Nada Gaweish, our Spanish language student, walks us through her motivating language journey and why she was tempted to take Spanish courses.
…She’s also a Zumba instructor and a book blogger! Read on to find out what led her to learn Spanish.
¡Hola! My Name is Nada, I’m originally from Sudan, but I was born and raised in Abu Dhabi. I’m currently working as an IT Support Analyst at a well-known university here. When I’m not working, I teach and attend Zumba classes, study and practice Spanish and I spend most of my free time reading, working on my blog or attending book clubs.
My native language is Arabic, but I’m also fluent in English. I also know a little bit of French as I have studied it in school for three years.
Why did you decide to learn Spanish?
As a Zumba instructor, I tend to listen to a lot of Latin songs. Upon constant listening, a lot of the words started to sound familiar. So, my love for the music and wanting to understand the lyrics got me trying to learn Spanish and yeah …I ended up signing up at Eton Institute!
My Spanish language learning experience
I tried to learn Spanish on my own but failed miserably. I can’t even count the number of phone apps that I have downloaded to help me with that. I was lucky to have a friend who recommended and pushed me to sign up at Eton Institute as she has signed up before. It was encouraging to have a Spanish learning buddy with me which made the experience even more enjoyable.
I’ve been learning Spanish for a year now and I can’t believe how fast time flew by! I’m planning to finish up all 16 levels and I’m hoping to finish it up in as much less time as possible. But, I’m having too much fun to worry about that.
What I enjoy the most during class is that there’s always a fun thing to do to help us learn. I love how the instructors are not conventional with their teaching and they go out of their way to help us learn. Whether it is using flashcards, or setting up different funny scenarios. We even have our own special Spanish names.
On the other hand, speaking the language can be a little challenging. It’s like you have that fear of blurting out the wrong thing which could be a bit embarrassing. However, we have to remember that we are there to learn, my teacher always helps and my colleagues do as well. We end up laughing it off and encouraging each other.
Are there any techniques or tips for learning Spanish more quickly?
Practice! Practice! Practice! Attend the classes regularly and do the homework. I love how most instructors create a group on WhatsApp that includes us all to help us practice. We sometimes have study groups on the weekends too. Also, I recommend watching Spanish series, listening to music, etc.
Are you planning on learning any other languages?
I definitely am! I love languages and learning about different cultures. My next is to brush up on my French and I would love to learn Japanese.
What advice do you have for other language learners?
Have fun while learning and be patient. My most important advice is not to compare yourself with others while learning. We are all different and we all have our own techniques and ways to learn. Find what works best for you and focus on that.
Start learning one of the most popular (and beautiful!) languages to learn in the world.