Work and Education in Mallorca

A friendly "hola" is often the first word that holiday makers get to hear after arriving at Palma International Airport. The basic Spanish greetings are usually quickly remembered by most tourists, who use them even after a day or two when shopping in the supermarket, in the restaurant or when renting a car.

Mallorca Language Travel: Educational holiday in a Mediterranean atmosphere

Travel broadens your horizons is a well-known truism. Mallorca is hugely popular among Britons and Germans of all ages as well as many other northern Europeans who year after year spend their holidays at resorts such as Alcúdia, Magaluf or El Arenal. Very few of them speak Spanish, because in the main tourist areas communication in English or German tends to work pretty effectively. However, those who do explore the island on their own with a rental car quickly realise that once you are away from the package tourist resorts, it can be really difficult communicating with the locals.

It puts a dampener on your dinner if you want to order a vegetable stew "Sopa de verdura" and get served the fish soup "Sopa de pescado" because you don't speak Spanish or Catalan. There are plenty of opportunities to combine something fun and something practical and that is why a language study trip to Mallorca is another holiday option where you take in the Mediterranean ambience while learning the second most widely spoken language in the world.

Learning and Relaxing: A fascinating combination

The combination of beach holiday and Spanish language course is a charming and memorable mix. Courses last between two and four weeks and involve an intensive language course in Spanish and accommodation - usually with locals. At the beginning the participants are divided into groups according to their previous knowledge of the language. This ensures that all participants start on an even keel. After the lessons are over for the day there will be plenty of time for a trip to the beach, a shopping tour or a sightseeing trip.

After a short time, the participants can string a few sentences together and best of all, what you learn can be tried out on the locals as you gain confidence in a skill you never thought you had as well as being able to start to understand how Mallorca really rolls. Very often course participants tend to stay with Mallorcan host families, so real communication is there to supplement what you have learned in class - this is the optimal way to increase your vocabulary and confidence while getting to know the culture and making new friends.

Working in Mallorca: Make money while others spend

Many people from northern Europe dream of emigrating and being able to work and make money in Mallorca. This is understandable, because of the pleasant Mediterranean climate and the 300 sunny days per year. Bear in mind: finding work in Mallorca is a difficult undertaking and requires a high degree of willingness to compromise - not to mention having a good knowledge of the language in most cases.

Anyone who seriously tries to find work in Mallorca or build a life for themselves, has to put in a lot of research trawling the internet or answering advertisements in regional daily newspapers. This is a place where personal relationships and contacts make all the difference. Anyone who is informed about vacancies by acquaintances or insiders should react quickly before the position is filled and a personal recommendation from an insider goes a long way.

Seasonal jobs are the rule

Workers who want to earn permanent money in Mallorca need to be aware that the majority of jobs are temporary jobs only. Most restaurants, hotels, bars, boutiques and shops close from November to March. If you do not want to return to cooler climes in the winter months, you must have the necessary financial cushion to bridge the gap. In general, the prospects of employment in the tourism industry and in the restaurant industry are best.

Recognised training and or experiece in the hotel or catering sector increases your chances of finding a job. Job hunting is done either directly on-site or from home. Many travel companies are specifically looking for suitable professionals based locally, for example, who is dealing with a job as a tour guide or entertainer. Alternatively, those willing to do temp work in Mallorca are in a better position to enquire about jobs than those scouring the net from a different country.