FriendsAbroad.com - Learn To Speak Like a Native

FriendsAbroad is the next best thing to doing the typical yet rather spendy exchange year abroad. It’s a social network with an emphasis on language exchange. As a member, you’ll be able to search for users from anywhere in the world and practice your French, Spanish, Finnish, Quechua, or whatever you fancy. Using FriendsTalk (works via Skype and all calls are free), you can speak with over 500,000 members or you can chat via IM. Of course, you’ll get your own profile space along with email and messaging options. As a member you’ll also be able to take advantage of pronunciation voice clips and you can record your own to add to the collection. FriendsTalk has users in over 200 countries speaking over 80 languages—so you’ll have plenty to keep you occupied. Registration is free.

“FriendsAbroad is the language learning network. FREE to join, learn language skills now with our online language exchange community of millions of users in over 200 countries speaking over 80 languages.”

FriendsAbroad is a web service that is actually helpful outside the online realm. It’s a great idea—what better way to take advantage of the global internet than to find international pals and learn some new languages? The site is user-friendly and the languages offered are wide ranging.

FriendsAbroad could benefit from more tools. Dictionaries, pronunciation guides, basic grammer primers? How is the site funded?