What inspired you to work for Wanderlust Spanish?
What inspired me to work at Wanderlust Spanish was their openness. In many other language institutes, the work environment is different. What caught my attention about this organization was that they tried to build a bond with people, both employees and clients.
They are also always looking to broaden their horizons by working with different ages and experience levels. For instance, Wanderlust Spanish worked in collaboration with an organization that taught Spanish to refugees (mostly from Arab countries). This was a remarkable learning experience for me.
Also, I get to work with children who want to learn Spanish! It is a dream come true and I love what I do. Wanderlust Spanish has shown me that it is possible to make a meaningful difference.
Why do you do what you do?
I love my language, my city, and my work! Working with people who are on the move means that there are always new and different energies in the workplace. Even with the pandemic, I am able to connect with people from all over the world. Interacting with people from other parts of the world makes me look at things from another perspective. Teaching language is a cultural treasure!
This was one of the first groups I had. We organized a soccer game for saying good-bye, it was a great experience.
How do you use your education and international background in your current role?
Going to a bilingual school has really helped me a lot in my performance. We must always understand when we work with languages that language is not only a way of speaking but also a way of thinking.
We have different cultures because we have different ways of thinking. Speaking a language is not just direct translation. That is why traveling is crucial for learning a language; it is important to understand the culture of that language.
I have had students from all over the world and it is important that I understand not only their culture but the current climate in that country. Understanding these things helps me to make my classroom a comfortable learning environment where students can confidently express their curiosity.
What challenges do you often face and how do you overcome them?
Wanderlust Spanish is a school that provides full language service. We want our students to master the language, and mastery implies they are able to speak, write, listen, and read it. Sometimes there are people who only put in the effort during class. In these cases, I try to communicate that it is very important to live the language that one learns, it is not useful to learn Spanish and speak in Spanish only with the teacher (although sometimes they do not even try with me).
Many people are afraid of making a mistake or struggle to let go of the grammar of their native language. This can be especially true of native English speakers who are not familiar with concepts like gender and conjugations. We try to remedy these challenges by encouraging students to engage with Spanish speakers through the activities we do at school. I have also found games to be a good solution. Students do not get frustrated as quickly when they are having fun!
This was the last student I had before the pandemic started. We had very interesting conversations of all kinds, politics, feminism, environment, travel, and even engineering.
What makes your organization special?
We provide personalized classes for both individuals and groups. Our emphasis on customized classes has served as well during this pandemic as we were able to maintain our connection with students virtually. Also, all the staff are native teachers with a young, enthusiastic energy. The Wanderlust Spanish facilities are warm, open, and meant to evoke an old Buenos Aires home.
What hopes do you have for the future for your organization?
I hope that we continue to grow into an even bigger global community. The pandemic has encouraged us to connect with teachers from other parts of the world and we hope to continue this line of communication. Through this, we can share our experiences, learn from each other, and develop projects that allow us to work with an even more diverse group of students.
What do you hope participants take away from your programs?
I hope that they learn how to communicate effectively and that they learn more about the culture. I also hope this experience sparks their curiosity and motivates them to continue to learn and engage with the world around them.
This was a student who left her mark on the school. With her I learned a lot about how to be a teacher and to deconstruct myself.
What questions do participants often ask you, and how do you typically respond?
In general, the questions are associated with grammar topics. I’ve found going through examples and introducing fun ways for them to practice grammar to be the most effective. I also utilize current publications, videos, and other mediums to not only help facilitate language learning but also cultural understanding.
Why do you think learning a new language is important?
I think it is important because speaking a new language helps change the way we think. Trying something unknown always makes us learn something about ourselves. But it does not end there, this new language comes with a culture that sustains it, feeds it, and even transforms it. Getting in touch with different ways of life also changes our perspective and it allows us to generate more comprehensive human ties.
What advice do you have for individuals thinking about going abroad?
I think it is important to fight against our expectations, to be able to be open to what places and people offer us. The beauty of traveling is in finding the unexpected, not in going to look for something that we already know exists.
These students were professional language players. It was one of the funniest groups I had and with them I renewed my commitment to fun in the classes and creativity as a bet.
What does meaningful travel mean to you?
A meaningful travel experience is one that penetrates our perception of things. This generally happens when we can connect with the people around us. Although I traveled through Latin America and Europe on my own, I could not say I was alone.
What does ethical global engagement mean to you?
Ethical global engagement implies a constant attitude of respect. When a person engages with a different community, they must respect that community’s customs and try to see things through their eyes.
Although I have not worked on international projects, I did teach in a high school for adults in an underprivileged neighborhood, and I also worked in a state school that had a similar structure but was aimed at homeless people. These experiences showed me how important it is to understand the reality of others who are different.
Above all, I believe that it is essential to not hold a paternalistic attitude in our relationship with others. We must always take the time for self-reflection and self-criticism.
