Duncan Aitken

I, like most Americans, grew up in a place where one seldom heard a foreign language spoken. Were it not for the foreign language requirements needed to graduate I never would have taken Spanish in High School. It didn't interest me.

I passed High School Spanish – not by much, but I did pass. At University I took a year off between my Sophomore and Junior years and I went to Mexico to enjoy the sun. While there I took a three week total immersion Spanish course.

After three weeks I was by no means fluent, but it was a start – a solid foundation on which to build. What's more I found I enjoyed learning Spanish, and I enjoy it still.

In Mexico if I was hungry, thirsty, tired – what-have-you – I had to communicate in Spanish. There was a sense of accomplishment when I did. Business eventually led me to live in Guatemala and as time passed my Spanish improved. Now I live much of my life speaking it.

Gracias, Duncan

Eight years ago I left the Netherlands to travel through Latin America for a year.

The first couple of months I'd ask people for directions or some information about the area, but when they answered I just couldn't understand their responses.

This changed after taking a six week, four hours a day, private one-on-one course in Guatemala. There I learned a lot of Spanish gammer and began to develop a solid vocabulary, but more importantly, I was forced to actually speak and listen to Spanish for considerable amounts of time every day.

I learned more Spanish in six weeks than I did French in four years of High School.

The course helped me raise my level in such a way that now I am perfectly comfortable with Spanish, I have no trouble reading the newspaper and I can have conversations with virtually anyone.

Saludos, Jack