How Dane went from freezing up to conversational #BaseLangStories

Dane had the travel bug and just enough Spanish to order a beer. Fast forward a few months with BaseLang, and he’s making friends, holding 30-minute convos, and planning his next Latin American adventure… all in Spanish.

He didn’t think he had time. He didn’t think he was “good enough.” Turns out, he just needed the right tool.

BaseLangStories series puts the spotlight on BaseLang students – asking them about their motivations for learning a foreign language, what impact learning Spanish has had on their lives, advice they have for fellow students, and more.

1. What’s your name and where you are from

My name is Dane Holmgren I’m from San Diego, California but I travel often to Latin America.

2. Why did you want to learn Spanish?

I wanted to learn Spanish because I love traveling to Spanish speaking countries to learn more about culture and history. I always wanted to be able to hold real conversations with strangers and native speakers during my travels and once I heard about BaseLang, I was motivated to give it a shot!

3. In the past, what did you use to learn Spanish?

When I was younger, I took Spanish in high school and college and I could say a few things and understand a bit of a conversation, but nothing ever would stick when I was in a real situation needing to speak Spanish with native speakers. I really wanted to develop more confidence speaking to people and not just knowledge from a textbook. I wanted to become bilingual and feel confident being able to switch between english and spanish during any type of conversation.

4. Before BaseLang, which part of learning Spanish did you struggle with the most?

Before BaseLang, I struggled with “freezing up” and having to stop and think about what to say during the middle of a conversation. I knew a bit of vocab, but I couldn’t use it smoothly during a real conversation. But now I have much more confidence and can hold a conversation for 30 min straight without having to stop. It feels amazing to see the difference of what happened after I started taking BaseLang classes every day. I also have no problem ordering food or asking for directions in Spanish now.

5. What obstacle would have prevented you from signing up for BaseLang before?

I just didn’t have the time before, but I wanted to prepare for an upcoming trip to Central America, so it was finally time to try BaseLang and I’m so happy I made that commitment to myself. BaseLang makes it super easy to schedule classes in advance, but also at the last minute if you have time that opens up during your day. I also didn’t think I would be “good enough” for an online tutor, but it’s been amazing to feel my progress since day 1.

6. What did you find as a result of signing up?

That I definitely had time to take at least one class per day and sometimes I could take many more. I’ve done several 3 hour days already and plan to do more soon. I found that all of my teachers were nice, patient, and genuinely wanted me to succeed and get better each class. I also found that the curriculum is nice, but not mandatory for each class, I’ve learned so much about many new places simply from the experiences of my teachers.

7. What specific feature did you like the most about the Real World program?

I loved how you can take classes at any time of the day. It really opens up more flexibility if you’re working or traveling to keep studying Spanish every day. I also liked how you can plan ahead by booking classes in 3-5 days advance so you can set up your study schedule exactly how you want. It’s also really nice having teachers from multiple different countries who all have unique life experiences. I’ve learned so much from all my teachers! It’s also cool that you can take structured lessons each day or even sometimes practice reading or listening in Spanish too.

8. How has learning Spanish impacted your life?

I just got back from my first mini immersion trip since starting BaseLang and my Spanish was the best it’s ever been in a real world situation. It felt great! I was able to order food, ask for directions, and even make new friends all with confidence and only in Spanish! (No stumbling and fumbling, smoothe conversations haha) Now I feel so confident coming back after that first trip and continuing my baselang classes, I’m already planning another adventure to Latin America as I’m writing this….

9. Would you recommend this course, if so, why?

Yes, absolutely! You get the structure of the curriculum if you need it, but you can also tailor your experience for exactly what you need on your Spanish journey. It’s so cool being able to meet teachers from all across Latin America. It’s amazing to learn from them and hear their experiences, but also to listen to different dialects and forms of Spanish from different countries.

The electives, bonus lessons, and flashcards are also amazing. There are so many awesome resources you can use to improve your Spanish!

I know people using BaseLang who are brand new beginners and I also know people who are using BaseLang who are preparing for their C1/C2 Spanish fluency test later this year. It is awesome for everyone who wants to get better at Spanish.

10. Complete the following sentence “After my first month of BaseLang, I realized that…..”

I could go to a brand new country on a surf trip and feel 100% confident speaking to people only in Spanish. I would not have thought that at first, but it happened to me and it feels so great to feel like I’ve gotten better in my first few months with BaseLang.

11. Anything else to add (advice for other students, what you wish you had known) etc?

I wish I signed up sooner! It’s such a great program and I know it will help you develop more confidence with your Spanish. But this is your sign to give it a shot…if I can do it, you can too!

Buena suerte!

-Dane