Education manager at Helsinki Adult Education Centre Minna started studying Spanish in the institute's own beginner course.. In this story, Minna talks about her study experiences and her journey into Spanish culture.

– I have traveled to Spain several times, mainly in the Andalusia region, as the country's culture and language interest me. I have already memorized a few words and phrases during my travels. However, now I wanted to study the language a little more in depth, because I was going to spend two months in the Malaga region.

Minna signed up for a beginner Spanish course at the Helsinki Adult Education Center, which lasted from September to the end of November.

– I hoped that I would still learn something, and that’s what happened! Now I’m writing this story from Spain. I’m happy to have been encouraged to use the phrases I learned in the course when shopping in shops and restaurants. I understood when people asked my dog’s name, age and gender in Spanish on the street, and I was also able to answer the questions. However, sometimes words slip into English, so using the language more fluently still requires a lot of practice. Of course, I also have Google Translate with me, which helps in many situations.

After taking the course, I feel more confident switching from English to Spanish. I want to try to speak the local language and it doesn't matter if I make mistakes. I plan to continue to the next level of the course to further develop my language skills. Before that, I will practice the language here in an authentic environment.

Goodbye, see you later!

“The course was a great experience in every way. The teacher was the most personable. I was surprised at how well the language stuck and the words were easy to pronounce. Of course, learning a new language required some extra practice and homework between courses. The course covered basic things, such as numbers, how to shop in a restaurant, as well as typical expressions and the most common verbs related to them. The exercises were usually done in pairs, which forced you to speak the language out loud. That's when you really learned it!”

Minna

Text: Minna, Helsinki Adult Education Institute