Monika is one of those teachers who instantly lights up a room. Her infectious energy has led to what can only be called a 'cult following' - so many students just can't get enough of Monika! Monika (from Poland) is living proof that being a fantastic Spanish teacher doesn't mean you have to be a native Spanish speaker. In fact, learning from a teacher that has themselves learnt the language from scratch has many amazing advantages.

Why did you study to become a teacher of Spanish?

I started studying English when I was just 8 years old. In our very first class, I remember being asked to write down any words that we already knew in English. At the time I knew a handful of English words here and there, but I didn't have any idea what they actually meant! Lucky for me, my teachers were really encouraging and patient with me. Since then, knowing the English language has opened many doors for me. There's nothing quite like the feeling of being able to communicate comfortably with other people when travelling overseas! I lived in the UK for a while, then travelled to the USA after that and in that time my English strengthened. I was surprised how easy it was to adapt to another language so I thought I'd try out another! So for a while, I contemplated learning Hungarian until an opportunity to spend summer holidays in Spain emerged. I immediately fell in love with the country, its people, culture, food and inevitably, the language. So soon enough I enrolled to study Spanish Philology, first at Warsaw University, Poland and then at Complutense University in Madrid, Spain. I was only meant to spend one year in Madrid on exchange, but ended up staying for a few years after! So there you have it! 

When did you begin teaching Spanish?

Having finished my degree, I was encouraged to start teaching Spanish in Warsaw at a language centre in 2011. I really loved this experience and haven’t stopped teaching since!

How did you start in Australia?

I found my way to Australia through the famous Spanish walking trail called 'Camino de Santiago' (St. James’s trail) where I met my Aussie husband. I decided I wanted to move here in 2016, and soon enough I came across El Patio! I've been so lucky to be a part of the team ever since. 

What is a loveable aspect of teaching Spanish in Australia?

I love teaching Aussies for so many reasons! They're so friendly and not afraid to get involved which helps me to create an enjoyable learning environment in return. My priority is to make my classes not only informative but really fun. I have learnt to embrace the Australian sense of humour and incorporate it into my sessions. One of my favourite things to do is exchange 'cultural slang'. Australians have so many local words which you could never learn anywhere else! Since living here, I've come to realise that these words are so important when learning a new language, including Spanish; they're also good to know as they can fool people into thinking you're a true local! I find myself asking people if they 'Would like a cuppa?' instead of a 'cup - of - tea'. It's the simple things like that which I love to teach, and it's certainly something which Australians embrace.