When I was really little my parents had a friend from Peru. This friend had a daughter my age. The two of them often spoke in Spanish and loved teaching me the language.  Even from the time I was learning English I started learning the basic concepts of Spanish sounds and simple words.

 

By the time I was 4 I was able to have simple conversations with her in Spanish so that by the time I entered school I always felt like I had a head start.  I continued to learn everything that I could about Spanish.  

 

Once I got to middle school it had become an obsession of mine to speak it fluently.  I wanted to take every opportunity I had to use Spanish, and to practice it both in and out of the classroom. A fun experience that I will never forget is when my 6th grade teacher would have competitions called, Rescue.  I would be the go to person to answer questions and rescue my classmates based on my knowledge of Spanish.

 

I began to struggle with high school Honors Spanish because it became competitive.  I started to doubt whether I could make it at this level, but that gave me the drive to work harder and study more.  The same fire that had been sparked in me a decade earlier was lit again.  

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Every day after school I would talk to our friend Amanda who was also from Peru.  I would tell her what we were learning in Spanish class and she would practice with me for as long as I wanted.  This was such a gift and that is what has inspired me to want to help others.  Being able to speak the language is one of the aspects that is not focused on as deeply as it needs to be.  It turned out to be a huge blessing as I studied linguistics in college with a focus on Spanish.

 

That is why I love helping young kids communicate with their families and build deeper relationships that connect them to their culture and heritage.  It is also why I love helping high school kids feel more confident in their ability to speak, listen, read, and write in Spanish.  I know what it is like to doubt your abilities and overcome those doubts.

 

If you are looking for the next step, click here to book a free consultation with me and see if this could be a good fit. 

 

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