We were thrilled to welcome Nina Goodland (NHEHS 2021) back to school recently to talk to our Sixth Form language students about her experience of studying French and Spanish at UCL. Nina, who spent the third year of her degree course abroad, explained how exciting and rewarding a languages degree can be.

Her year abroad began in Toulouse, studying at the university there and immersing herself in French academic and cultural life. From navigating lectures in French to exploring local life in southern France, Nina found herself gaining fluency and confidence every day.

The second part of her year abroad took her further afield, to South America. She spent time in Guatemala, where she taught English in a small local school. This hands-on experience allowed her not only to improve her Spanish in an authentic setting but also to contribute meaningfully to a local community.

Nina’s experience really highlighted to our students how valuable and enriching a degree in languages can be, especially in today’s world, offering both academic benefits as well as opportunities to travel and work abroad.