What inspired you to work for Instituto Estelar Bilingue?
I was inspired to work for Instituto Estelar Bilingüe because I like working with the type of people who work there. They are high-quality people who are positive and nice to work with. I love teaching Spanish and meeting people from around the world. I enjoy learning about my students' cultures and perspectives.
Spanish immersion graduates
Why do you do what you do?
I am a Spanish teacher because I like teaching very much. I am naturally a very patient person, and this helps me in teaching language to students of all ages and levels. I never planned on being a teacher - I wanted to work in tourism - but now I realize that teaching is something that comes naturally to me. My students tell me that I am dynamic and creative, and this makes me really happy.
What is your favorite part of your job?
My favorite part of teaching Spanish at Estelar is that moment when students understand what I am teaching them. It is so rewarding to know that I am able to help people progress in their goals of learning Spanish.
What challenges do you often face in your role and how do you overcome them?
When I first started teaching Spanish at Estelar in 2012, I had to study Spanish grammar extensively because it was a weakness for me. Teaching the classes was always fun, but explaining grammar was really hard. Now, I have no trouble explaining all levels of grammar! Another challenge I have is that I live an hour away from Liberia, and I have to take the bus to work really early every day. It is difficult to balance work, travel time, and family, but it's worth it!
Spanish immersion course
What makes Instituto Estelar Bilingue special?
One thing that makes our organization special is that we use a very dynamic methodology, and this makes our classes really fun, interactive, and effective. We use "crazy stories" (TPRS) that are really useful for getting students to speak Spanish and have fun with the language. Also, Estelar has great customer service and makes students feel like family.
How do you help support participants?
I support my Spanish students by encouraging them to not limit themselves or be afraid of making mistakes. The mistakes they make help them to learn and grow, so they should not be fearful of expressing themselves in Spanish. I always tell my students to go for it - to not worry about what others think because we are all here to support each other.
I am always so proud of our Spanish immersion graduates!
What questions do participants often ask you, and how do you typically respond?
Many of my students ask me how they can improve their Spanish - their pronunciation or ability to communicate - and I tell them that the best thing they can do is practice with Spanish speakers as much as possible. They should also listen to music and watch videos, movies, or TV series in Spanish. Finally, it is really important to read all they can in Spanish because it's a great way to learn new vocabulary.
I love teaching dynamic, fun classes!
Why do you think learning a new language is important?
Learning a new language is important for learning about new cultures and being able to travel. In my case, learning English has been really important for improving my economic situation and not having limits in communicating with people. With my students, I've seen that learning Spanish helps them with job or volunteer opportunities.
What does meaningful travel mean to you?
Meaningful travel is what the majority of our Spanish students do when they study in our immersion program and stay with local families. Whether they stay one week or two months, they take advantage of learning and sharing experiences and cultures with the locals. I've seen students make friends easily with Costa Ricans and even extend their stay with us because they are enjoying and learning so much.
What hopes do you have for the future for Instituto Estelar Bilingue?
I hope that Estelar's Spanish department continues to grow and that we have consistent students year-round. I also hope that we have more groups that choose our program because it's really fun to work with them, and we are able to offer more activities to groups.
