What It’s Like Learning Spanish in Medellín, Colombia (As a TOTAL Beginner)
Okay so, as y’all know I’ve been in Colombia for about 6 weeks now… LOVEE IT HERE. But, I also did something new, and signed up for Spanish classes!
Which is so funny because when I first started traveling people would ask me all the time if I was going to learn another language and I quickly answered no every time because tbh I never felt the need. In Peru I was able to get by just fine without knowing how to speak Spanish, Guatemala was a BREEZE I never blinked twice there when it came to a language barrier, and honestly pretty much the same for all the other spanish speaking countries I’ve visited recently like Mexico, Panama, and even in certain parts of Costa Rica… but Colombia??? A WHOLE DIFFERENT STORY!
They don’t speak a lick of English here. Like, I’m talking 90% to 10% ratio babes, and thennnn, to top it offfff, they speak so fast that even if I did want to try to understand what they were saying there isn’t enough time to process it before getting overwhelmed and responding with my good ‘ole reliable “no gracias” and walking away LOL.
For the first few days it worked, but given that I planned on being in Medellin for at least a month I knew that wasn’t going to get me by much longer so I hopped on Google to find Spanish classes in my area, and next thing you know I was enrolled at Valley Spanish School!
spoiler alert: signing up for classes here has by far been one of the best decisions I’ve made while traveling.
Why Medellín?
Let me take you back a bit…. So, originally I wanted to go straight to Cartagena. It was by the beach, warm sunny weather, and when I searched it on TikTok there was literally ALWAYS something fun popping up to do. But, I flew into Medellín on a Friday afternoon because they had the best flight options (since I was coming from Panama), and despite landing with the intention of only being there a week or two, by the end of the weekend I was not only enrolled in a monthly membership at the BEST hot pilates studio ever, I was also set up to start taking classes the following Monday morning! So at that point, it was safe to say I was going to be there for a while.
Medellin just has this undeniable energy, that just sucks you in. It’s warm (and not just the weather, I’m talking about the people too), affordable, and very popular amongst travelers and digital nomads. I think this is what makes it such a perfect place to learn Spanish because you can actually use it every day, and use it in a way where you don’t get judged or looked at funny because you’re learning.
I mean from chatting with your Uber driver to ordering food at your favorite local restaurant, it goes much further than just the classroom… it’s a full cultural immersion so I knew it was the perfect place to be.
Starting Classes at Valley Spanish School
Walking into Valley Spanish School on the first day, I had no idea what to expect. I took French all throughout high school and college so I knew little to no Spanish AT ALL. Like if I knew it, it was from watching Dora back in kindergarten, not because I have a small foundation like many people who were introduced to the basics back in grade school.
Despite those typical first day jitters though, everyone was so super welcoming! The teachers, the other student in my class, and even the receptionist (who greeted me in Spanish, but didn’t make me feel bad when I answered in Spanglish lol).
I’ve been taking a 2-hour beginner group class for just over two weeks now, usually with 1–2 other students. My teacher, Veronica, is an absolute dream! Her teaching style is perfect for people like me who haven’t been in school for a while because we get a great mix of real-world conversation and textbook/vocab practice.
We usually kick off class with some casual conversation, which I love. It gives me a chance to bring up things I’ve heard or tried to say while exploring the city but didn’t fully understand. Then we get into a more structured lesson where we learn vocab, conjugations, etc.
No shade at all to Duolingo, but nothing compares to actually speaking with a real human and other students. It makes it so much easier to learn because you’re getting a real understanding and not just memorizing phrases so you can pass a little “quiz” and watch a bird dance on your phone screen.
One of the many things I love about Valley is that it doesn’t feel like a stuffy language academy. It has such a relaxed and supportive vibe that makes me excited to learn something new everyday! I really appreciate the fact that the classes are so naturally interactive, I think they do an amazing job at creating a learning environment that doesn’t make the students want to hide in a corner when it’s their turn to speak.
Plus, they offer SO MANY fun cultural activities like food tastings and dance classes, along with discounts on everyday things such as tourism tours and housing options!! Like seriously, what more could you ask for?
My Spanish Progress
Whenever people find out I’m taking Spanish classes, they always ask me if I know how to fully speak it and tell me to say something. Such a loaded request because like it’s a language and I’ve only been enrolled for like two weeks so to expect me to KNOWWW Spanish is wild LOL. Like, I’m literally still very much a beginner, so do I know how to speak Spanish? I’m still going to answer with no, BUT… after just two weeks of classes I can:
- Order food like a pro (no more awkward pointing lol)
- Small talk with locals without feeling shy or quickly yelling out “no habla ingles”
- Ask for everyday things like directions, where to find something, or how much something costs
- Introduce myself with more than just my name (where I’m from, what my occupation is, why I’m in Colombia, etc.)
And MOST IMPORTANTLY… I know how to say “WHERE ARE THE RICH MEN AT???” LMFAO, as I should!
No, seriously though.. I think it’s so wild how much more connected and comfortable I feel to the country just by taking a few classes at my local Spanish school. I’m really excited to see how much I can take in while I continue to explore and move further along in my curriculum at the school (because they offer online classes, so even when I leave I plan to continue my studies)!
Would I Recommend Taking Spanish Classes?
Well that depends… is the sky blue???
DUHHH I RECOMMEND! I would recommend taking Spanish classes one million times over again, especially if you travel a lot! The dynamic changes so much that it’s really one of those things you need to see for yourself
If you’re thinking about learning Spanish, or even if you’re just planning visit Medellin, YOU NEED TO GO CHECK OUT VALLEY SPANISH SCHOOL.
They’re the best place to be. Take a few classes, or take them for a month- whatever works best for you but just trust me when I say, you need to do it! You’ll see how much better life in a Spanish speaking country is when you aren’t trying to survive off Google Translate and fake sign language.. L O L!
If you’re interested in learning more, take a second to check them out here—and don’t forget to tell them I sent you ??
Until next time,
Dru <3
a.k.a. your favorite travel bestie