“The more Spanish I speak, the more enjoyable my trips are.” #BaseLangStories

After years of trying different methods to learn Spanish, Mark still felt limited, especially when speaking mattered most. With BaseLang’s Real World program, he’s rapidly strengthened his grammar and confidence, helping him communicate better at work, travel more deeply in Mexico, and finally use Spanish in real life.

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? Where are you from?

My name is Mark.  I am 55 years old and live in Iowa City Iowa in the United States. Iowa is a rural state, but I live in a city with a large university.  I work as a paramedic on an ambulance service.  I have been in my job for 30 years and will retire in 2 years.

2. Why did you want to learn Spanish?

There are two primary reasons.  I use Spanish in my job 3 or 4 times per month.  Iowa has a large amount of Spanish speakers due to the agricultural industry.  It is not unusual for me to have a patient that only speaks Spanish in my community.  I wanted to have a better ability to communicate and treat those patients.

The other reason is I love to travel, especially to Mexico.  I have been to Mexico 10 times in the past 2 years and visited various places like Cancun, Cozumel, Puerto Morelos, Playa del Carmen, Merida, Puerto Progreso, Isla Holbox, Isla Mujeres, Bacalar, and Tulum.  The more that I am able to speak Spanish, the more enjoyable my trips are, the more friends I make, and the more experiences I can enjoy.

One of my greatest language victories was going to the Museo De Luz in Merida.  The exhibit was called Oscuridad and was in total darkness.  I learned to use a blind cane and was guided through the exhibit by a blind man who only spoke Spanish.  We were able to navigate hallways, a beach area, a store, a museum, and a restaurant without sight and only with Spanish.

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

I started in high school, like most people, but I never learned or retained much.  I also took Spanish in college, but I didn’t do very well in the subject.

I started using Duolingo several years ago.  I got an online tutor before my first trip to Playa del Carmen.  I remember the first lesson and I was terrified. However, she was kind and patient.

For the past year, I have used a platform called Dreaming Spanish.  I only watch videos and absorb the language. My listening comprehension is very strong because of that program.

I also volunteer at a nonprofit that helps immigrants. We give out free food and clothing.  Each week, I get to practice my Spanish in-person with people that come to the nonprofit.

Finally, I found BaseLang through a friend whose wife started using it.  I did my research and found it would be very useful to accelerate my learning.

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

I think my biggest struggle was past tenses. I could understand a lot of the roots of words, but I was still putting together why you would use the tenses of verbs and when.  There is a lot of grammar that I simply haven’t studied.  BaseLang’s curriculum has helped me learn that part very quickly.

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

I simply didn’t know about BaseLang until a friend told me about it.  Once I learned about the program, I researched it, looked at the reviews, and signed up.

The price might be an obstacle for some people, but I really look at it like a gym membership.  In less than 3 months, I’ve taken 130 sessions.  Per session, that is great value.  I’ve also found a way for my employer to pay for 4 months of the year.

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

Growth.  I’ve added past, conditional, imperative, future, and subjunctive tenses to my quiver of language skills.  I’m in awe of how many more types of ideas that I can express and understand.

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

I enjoy having a live one-on-one instructor.  I’ve taken group classes before and it is hard to make progress with other students.  The instructors are amazing and they know how to move you along in the curriculum.

I think the even more amazing feature is the ability to schedule a session simply for conversation and not worry about the curriculum.

8. How has learning Spanish impacted your life?

My desire to travel is off the charts.  I am continuously planning for my next trip to Mexico.  I look forward to starting conversations with native Spanish speakers.

It feels good to have a native speaker compliment me on my Spanish.

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

Absolutely.  If you want to kickstart your Spanish language journey, start with Baselang.  You need to practice speaking, learn grammar, and develop your listening skills with native Spanish speakers and you can find all of those things with BaseLang.

10. Complete the following sentence

“After my first month of BaseLang, I realized that…..”

… I could quickly develop the pronunciation, vocabulary, and grammar skills that I needed to become a conversational Spanish speaker.

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

You still have to show up and put in the work.  Learning a language takes practice, repetition, and time.