Native Spanish teacher gives lessons for High School and University level students

Luisa — I speak both Spanish and French fluently because I am bilingual. My mother is Spanish and my father is French.

Luisa — In the case of Spanish culture I would say Antonio Gala. He is a writer and poet that reflects with beautiful style the culture of our country.

In the case of France, I have a soft spot for Amélie Poulain. While it is true that she might be considered a cliché, in my view she does represent a certain type of Parisian ambient. And she proves love for little details regarding food and for wordplays, both of which are quite French attitudes.

Luisa — I think the word “sobremesa” in Spanish is very special. It describes the moment, after lunch or dinner, where you still sit at the table with friends or family, enjoying the conversation.

In France, I love the tradition of the “apéro”. It is short for “aperitif” and it is the time before lunch or dinner when you have a drink (and perhaps a small bite) and enjoy the moment.

In both cases I believe what I like is the conviviality of the scene, and the connection with culinary pleasures!

Luisa — Learning Spanish or French is much more than learning a language only, it allows to learn new things about other traditions and cultures. It keeps you in contact with fellow human beings. I believe that in these two particular cases, it tightens the links that bounds us as Europeans.

Luisa — I would say that the Spanish verbal conjugation is not easy, specially concerning the subjunctive. Taking lessons with a native teacher is really helpful to really understand the rules and the nuances of those rules. In the case of French I have found that often people struggle with the correct pronunciation. Obviously, speaking directly with a native teacher helps!

Luisa — I think I chose this profession after an incident I had being little. Apparently when I was very small I would more or less understand Spanish and French, but only speak Spanish. One day French friends of my parents took me to the beach and offered to have a bite, specifically a “gateau,” which is French for biscuit. But it sounds exactly like the Spanish word “gato,” which means cat. I could not understand why the wanted to feed me with a cat and started crying. My mom says that after that incident I must have understood that there was a difference between Spanish and French and that I should correctly distinguish them, because I started speaking both right away. Ever since, words have fascinated me.

Luisa — I do love travelling, because it is again a way of getting in touch with other traditions and cultures, just as languages do. I have lived in different cities, Málaga in Spain, La Turballe in France, Verona in Italy, Coimbra in Portugal, and now Groningen in The Netherlands. Every time it was a wonderful opportunity to discover a new language a learn a bit about it.

Luisa — While being a native you count with certain skills that people who learned a language do not have, struggling yourself to learn other languages makes you aware of certain difficulties that natives do not see. I believe it is the combination of both aspects what makes a qualified teacher.

Furthermore, I believe the role of a teacher is that of guidance. I am not here to talk for an hour and bore you to death, I am here to guide you so that you can express your own voice in a new language.