Contents
¿Quieres leerlo en español? Want to read this in Spanish? ¡Haz click aquí!
Learning a new language is difficult, but certainly not impossible! It’s scientifically proven to be great for your brain and it completely expands your travel horizons, and out of all languages to learn Spanish is at the top of the list for many reasons. People all over the world want to learn Spanish, it’s the second most spoken language in the world and is spoken in over 20 countries. It has many dialects, and its origins have a mixture of Greek, Arabic and Roman influence.
Knowledge of Spanish helps connect you to other Latin languages such as French, Italian and Portuguese, and if you’re a surfer, Spanish is one of the main languages uniting water-lovers around the globe. For these reasons, it is one of the highest-in-demand languages for learning, so taking extra steps to improve your Spanish on your next trip abroad will undoubtedly pay off!
The first step of learning a new language is taking lessons, but we all know that the best way to improve in a language is through practice! Luckily in Ecuador, there are many ways you can creatively practice what you’ve learned in the classroom; by travelling, meeting locals, making friends and trying new experiences, you’ll naturally start to develop fluency and confidence in what you’ve learned in Spanish class. On your next trip to Ecuador, in between your Spanish lessons at Outdoor Ecuador, you’ll find tons of opportunities to practice what you’ve learned during your free time in Olón, so here are 5 creative ways to improve your Spanish and practice what you’re learning outside of the classroom!
1. Learn by immersion! And don’t be afraid to make mistakes
What language-learners often find the most challenging is practice, but this is where you learn the fastest! When you’re traveling in a foreign country and you need to order food or ask for directions, your knowledge of the language is all you have. Often people’s first fear is to make mistakes, but even if you pronounce something wrong or only know a similar word, you can always find ways to communicate with your hands or gestures, and typically, people will understand what you’re trying to say. Ecuadorians are very patient, and with a few words and gestures, they will be able to figure out what you’re looking for, and maybe they’ll even teach you a new word or two!
It’s important to see every part of your trip as an opportunity to practice the words you’ve been learning, to listen to what other people around you are saying, and to communicate with locals as a way of practicing. From these basic interactions you’ll start to gain more confidence which will help you talk to new people, have smoother interactions in the future, and find new and creative ways of expressing yourself.
2. Learn in a tropical setting
One of the best things about studying Spanish in Ecuador is getting the opportunity to learn in a tropical environment! Olón is incredibly beautiful and filled with countless peaceful outdoor spaces where you can relax and concentrate on your studies while immersed in nature. It also boasts many cafes and restaurants where you can grab a bite to eat, a coffee, or a cocktail and improve your Spanish while you catch up on your homework.
At Outdoor Ecuador Spanish & Surf School, we are very proud of our beautiful outdoor classrooms, and when we’re not teaching in-house, we often take our students to the beach on a beautiful day to enjoy a refreshing coconut while we study, or to a nearby cafe or restaurant to try a local delicacy! During these outdoor lessons we encourage our students to practice what they’ve learned in class through interacting with the locals, and it allows us to immerse our students in the community.
3. Participate in local cultural activities
No matter where you travel around the world, you’re bound to come across local activities, parties, or cultural traditions that you never expected to find. And the best part of traveling is being spontaneous, right? Participating in local and cultural events is one of the best ways to improve your Spanish, and thankfully, Ecuador is always celebrating something. Anyone who’s traveled through Ecuador before will have some kind of interesting story about a local party or event they stumbled upon on their travels, and the best part is that Ecuadorians love to interact with travelers! These immersive experiences will naturally get you practicing your Spanish while also learning about local culture.
Our Activities Team at Outdoor Ecuador is always looking for local events to bring our students to, and luckily, Olón is at the heart of a very active community always organizing activities for kids, locals, and tourists to enjoy. Some events you might come across around the coastal region of Ecuador are surf competitions, skate competitions, community volleyball games, town fiestas, fishing trips, beach clean-ups, artisanal fairs, local markets, and much more!
The more time you spend in Olón the more chances you’ll have to put your Spanish to the test. Join us in December for the Fiestas de Olón to chat with locals about the history and traditions of the town, or if you’re a volleyball lover, join one of the town’s beach volleyball games, and you’ll quickly learn how to play in Spanish, which will increase your confidence and help you make friends with more locals!
4. Learn how to surf in Spanish!
Surfing is not just a sport but a lifestyle rooted in the connection to the water and to the environment. When you take a surf lesson at Outdoor Ecuador, our instructors will take you under their wing and teach you everything you need to know from the basics to advanced concepts, all in Spanish, which will set you up for success once you start improving and surfing on your own. Much like language-learning, learning how to surf isn’t just about doing it, it’s about feeling it and letting yourself ebb and flow with the experience.
If you’re planning to learn how to surf while you’re in Ecuador, learning how to surf in Spanish will be one of the most amazing and culturally-rich experiences you can have, because what makes Ecuadorian surfers special is that they are connected to and by the water above all else. As a very expressive people, learning surf terminology in Spanish will immediately connect you with other surfers both in and out of the water, and you’ll start to learn tons of valuable information on currents, waves, swells, ocean conditions and more, and they might even share other local surf spots with you!
Surfing connects people from all over the world; there are tons of surf spots where the main language is Spanish, so learning Spanish for surfers is especially valuable. And when you go on surf trips in the future, you’ll be the Spanish-speaking friend who will be able to ask the locals about wave conditions and local spots, and all your friends will be jealous! Allowing yourself to be immersed in a local activity will take your Spanish to a new level, as you’ll start to learn to not only speak Spanish more smoothly, but to speak it like a local.
5. Learn Spanish while eating!
If you’re traveling through Ecuador, you’ll naturally be doing your own food tour because the food everywhere is amazing. Simply by eating at various restaurants, cafes and roadside stands, you’ll have many opportunities to improve your Spanish as well as learn new words, phrases, local slang and cultural delicacies. If you’re not at the level yet where you can order food in Spanish, or if you don’t know how to ask what the food is, simply observe other locals ordering, or ask them what they suggest. One of the most effective ways to improve your Spanish is by mirroring the phrases of the locals!
During your stay in Olón, you can put your practice to the test in between classes by participating in one of Outdoor Ecuador’s most popular activities, where we teach our students how to prepare a local dish. We take our students to local markets and vendors, show them how to shop like a local, and cook and eat together while learning the cultural significance of the dish!
Street food culture is one of the most-loved experiences by all kinds of travelers, and in Ecuador it’s no exception. If you’re on a road trip, or you’re walking around town in the evening, you’ll find vendors making delicious local food. Make sure to stop if you see a sign saying “corviche”, “pan de yuca”, “maduros lampreados”, or “tortillas de queso”. The vendors will always be happy to share a story or two with you, and you won’t regret it!
And once you leave Ecuador, well, you can continue your classroom learning from the comfort of your own home!
Luckily, once you leave Ecuador, your progress won’t go to waste, because we have extensive online learning programs where you can continue your momentum and keep improving your Spanish on a schedule that works for you back home. This will ensure you don’t lose your progress, and you’ll get to continue learning with our teachers until the next time you visit our beautiful Ecuador.