“Can someone my age really learn a new language?”
That one thought stayed with him right up until he decided to study abroad.
He was 60 years old and a complete beginner who couldn’t say a single sentence in English. With one simple wish, to share even a few words in English with his daughter who lives overseas, he came to CNS-MONOL English Academy in Baguio, Philippines.
Here is the honest story of his six weeks of English study.
Why Baguio?
When he first thought of the Philippines, he pictured hot weather and safety concerns. But Baguio was different.
Sitting about 1,000–1,500 meters above sea level, the city has an average temperature of 18–22°C. It feels like spring or autumn all year round. While Korea swelters in the summer heat, Baguio is cool enough for long sleeves.
It is one of the most popular cities in the Philippines, so much so that the President comes to The Mansion here every summer to escape the heat.
Baguio is also the education city of the Philippines. Market vendors, supermarket staff, restaurant workers and the students you meet in the park can all speak English with you.
The moment he arrived, he felt there could be no better place to learn English.
“Will I be the oldest one there?” Not at all!
Even after deciding to go, he had one more worry:
“What if I’m the only old man there?”
The reality was the complete opposite.
During his stay, the CNS campus had students from their 40s to their 70s studying together, and people in their 60s were the largest group. In fact, he was one of the younger students! 😄
Even now in 2026, more than half of the Korean students at MONOL Main Campus are seniors 🙂
If your age is what’s holding you back, there is nothing to worry about.
Four hours of class in a row, and it still felt short?
As a total beginner, he worried he wouldn’t be able to keep up. But once classes started, each 45-minute lesson flew by.
Even with four hours of classes in a row each day, he never once felt bored.
Why?
Because his teachers matched his pace and never gave up, explaining things one by one until he understood.
That is why even complete beginners can keep up: 1:1 personalized classes.
Speaking English at the dinner table, even among Koreans?
You might think that with so many Korean students, everyone would just speak Korean. Not at all.
Everyone he studied with had come to truly learn English, so the atmosphere was different.
Even at meals, you would hear “How was your class today?” and “Can I have the rice?”
People spoke to each other in English and kept trying, because making mistakes was okay. Inside and outside the academy, it was an English environment all day long.
What changed after six weeks
This student, who arrived as a complete beginner, said this after six weeks:
“Now I think I can travel around Southeast Asia on my own.”
And one more thing:
“When I get back to Korea, I’m going to teach my wife the expressions I learned, one by one. Next time, we’ll come to Baguio together.”
That was the moment English stopped being just study and became something to share with family.
To anyone hesitating because of their age
We’d like to pass on his words:
“Don’t be afraid. You can do it. I did.”
It’s not too late. Now is the perfect time.
Watch his honest interview on the CNS-MONOL YouTube channel (in Korean):
From CNS to MONOL Main Campus
To be honest with you, the CNS senior campus featured in this story is no longer running.
Even so, people who read this story still reach out to us, saying “I want to try this too.” Many of them are now starting their senior language study at MONOL Main Campus.
MONOL offers a Senior ESL3 course for senior students. You take three speaking-focused 1:1 classes a day and study with senior textbooks built around travel and everyday conversation. It is a great fit if what you need is English you can actually speak, rather than a test score.
Most importantly, the same director and vice director who cared for senior students at CNS are now at MONOL. Because the people who understand what senior students worry about and need are still here, many seniors enroll with confidence.
If this story moved you, start your own next chapter at MONOL Main Campus.
See MONOL Main Campus programs · Have a question? Contact us here.