From Washington state in the north, through Oregon and northern California down to San Diego on the border with Mexico, schools, colleges and universities offer a plethora of intensive English programs designed to meet the needs of any learner.

California is the leading destination state for overseas students. Washington and Oregon are magnet states for English language learners. Despite the loss in numbers of students from the traditional markets of Asia, schools are seeing an increase in enrollments from other areas of the world, especially South America.

The most recent Open Doors Report (1997-98, Institute of International Education), reveals a surge in numbers of students coming to the U.S. from South America to study in intensive English programs. In Œ97/98, 2,869 students came from Brazil to enroll in IEP courses, an increase of 73% over the preceding academic year. Columbia and Venezuela registered respective increases of 31% and 27%.

The attractions of studying English in the western United States are numerous. Sunny beaches, a host of theme parks and other attractions draw students to California while the rugged beauty and lively youth culture of the Pacific Northwest entice other learners to Washington and Oregon. Of course, some students take a while to adjust to their new environment, especially in a region where the scenery and the people are often larger than life. Program administrators are aware of the potential for "culture shock" and are equipped to deal with it.

For example, according to William Serrano, a student from Venezuela studying at Santa Ana College (part of the Rancho Santiago Community College), life was hard at first. "Last year I came to California to study.

It was hard for me to adjust to this country because I missed my family and my friends back home in South America. The International Student Association, our club on campus in Santa Ana College, helped me to overcome this culture shock. Now I'm excited because I've made a lot of friends here."

Other students find it easier to settle in. Take Yumi Yamagami from Japan, also a student at Santa Ana College. "I'm a crazy person," says Yumi. "That's probably the reason I fit in the Californian lifestyle so perfectly. I love the sun and all those people here from different cultures. It is a lifetime experience to leave home and go to a foreign country and study."

Programs can last weeks or months depending on the needs and time scale of the individual student. "Each term is ten weeks. Ten weeks is very good for you to study English with concentration." a Taiwanese student at the UESL Program, Central Washington University in Ellensburg said. Students wanting more than a language class have many courses to choose from. At the University of California, Irvine, there are Accelerated and Evening Certificate Programs on offer. Subjects include Web Design and Marketing Communications. Moving inland from Irvine to Riverside, the University of California, Riverside, has programs in International Business Management, Interpretation, Education and Agriculture. Bellevue Community College, in Washington, offers Microsoft Certification courses.

Montserrat Perera-Sabadell from Barcelona, Spain, is studying on the 10-week Certificate Program in Travel, Tourism, and Hospitality Management at the University of California, San Diego. "I have experienced living in San Diego to be a very warm and friendly environment," said Montserrat. "It has been impressive to get to know the ŒAmerican way of life.'"

"At present I am attending professional courses at the University of and I am also involved in an internship with an American company. This will expand my knowledge and help to develop new skills for my professional life. I believe that building your future and realizing your dreams depend on the choices you make," Montserrat said. International students study English for a wide variety of reasons. Kamate Ben Kamate from the Congo, who is studying at Santa Ana College said: "The people of my village in Africa sent me here. I am married and I have two kids. My major is Diesel and Heavy Equipment. God will help me to succeed. When I finish my education I will go back to my country to help the people there," Ben said.

Teacher education programs are strongly represented throughout the region.

The School of Teaching English as a Second Language offers a number of teacher preparation courses including a K-12 endorsement in ESL. The University of California locations at Irvine, Riverside, and San Diego all offer teacher training programs Scott N. from Brazil, who took a course at the School for Teaching ESL in Seattle said: "The people are hungry for English with the surging computer-age global economy. Thanks for the great training and support."

No stay in the western U.S. is complete without a visit to some of the region's major attractions. Whether it's Sea World or the San Diego Zoo, Universal Studios or Hollywood, or the Space Needle and Pike Street Market in Seattle, students will have lots of fun exploring their environment.

Schools, like Central Washington Univer-sity, organize many outings. "Many interesting trips take place each quarter." a Korean student studying there said.

It's clear that whatever their nationality, overseas students get a kick out of studying on the West Coast.