Andrew on the streets of Cusco.

Andrew Jablonski is a retired engineer Ottowa, Ontario, Canada. After settling down with ample time on his hands, he decided to do something truly exciting: learn a new language by immersing himself in its culture. He enrolled in an Ecela Spanish school in Cuzco, Peru.

Although Andrew already had a grasp on the Spanish language, speaking it regularly and fluently in a setting where he could not fall back on his native English and French posed a new challenge. In his Spanish classes in Canada, he noticed that teachers rarely corrected mistakes, believing that doing so might intimidate students. "But here at Ecela, the teachers were able to very gently correct us without diminishing the sense of safety."

One of the advantages of total immersion learning is picking up on how people actually speak their native languages in conversation, such as with colloquialisms and expressions. Although Jablonski's knowledge of French (which like Spanish is derived from Latin) helped him pick up on some of the more pronounced differences between Spanish and the languages he already knew, he noted that some of the "subtle differences" between the languages could be"dangerous". Some of these differences are more natural to pick up while reading, but are more difficult to apply while speaking, which Jablonski said total immersion helped him to learn.

Entrevista

Listen to Veronika Vilski, host of Planeta Ecela, 15-minute interview with Andrew Jablonski. 

Andrew, a well-traveled gentleman from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, took the time to share his Spanish immersion program with us.

This is an interview to which you will pay attention and feel inspired to get out from your daily routine to experience life anew.

Andrew has a practical, well-balanced approach to studying and traveling abroad, and he draws fellow adventurers—young and old alike—to get out and integrate with another culture.

The total immersion program has more to it than simply learning languages. It is also about meeting new people and discovering new locations and exciting experiences. Andrew said that one of his most memorable experiences involved meeting people who used local plants to perform spiritual rites.

Negotiating trips was a daunting but exciting process. "We had to purchase a ticket that covered six or seven sites but was valid only for two days. The four of us had to band together organize our own trip. Obviously, that involves risky things like trying to negotiate the terms of the transportation... trying to find the place [they were visiting], dividing the chores".

Jablonski said the experience gave them an increased sense of freedom and was terrific for both bonding and in increasing their confidence in their language skills.

A surprise birthday party with the staff at Ecela Cusco.

Andrew got around Peru primarily using public transportation, which he enjoyed. "Being able to do the things that I do normally gives me an additional sense of freedom, and gives me additional contact with normal people in normal life situations. Instead of being a foreigner being driven in taxis, I join the people and follow their steps. That gives me a chance to connect with them."

Jablonski said that the locals in Cuzco were universally helpful when he asked for aid. "I had no experience of any interaction that would not be pleasant," he said. "People value if you try to level with them that you want to walk their path. They are ready to reciprocate by reaching out to you."

Finding food is an essential aspect of any travel experience, and Jablonski pointed out some of his favorite spots is Cuzco. "I tried to eat in different places in various parts of town, although there is one restaurant which serves what is called here a menú, which is a semi-fixed menu at a quite reasonable price. It has a kind of soup I couldn't call... that I like enormously. I try to get there during lunchtime. To me a meal without a good soup is not really dinner. Peruvians have the same respect for soup that I do," Andrew said.

Ultimately, Jablonski believes that travel should be, above all else, about discovery. He says he never wants to superimpose his "Canadian template" on any new location. "I keep my eyes open to see what is, and not what I expect it to be."