Tell us who you are, where you live, your nationality and how long you’ve been learning a language with us.
I am Liz from Taiwan and live in Germany. I have been learning Spanish with Coffee Break Spanish for 3 months.
What experience have you had speaking and learning other languages?
I was born in Taiwan and my native languages are Mandarin/Chinese, Taiwanese and Hakka. So far, I have learned English, Japanese, German and Spanish.
English: From 7th grade at school in Taiwan, I started learning English. Later, due to many stays in the USA and travelling around the world, I have improved my English.
Japanese: Japanese was one of my major subjects. As a student, I translated many Japanese comics into Chinese for a publisher to make quick money. Since college, I have not used Japanese at all and I can hardly do it now.
German: After trying to learn French, I learned German as a substitute for one semester. Two years later I continued learning German for love. My husband is German. Due to work, we travelled around the world for the first ten years of our marriage. This meant that I could only learn German through self-study. I got certificates for different language levels through exams at language schools, including the Goethe Institute in Germany.
Spanish: I spent a few months in Peru, so I started learning Spanish there. Unfortunately I was only able to reach level A1, then I became a selfless mother. Several years ago I continued learning Spanish and so far I feel like I’m in love with Spanish.
I’ve been listening to Coffee Break Spanish (CBS) Season 1 & 2 during my morning gymnastics instead of music, and surprisingly, I’ve refreshed my Spanish knowledge.
What are your favourite memories of learning a language?
Through the lessons from CBS Season 1 & 2, my Spanish has improved, especially my listening comprehension. Now, I can understand more during the my weekly Spanish encounters in our little German town. I am also able to answer questions in Spanish more quickly. Once a Peruvian woman told us a joke that nobody understood except me, even though I was/am the least advanced learner in the whole group. After I translated the joke correctly, I was praised with a the burst of applause.
Where would your ideal coffee break be, and with whom?
I want to speak Spanish more fluently with friends, neighbours and my classmates at the Flamenco School when I travel to Seville again this year.
What’s the best language-learning tip you have found works for you?
My language-learning tip is to use the language as much as possible, so that you can get used to it.
Quick Fire Round
• Your favourite language: Spanish
• Your favourite word or phrase in the language: Mariposa, ¡Olé!
• Do you have a favourite film, TV show, book or singer in the language? TV series: La Casa de Papel
• Your favourite destination to practise your language: Andalucía, Spain
Please finish off with a message to your fellow members of the Coffee Break community and the Coffee Break Team.
Hello everyone,
I am glad to be here with you. I’m convinced that Coffee Break can help me learn Spanish effectively and successfully.
Best regards to all of you,
Liz