About Sam

When I moved to Madrid to teach English in 2018, I only knew three words in Spanish. I was excited about learning a new language, but I quickly realised how hard it was to actually sit down and study.

Even though I usually loved learning, I had to force myself. I spent hours with grammar books and vocabulary lists, but when it came to real conversations, everything I’d studied disappeared. I’d panic, forget the words, and end up feeling frustrated.

Looking back, the problem was obvious: I was focusing on the wrong things. Instead of engaging with Spanish in a way that felt natural, I treated it like a school subject. No wonder I was bored.

When I started teaching English, I noticed my students were going through the exact same thing. Stuck in grammar exercises. Avoiding speaking. Using resources they’d never choose in their own language.

Here’s what I’ve learned since: language grows best when you enjoy the process. Reading articles you’d actually read in your native language. Listening to podcasts and watching videos on topics that interest you. And then, most importantly, using the language to discuss and share your thoughts on those things.

That’s where confidence and fluency really come from — not from memorising endless rules, but from connecting the language to the things that make you curious, excited, and motivated.