From the Isle of Man to Madrid: sharing the joys of language learning
From the Isle of Man to France, Argentina and now Madrid, learning languages has brought me all around the world. As well as physical mobility, it's given me confidence to talk to new people, the discovery of whole new cultures, and much more. How could I not share that joy with others?
But first, let's backtrack: where did I come from, and how did I get here?
I was born and raised on the Isle of Man. A small island between England and Ireland in the middle of the Irish sea, the Isle of Man is known for two things: motorbike races and cats with no tails. It also has beautiful countryside, stunning beaches... and horizontal rain (a delightful weather mix which blows rain sideways... you've got to love that sea breeze!) As lovely as all of that is, I always wanted to expand my horizons. I wanted to explore the world outside!
Learning French and Spanish allowed me to do just that. Studying at the University of Bristol, I took my year abroad in Nantes and Buenos Aires, where I first started teaching English. At the same time, I gained a love of teaching and a passion for discovering new people and places. The two will always be connected for me: learning a langage opens up your opportunities and your view of the world, and giving that gift to others is even more amazing. As well as teaching, I worked in Nantes as a radio presenter, doing my music show in English to a French audience and so sharing language in another way.
Once I returned to Bristol to finish my degree, I carried on tutoring part time. Then, in September 2019 I moved to Madrid, another city I'd never been to, to discover more of the world and share my passion for language learning with even more people.