchange program is good because you get to experience a country's culture, live with a local family, eat meals like a native, etc.? Well, that's all very true! I chose to stay with a host family for a month and I couldn't have made a better choice. It was such a great cultural immersion, so rich and one that I'm sure I'll remember forever.

The EF classes were so enjoyable that I went to school excited every day. They were dynamic classes, with new content and different didactics. I was able to try typical dishes, get to know the country and its historical sites, visit marvellous tourist attractions, and even enjoy the island of Gozo - which, by the way, was the best trip I made with EF!

I never imagined living a month of my life as intensely as I did at EF Malta. I cried, I laughed, I got bogged down in English, but I also improved the language a lot. I got lost on the streets, but I also put together several itineraries, got to know Malta's famous beaches and its grand museums and historical monuments. I made friends from Germany, Panama, Chile, Peru, Netherlands, France, Argentina and many other countries.

In one month of exchange program I gained confidence, responsibility, autonomy, friends, experiences, cultural baggage, and many good memories. I am eternally grateful for every minute of my exchange program. Thank you EF Brazil and thank you EF Malta. You have my whole heart!