I went to South America with the Spanish I learned in high school — it did not go well

Many English speakers know some Spanish, yet still feel lost in real conversations. People speak fast, jokes are missed, accents feel unfamiliar, and confidence often disappears once you step outside the classroom.

Learning Spanish isn’t only about vocabulary or grammar. It also means learning to see and understand the world in a different way. Language shapes how we think, relate to others, and make sense of everyday life — and Spanish has its own rhythm, logic, and way of expressing meaning.

That’s why my classes are conducted primarily in Spanish from the very beginning. Confidence is built step by step, through gradual immersion and real use of the language. We start with what you can already do and slowly build from there, helping you think, listen, and communicate in Spanish more naturally.

I use simple English only when it truly helps, but the focus is always on developing intuition in Spanish rather than translating word by word. This makes it easier to follow conversations, trust your understanding, and gain confidence over time.

I am a native Spanish speaker from Chile and an experienced teacher. I work with English speakers who are traveling to, relocating to, or living in South America and want to feel comfortable using Spanish in real-life situations.

Lessons focus on real spoken Spanish, everyday situations, and understanding Latin American accents, with special attention to Chilean Spanish. We work on conversation, pronunciation, cultural context, and the subtle ways people interact, joke, and express meaning.

Classes may include travel Spanish, survival conversations, cultural insights, slang, music and lyrics, and practical strategies for understanding fast or unfamiliar accents. The approach is relaxed but structured, and always adapted to your goals and pace.

Ideal for travelers, expats, and digital nomads who recognize that learning a language is also a gradual mental shift — one that helps you experience the place and the culture in a deeper way.

Mini-test (Spanish as it’s really spoken):

Nací en Santiago y nunca he ido a Torres del Paine, nunca. Es que es tan caro…
Siempre estoy diciendo que algún día voy a ir: cuando pueda ahorrar algo de plata y hacer el viaje así bien hecho, no a la rápida. ¡Cuándo se pueda, no más!

Can you understand how this person feels — not just what they are saying?