After bumping into the street team in Whitecross Street Market, Old Street Simon jumped in and  started our Social Spanish Beginner Course Level 1. We had a quick chat with Simon about his choice to join the crew!

Q: What made you choose Stripey Spanish to learn the lingo?

A: I’ve tried a lot of techniques before but nothing's really stuck and when I saw you guys out on the road, it all just looked a bit more bright and exciting! It drew my attention and so then I decided to have a chat. Doing social Spanish lessons sounds like a good idea rather than just sitting in a classroom. That’s what pulled me in to talk to you. 

Q: What are you expecting your social Spanish lessons in pubs, restaurants and bookshops to be like?

A: I expect them to more social, like real Spanish. When I’m in Spain I speak to people with very simple sentences like:  what’s your name? What do you do? These kinds of conversations. But it’s nice to learn more and to develop confidence through these Social Spanish lessons, that’s what it’s about. You keep going and you’ll meet different people, you might meet someone new and so you can use what you learned the week before. Eventually after a few weeks you might be at a point where someone comes along and you can tell them, "No, that’s not quite right". The interaction between different people is what’s going to start to feed you.

Q: Why are you learning Spanish? What are your aims?

A: Well my wife is Spanish and I have three children who speak Spanish. I want to be able to communicate with her family when I’m out in Spain, that’s the main reason, to speak to her mum and dad. My aim is to hold a simple conversation with them of simple day-to-day stuff. 

Q: What about the classroom-based lessons, are they like others you've been to?

A: No, they’re much more interactive. The more interactive the better I say. Watching things, writing on the board moving around the room, playing games and not sitting down. I have this thing that when I sit down and don’t engage I lose concentration. Moving from board to board and then asking questions, that’s all good stuff and that keeps you wanting to learn. 

- Zaskia and Carla

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Spanish Nights Coming Up

Book your tickets online here. 

Mexican Street food + Spanish | Wednesday 5 April | 6.30-9pm | Tube: Angel |  £30 | Includes FREE Mexican meal

Tapas Recipe-tasting + Spanish | Wednesday 12 March | 6.30-9pm | Tube: Tottenham Court Road | £30 | Includes FREE tapas and drink

Speed-friending + Spanish | Wednesday 26 April6.30-9pm | Tube: Angel | £30 | Includes FREE drink