Learning has never been so much fun

The administrators at the International Academy of Film and Television in Cebu, Philippines describe the next big wave in travel as "edu-tourism." They hold that vacationers are no longer satisfied with just sitting on the beach sipping margaritas, and want to do something educational to engage with their host country in a meaningful way. The Philippines has a range of schools that give you just that, offering fun, education and everything in between.

The Philippines doesn't normally jump to mind as an English immersion environment. But although Filipino English has its own distinct accent, English is one of the two national languages and is spoken universally. For students of English without the budget to fly half way around the world to the UK or US for an immersion environment, the Philippines is a cheaper and more convenient option. And you can work towards your IELTS certification while sitting by the pool or learning how to scuba dive.

Many of the institutions are more than just schools, blurring the lines between education, business and even vacation. The American Language Teaching Academy (ALTA) is located near the beach outside Cebu City, and bills itself as a "language resort." It is an accredited school offering the standard range of TOEFL and IELTS certifications. However you won't find students hunkered over their books in the library at midnight studying for finals, but rather in the bar. ALTA opened an adjunct Cebu Garden Resort on the same compound just a few months ago, and indeed it's hard to tell where the school ends and the resort begins. President Larry Tarquinio emphasizes a relaxed family-style approach, and says many students find the program helpful because the laid-back atmosphere helps them get over shyness about speaking. He also gets the resort guests to pitch in to the educational environment, encouraging students to come down to the bar after classes and loosen up with a couple of beers to practice their English with foreigners staying at the resort.

ALTA offers 15-day "learning vacation" packages, but students certainly aren't bound by specific programs. They can come whenever they want and stay as long as they please — there is nothing so un-hip as semesters. In fact, students can study pretty much whatever suits their interest. The resort chef will teach them cooking, or they can learn how to make earrings and necklaces. The school was originally funded by money Tarquino made in the jewelry manufacturing business, and there is a sizeable jewelry factory in the middle of the campus if students are interested. Whatever students can dream up to study, Tarquino will find someone on staff to teach it to them.

And with only around 30 students at the school at a time, students get plenty of one-on-one instruction. Classes are informal, shoes are optional and when the weather's nice classes move outside to the scuba shack.

Closer in to Cebu is the International Academy of Film and Television (IAFT), a compound of large square buildings with a slick black lobby complete with flat-screen TVs and leather couches. It is also an amalgamation of different things, with a dedicated English training center connected to the film school, which is attached to a professional movie studio. Students might come to practice their English and end up directors. Last year there were seven graduates from its one-year filmmaking program, and four of them now work for the studio. The teaching staff has many Hollywood veterans, and if you hang around in the lobby long enough, you just might see a star.