Maui Language Institute

York Boeder , Germany

Our dream was to polish our English in another country than Switzerland for six months, after I retired from World-Cup skiing competition. As a result, last summer we began looking for a suitable place to go. We have an 18-month-old daughter and love kite surfing, so we definitely needed a special solution. Searching the internet,

we found many English schools in different countries. After writing some e-mails, we decided to go to MLI, since MLI had several possibilities that interested us greatly. On the very first day at MLI, we talked to Dr. Alice Luther, the director, and we arranged a perfect schedule for our goals. The schedule was full of variety. For vocal production and pronunciation we worked with Dr. Alice Luther. The lessons were exciting and very interesting and a lot of fun. Alice is amazing and is a genius in teaching vocal production. We improved enormously and enjoyed every minute with her.

We spent most of our time with Dr. Eric Shaffer, a well known poet on Maui. We studied both Business English and grammar with him, and you wouldn’t believe it, but we had a great time studying grammar because Eric explained the dry stuff easily, clearly, and with lots of humor. Studying Business English with him, we learned to read and write various business letters that we
can now use in our country.

We were lucky to find a teacher as good as Eric as he has extensive experience in business communication. We also spent one week with Derek Snyder who taught us about Hawaiian culture and history. Derek’s lessons were inspiring and he really put his heart into his work. He made our trip to Big Island and O`ahu even more special with his recommendations. We feel extremely luck to have found MLI. The school truly found solutions and all the teachers and staff were very kind, helpful and positive people. Studying on Maui is like learning English in paradise. Thank you! Please feel free to contact us: denise@francocavegn.ch

Franco and Denise Cavegn -- , Switzerland
Franco Cavegn -- Three-time Oylmpian

I had dreamed about going to Hawaii – a paradise on earth – since I was 15 years old. My Hawaiian dream came closer when I checked the internet and found the University of Hawaii Maui Language Institute. The staff at MLI was very helpful and answered all my questions. Spontaneously, I decided to take my chance and go to Maui for 5 weeks. I was visitor at MLI already with an advanced English level. MLI did an awesome job of arranging a special program for me from which I could benefit a lot. I rented a room at a couple’s house close to school and enjoyed living there. As usual, time passed by too quickly. Now, I’m already back in Switzerland and miss Maui with it’s beautiful beaches, delicious fruits etc. It was a great experience and I hope I can go back sometimes. It truly is the paradise on earth!

-- Melanie, Switzerland
Student

My first trip to Maui was for various reasons - the first, my honeymoon with my husband, the second, to visit our friend, Eric, and third to learn English. Before I got married in 2003, I was a pro basketball player, an Olympian during the 2000 Olympics, and we were unable to go on a honeymoon because of team commitments. My husband is also a professional basketball player and he had team commitments as well. Our second reason for traveling to Maui was to visit our good friend Eric Balinbin, a coach at Lahaina Luna H.S. We hosted Eric three years ago while he was in Europe and now his honeymoon gift to us is sharing his home and culture. My third reason for coming to Maui is to learn English.

The Maui Language Institute has given me a great opportunity to get started with the basics. I hope to continue my studies and many visits to the beautiful island of Maui.

-- Marcela, Slovakia
Basketball Olympian

Together with my family, I came here to Maui for just 3 weeks. This period was part of my Sabbatical year, as I used to work as a teacher in my home country. During this short stay here on Maui, I wanted to brush up
on my English. I searched in the
Internet and just by chance I found the MLI. So I didn't know really what I could expect. But it was important for me to find a school where the work is done seriously. And indeed, it was a lucky punch!

The instructors really do their job seriously and try hard to challenge and support their students in a pleasant way. With different ways and methods of teaching as such as are reading, writing, film studies, performance and conversation (even private lessons are possible), it's interesting and entertaining to learn a foreign language. So everybody has the possibility to improve and to go forward. It's a personal atmosphere where you feel at home and where you know each other. Also the staff at the office does an excellent and helpful job to make students' life agreeable. I really can recommend this school to everybody! Thanks a lot for your excellent work!

-- Edi, Switzerland
School Teacher

I was with MLI before I moved on to UH - Maui College. Although I attended MLI for only three months, it was the most intensive three months I have ever experienced. I was just out of high school and away from my family for the first time; I didn't know much about how the world worked. MLI was always there for me. Because of each wonderful MLI instructor and the considerate program they offer, I learned many "tricks" to make my life full of happiness and discovery. To build a strong house, it needs to have a solid foundation first. MLI is where I formed my foundation for life. Now, I am building my house - my life.

-- Akari, Japan
Student and Published Author

I came to Maui for two main reasons. Mainly I wanted to improve my English and at the same time I wanted to be able to have enough free time to kiteboard. Before I left Brazil a friend told me about MLI which I attended before I started my higher English classes. The teachers at MLI were really nice and they helped me out a lot. They have a good vibe and they always made me feel comfortable. I had a good schedule because I could study in the morning and still train in the afternoons. Even now that I'm not attending their program anymore I still am friends with them!

-- Bruna, Brazil --3rd place, Women's World PKRA (Kite Boarding) Tour, 2005

Theater? How could I know when starting MLI that I would have the opportunity to benefit from drama classes, here where I am supposed to have English (which sounds like classic traditional, and maybe boring, English classes). How I wondered about this exercise.

It was a challenge for me when I first got my lines, trying to understand English... before the story itself. After this first essential work, I took distance from the text and thought a little more about the story I had to live and feel for a while.

I started to repeat and repeat my lines, playing it with my partner. And after a few repetitions I was so concentrated in the acting itself that I actually forgot I was speaking in English! This was maybe only for a few minutes, but it gave me the sensation of the pleasure of speaking English, forgetting that I was speaking a language different from my own.

This exercise gave me the opportunity to assimilate a lot of vocabulary in a short time with the motivation of a "game" ... which means, without pain. When it is fun, you forget that you are working in a very efficient way.

"Usually I'm afraid to be happy but here comes my cowgirl yell. YIP-PEE-I-OW ..."(A Couple White Chicks Sitting Around Talking by John Ford Noonan)

-- Camille, France
Lawyer

When I first flew to Hawaii from Colombia, I remember picking up the magazine in the airplane and I couldn't read it at all. I just flipped through it and put it back. When I got to Maui, I attended the Maui Language Institute for a year before I went to college. I did everything there - all the normal courses like vocabulary, reading and writing but I also did acting classes, computer classes and film studies. Everyone was so enthusiastic to learn. We hung out and did things even when we were not in school.

-- Francesco, Colombia -- World Junior Freestyle Windsurfing Champion, 2000