Hello! My name is Anabel and I am a Spanish Curriculum Developer for Radio Lingua. I have been part of the team since 2019 and I have enjoyed every minute so far!

What is your role in Coffee Break?

My role involves a variety of tasks related to Coffee Break Spanish, such as creating content for the podcasts, providing feedback in the CBS Masterclass or filming for the CBTV Club.

What experience have you had speaking and learning other languages?

My first experience was learning English in primary school. I wasn’t an excellent student but I had to do it because it was part of the curriculum. In high school I started learning French due to the curriculum again, and although my English was better, I wasn’t able to learn one single word in French. It was a tragedy. However, one day everything made sense and all those hours I spent trying to learn and comprehend grammar were worth the effort. I then decided to learn Latin and Greek. These were followed by Chinese and more French, languages I am still learning.

What are your favourite memories of working with Coffee Break?

One of my favourite memories is the first episode I recorded with Mark. It was my first time in a studio and I was really nervous. Luckily we were talking about two of my favourite topics -Spanish and Salamanca-, so I easily forgot we were recording.

Where would your ideal coffee break be and with whom?

If it were possible, my ideal coffee break would be spent with my grandfather in our finca in Salamanca, just taking a break after feeding the animals.

What’s your best language learning tip?

As you could see, I wasn’t good at languages but I didn’t give up. Patience and practise are essential in life when learning anything. Take advantage of any chance to practise and of course, do not give up. Never.

Quick-fire round

• Favourite language: Spanish! However I love Mandarin, I enjoy my time learning the Chinese characters, it reminds me of my drawing classes!
• Favourite word/phrase in the language: 跑 or any character that has 包. I have lots of fun writing this kind of Chinese character.
• Favourite TV series: Modern family.
• Favourite band: Paramore and City of the Sun.
• Favourite destination: Home with family.

Do you have a message for the Coffee Break Community?

Learning a language may be one of the most frustrating experiences, but it’s also one of the most rewarding ones. And it is going to take time (years, in fact), but every single minute you spend learning will be worth it when you have your first conversation in that language. Keep practising and keep learning!