Language Immersion Courses in Serbia

Although the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro no longer exists—this after both countries voted to claim their independence in 2006—the two countries are often mentioned together and share many of the same characteristics.  Both are now independent counties in Southeast Europe and both offer a wealth of things to do and see for foreign-born visitors.  The official language in Serbia is Serbian, and the official language of Montenegro is Montenegrin—a cross between the Serbian and the Croatian language.  However, the majority of people in Montenegro are fully fluent in Serbian, and vice versa, and both countries offer language schools where visitors and new residents can learn the Serbian or Montenegrin language in a full-immersion instructional program.
 
Like full-immersion language programs in any country, those located in Serbia and Montenegro offer participants a rich learning experience, both inside and outside of the classroom.  Class sizes are typically very small, which gives participants plenty of time to engage in meaningful small group discussions with fellow learners and an abundance of one-on-one time with the instructor, a trained language teacher who specializes in teaching the Serbian and Montenegrin languages to non-native speakers.  Accommodations for these full-immersion language programs vary, and could include dormitory or apartment living, but if you get the opportunity to study here, you may want to stay with a host family—a family that volunteers their home and their time to make guests feel welcome and enhance the overall learning experience.
 
When the classroom sessions are concluded for the day, it certainly doesn’t mean that the Serbian and Montenegrin lessons are over.  In fact, they are just beginning, as students will have the opportunity to explore some of Serbia’s and Montenegro’s cultural sights and attractions and practice what they’ve learned with every person they encounter.
 
In Serbia’s capital and largest city, Belgrade, students can check out the architectural wonder that is the Cathedral of Saint Sava, a magnificent monument built to honor the founder of the Orthodox Church in the country.  Here they’ll find a temple in the form of a Greek cross, and a splendid façade of granite and marble.  Experts on the Cathedral’s features estimate the structure can hold more than 10,000 people for Sunday services.
 
For the lover of Ancient History, Belgrade is a genuine treat to visit—a visit that wouldn’t be complete without seeing the Kalemegdan, located in the Stari Grad area of the city.  This huge park and fortress complex pre-dates the modern era, and it now contains four distinct sections where visitors can enjoy trips to the Military Museum, planetarium, city zoo and observatory respectively.
 
Montenegro is definitely the place to be for the nature lover, as the country features scores of pristine lakes and rivers on which students can participate in a variety of water sports, from boating to skiing to fishing.  Also located in Montenegro is the renowned Ostrog Monastery, a massive structure that’s built into a sheer rocky cliff, and to where thousands of Montenegro’s faithful make a pilgrimage each year to honor Saint Basil of Ostrog.
 
Every day of your magical journey to Serbia and Montenegro will be filled to the brim with the Serbian and Montenegrin language, food, people and culture, combining the best and fastest form of language acquisition with a European vacation you’ll never forget.