ELE certified Spanish teacher. GCSE and conversational lessons with a relaxed and friendly approach.

Find out more about Lucia

• Do you speak this language fluently because of your origins or because a teacher inspired you to learn?

  I am Spanish 100 %. My parents were born in Madrid and my grandparents are from different parts of Spain. So no hint of exotism here. :D. I have also traveled lots around Latin America, and have many friends from America , so the variety of the language is something I am fascinated about and I make sure my students get around too.

• 2) Can you name a living, historical or fictional character that you think is the emblematic representative of the language's culture?

  I would say any film from the director Pedro Almodovar, characterizes Spanish culture very. The film Volver, for example.
  If we are interested in Latin American culture, amazing literature by Gabriel García Marquez , Borges, Vargas Llosa or the poetry by Benedetii, to name a few, open a door to the different cultures that englobes the Spanish language.

• 3) Is there a typical word, phrase, tradition or behavior in the language that you particularly like?

  I love the character of the people, the way of seeing life, of making the most of our time on this planet.
  Ï am against showing Spain or Spanish culture as a ¨party¨ society or just a holidays destination, but it is true that sharing and celebrating with our beloved ones is one of our main ways of enjoying life. That´s why I would say the expression ¨Venga, una y a casa¨ is one of my favorite in the Spanish language. Meaning: ok, just one drink and then home. Which is most of the times leading up to the best nights ever. Not because of the alcohol, but because we enjoy each other's company talking and laughing.

• 4) Why does speaking this language matter to you?

  It is the second most spoken language, as a native language, in the world. The large territory it covers, plus the fascinating cultures and people that you can get in touch with if you speak the language is definitely the main reason for most of my students to immerse into its study.
  Its kind, sociable and cheerful people, its landscapes , culture, gastronomy and art that this language gives you access to, is something not to be missed.

• 5) What is the main difficulty in learning this language and what can help the process of learning?

  Grammar can be a hard one to learn, depending on what language you come from. Conjugating the verbs can be a bit of a struggle. But there are lots of interactive ways nowadays to make the learning more bearable, like flashcards, boardgames…I use this games in my lessons to help memorize
  And lots of talking so you get used to hearing your voice in another language . That is a crucial point: feeling comfortable and familiar with the language, no matter the level.

• 6) Provide a valuable anecdote related to your language learning or your days at school.

  I am not bilingual from birth, since all my family is Spanish and I lived there until I was 21. My love for languages started around my teenage years, when I first traveled abroad by myself. I met people from other countries and was fascinated by the diversity and broadness of the different cultures, so I started studying English on my own until I moved to London, realizing that that was the only way to have access to a world I couldn't get to know if I didn't speak other languages. After that, I learned my own methods to learn other languages that came across in my life, and by making friends from those places and living there for different amounts of time, I got to learn German, Italian and French too.

• 7) How has travel or a specific trip helped you to increase your skill and knowledge of the language?

  My trip to a music festival in France when I was 19 opened my eyes. I was the only Spanish speaker and everyone else was French or British. I had to get by by any means! I realized the English I learnt at school wasn't sufficient and with French.. I could manage.
  Even with my limitations, those 2 weeks broadened my view in an incredible way. I managed to make friends with whom I stayed in touch through facebook (which wasn´t even a thing in Spain in 2007), and that's why I decided I would put all my efforts into learning english. I also really liked a Scottish guy that I met there, so I have to admit that that added some willingness to the process. :))
  Whoever says love is not a good reason to learn a language, is lying :P. ( love for a person, love for the country, love for art, for food…any kind of love! )
  When talking about Spanish, my travels in Latin America have been eye opening to the varieties of the Spanish language and culture, so my passion for the Spanish language and cultures skyrocketed since I first traveled ( I have worked as a music volunteer in Costa Rica, Bolivia, Chile and Mexico, over 5 years) and it has never stopped. I love immersing myself in the diversities of the different groups, as well as the richness of the countries where pre- columbian cultures are still alive. I find it really fascinating.
  Ah, I am a musician as well, which means that I have traveled lots and my work place is always a mix of different nationalities. That has definitely helped to maintain my practice.

• 8) What makes you a Superprof in language?

  Having friends from other nationalities that speak Spanish, I realized I had the patience to let them know what they could improve, to analyze why they were good at that or not that good at something else.
  I really enjoyed this aspect of the language, and since I have self-taught 4 other languages myself I felt I had some tools to help people on that journey .
  I decided to take a course and become a certificate teacher, so I could be part of the learning process of my students. I know how fulfilling it is to be able to communicate in another language, and want to help and support people to open new doors, to have more experiences, open their minds and experience the world in a different way.