EF: lies and broken promises

So, now I'm back in Madrid and after numerous emails regarding unused activies credits still owed, I decided to make this post about them, detailing every single aspect I felt cheated of. These are factual things, and not things I didn't like (like the fact that the average teacher stays for 4 months (hearsay, cannot prove it), or that some teachers are so poor at their job that students close their books mid-class to study that same subject back at home).

So, let's begin, in no particular order:

"Expect no more than 10% of the alumni from each country, to help socialising and preventing people talking in their native tongue"

This one really annoyed me. Not only I haven't seen a single person from Spain, but it felt that at least one third of the people there were from France, creating their own groups, exclusively speaking French, alienating everyone else.

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"Host families are never over 1 hour away!"

This was the route I took to be at the academy at 9am. Best case scenario it takes 65 minutes, but considering I specifically said that due to an accident, it hurts to walk long distances, I need to take a bus plus two subway lines, and still walk almost 20 minutes. Not to mention the fact that it costs 530 yen per trip, meaning it's 21,200 for the 4 weeks (over 180€!). Now, this is not the fault of the family itself (my hosts were great!), and I'm used to long commute times, but the least you can do is to not lie about it!

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"For all ages, especially above 25 years old"

I'm 36, and I have met only one other person above 30. Just 1 out of over 200 students. In the teachers' computers when scheduling, I noticed that every single class was marked as "under 25", and the grand majority of the students were under the tender age of 20, which is under the legal age in Japan, meaning you can't even go and have a beer with them.

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"Everything included"

Paid 75€ for 4 weeks of material, and yet had to buy more books. I know that the Kanji book I had to buy was like 12€, but considering the 4 weeks course costed a whopping 3725€, they should give it away for free, instead of making it easily available to buy at reception at our own expense.

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"5 hours a day of lessons, 5 days a week"

Let's do some math, based off this weekly schedule. Note that every class is 1 hour 20 minutes long:

• Monday: 4 classes, one overlapped with an activity - 5h20m total

• Tuesday: 2 classes - 2h40m

• Wednesday: 4 classes - 5h20m

• Thursday: 2 classes and a questionnaire about "what do you feel about the course thus far?" - 2h40m

• Friday: 3 classes and an activity - 4 hours

So I paid for 25 hours, but only got 20. Not cool.

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"Daily activities"

Due to poor planning due to the outbreak, some were cancelled at the last minute, and others overlapped with the classes. Also, the classes were alternating mornings and afternoons (one day you may begin at 9am, but the next day is from 3pm), making private planning of activities impossible. Fun!

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"We're constantly in touch with the embassy and other associations to stay up-to-date with all events"

This one is not just false, but a dangerous lie. Prior to departure, they were not aware that schools were shutting down in Japan (I had to tell them after finding out by other sources!), so they had an emergency meeting to let me know what the situation was going to be like. More on this in the next point.

Also, I wanted to volunteer in various centers for visitors to the country with the whole Covid-19 situation, taking advantage of the fact I speak several languages, so I asked if they could speak with someone so I could go and help after class. Not a single peep. I made two calls on my own (in a completely broken Japanese, kinda emulating English), and both offices ended up giving me appointments in a matter of minutes. I assume that they didn't even bother.

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"If the situation gets out of control, we'll put you on a plane back to Spain"

Last but definitely not least, this is the real reason why I'm making this post and why I'm reclaiming my money back (at least some of it).

So, before flying, they shut down the schools, museums, and most public places. I asked Silvia if it was still safe to fly and have the experience there, and she assured me it was going to be fine, and I repeat what she said: "If the situation gets out of control, we'll put you on a plane back to Spain". Got rid of my doubts, because you know, they wouldn't willingly put students in harm's way, right?

Spanish lockdown happens 2 weeks after starting the course, and I went to speak with the Spanish Embassy in Tokyo, explaining that my travel agency was sending me numerous emails to change the flight for free, due to the outbreak. They strongly suggested I go back to Spain as soon as possible. After speaking with the "Spanish director for students abroad" (self-appointed, pompus title), she basically said that I would not only forfeit all the course, alongside something like: "As I imagine that you are scared, money is not important for you" (translation: "come back, sure, we won't refund or pay for anything"), and calling me a liar when I quoted the other person saying that EF should take charge and help me out of this situation.

Now, 2 weeks sending emails, they won't even bothering replying to them, picking up the phone, or checking Whatsapp or Skype. Fun fact: I get "read" receipts when they open the emails or check my whatsapp messages. Pay particular attention at how fast they are to read and how hard they work (did they go for a mid-crisis holiday?):

Still no reply at the moment of writing this (01-04-2020).

In short, avoid this company like the plague. I'll now send a final warning, and then I'll happily sue for the money owed (difference in hours, unused activity credits, plus half the course I had to flee the country after following their broken promise).

This will be fun...