Spanish for everyone with a teacher from sunny Andalusia with more than 10 years of experience in teaching.

Find out more about Mara

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

  I was born in Spain to Spanish parents and lived there until I moved to the UK at the age of 30. Spanish and English were my favourite subjects at school and college. I had the same teacher for both subjects at school and she really inspired me, so I wanted to learn English and become fluent in it. That was the reason I moved to the UK.

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

  I like the way Pedro Almodóvar conveys Spanish culture in his films. Particularly, I like “Volver”, with Penélope Cruz, because it portrays with simplicity the customs and traditions deeply rooted in the villages of rural Spain.

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

  Where I’m from, it’s the custom to greet everyone you meet in the street or when you enter a shop or building, whether you know them or not. I think that custom brings people closer. It’s a way to acknowledge that we are individuals who are part of a society where we need each other in one way or another.

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

  Spanish is the language of my heart but it’s not the only one. English has become a part of me too. I feel enriched as I complement one thought in Spanish with English and the other way around.

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

  I think the diversity of the Spanish vocabulary can be a challenge, especially the verbs, if we compare them to English verbs. The good news is that there are rules that help us understand how they work.

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

  One day, my friend’s cousin came to visit her from London. He couldn't speak a word of Spanish and neither could any of the friends he brought along. I was trying to communicate with them and, one by one, they would ask me if I could speak English and I would answer that I couldn’t speak but a little English. As we got talking, they would tell me how good my English was and ask how I had learned it. So I told them I would listen to music and read the lyrics in English and I also read the Bible in both Spanish and English to compare and learn vocabulary.
  
  Yes, I hadn’t realised how good my English had become from these self-teaching practices, so I thought I couldn’t speak English. Lack of confidence can be our worst enemy.

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

  I have met many English speakers who were learning Spanish while travelling and living in the UK. Talking to them helped me to see the different challenges they encountered in their learning process. When you understand those issues, you’re better equipped to help them overcome them.

• 8) What makes you a Superprof in language?

  I’m not only passionate about languages but I can also share with my students my experience in both learning another language myself and helping others to learn or improve their Spanish or English.