ELC BLOG

Janine is 21 years old and from Thundorf, Switzerland. She studied with us in Santa Barbara for 10 weeks, creating friends, laughs and memories along the way. Her vivacious laugh filled the hallways of ELC Santa Barbara, and we will miss it! We enjoyed getting to know Janine! Read on below to learn more about Janine!

Is this your first time in the US?

No, I was at the East Coast four years ago, but just for a vacation with my family.

What were you surprised to learn about the US or Santa Barbara? Did you experience culture shock?

I knew coming in that it is expensive to live in California, but I was surprised to learn that most people have two jobs to pay their bills. The police are so friendly, and I was also surprised to learn that the locals are so helpful and easy to approach.

What do you miss about your country?

I miss our good cheese and bread. You can find a lot of Swiss cheese on the menu, but that is definitely NOT Swiss cheese! 🙂 You will have to come to Switzerland to try for yourself!

What do you do for fun?

I went to the mountains with an ELC friend and his host father. There we shot with guns—I had so much fun! I also enjoyed visiting an adventure park with friends, where we enjoyed many roller-coasters. It was such fun!

What are your hobbies?

I love dancing (especially to Hip Hop) and singing and for sure traveling—it’s always pretty cool to see new places and learn about other cultures!

Do you have any tips for people who want to learn English?

Meet the native people, and talk to them! It also helps to watch TV or movies or read books in English. I know that really helped me!

What is your favorite place in Santa Barbara?

Butterfly Beach I think is the most beautiful beach in Santa Barbara. I have many special memories there. I also LOVE Sandbar for sure—they have the best drinks, very good food and awesome bartenders. 🙂 I plan to take my mom there when we visit Santa Barbara together. I also love Cold Spring Taverns- that’s a great restaurant in the mountains that is very cozy. The food is delicious!

What are your favorite moments in and out of class at ELC?

I loved enjoying the sunsets, going out with my friends, chilling at the beach. Well, I can’t tell you my favorite moments because I had so many wonderful moments in Santa Barbara. It was a very special time!

What are your plans after ELC?

I am going to travel around the United States for another 3 months! Some of the places I will go are Joshua Tree, San Diego, Arizona, Las Vegas, Santa Cruz, San Francisco, Yosemite, Death Valley, Utah, and Colorado. I look forward to seeing other places, but it is so sad to leave Santa Barbara, I fell in love with this city! 🙂