The reasons I chose Spanish Adventure were to learn Spanish and to have a bit of an adventure and they did not disappoint.
The teachers, Daniel and Camilo are kind, caring, funny and they make you feel like family. They really know their stuff when it comes to teaching Spanish. They are not just teaching a language they were speaking from birth, they are teaching a language they have actually studied. The way they present the knowledge to you is easily digestible, even on days you feel like you won’t ever get it. They know what they are doing and they do it well. I was surprised at how much I learned in the one month that I was there. I went from feeling overwhelmed on my first day to feeling capable when I left.
The adventures that were an added bonus to our Spanish learning are meant to be carried out in Spanish as practice, were tough for me in the beginning. I remained silent and attempted to pick up a word here and there but as the weeks went on, though I was still too shy to try join the conversation, I found that I could understand a greater percentage of what was being said around me.
In addition to having classes and adventures, I taught English classes on Friday’s and with my other volunteer time, I assisted around the farm; planting flowers, building a fence and creating a path and in the marketing/social media department.
There’s always an opportunity to do something new and become a better version of yourself here. You have moments that you’d never thought you have, for example, how I cried in the back seat of a moto taxi with another volunteer about how amazing Daniel and Camilo were. They are truly great people.
My moments spent at Spanish Adventure will always be remembered.
What was the most nerve-racking moment and how did you overcome it?
The most nerve racking moment was when I went canyoning for the first time. Canyoning is when you navigate through a canyon by walking, scrambling, jumping, climbing, rappelling and swimming. There were many points where I was frightened but the fear increased when we came upon a point that was 30 meters high and we had to jump into a river that wasn't exactly calm. I was petrified, my legs were shaking and it didn't help that we had to push off a few meters so as to not hit the bottom of the huge rock. My heart was in my throat when I realized the only way down, was down. Camilo, one of the teachers at Spanish Adventure and others with me, were patient with my false starts and talked me through it but my fear was so great that all I saw was a possible disaster. It took me a moment or ten to realize that the reason I came to Spanish Adventure was for the adventure and to face my fears. So, I started a countdown from ten, closed my eyes, said a prayer and took the plunge into the cold river below. It was exhilarating and my legs shook even after I got to the bottom but I did it and I'm so glad I did.
