Entrevista – Shelley Flenniken (Transcript)

Listen to the recording of the interview here.

Veronica: I’m your host, Veronica Vilsky, and today I’m speaking with Shelley Flenniken from Baltimore, Maryland who is currently studying Spanish at Ecela school in Lima. She has also previously studied with us at our school in Buenos Aires. Shelley, welcome and thank you for sharing your Spanish immersion experience with us.

Shelley: Thank you for having me, Veronica.

Veronica: Of course. As I mentioned in your introduction this is not your first time attending a Spanish Immersion Program with Ecela, so welcome back.

Shelley: Thank you. I’m glad to be here.

Veronica: Before your first immersion program in Buenos Aires, what was your biggest concern about doing the program?

Shelley: I had a really big concern about my aptitude to learn Spanish. I had taken Spanish classes when I was younger, when I was in high school and never really clicked with the language and never really kind of grasped the whole process of learning a new language, so I was really nervous that I would embark on this adventure and just come out of it frustrated and not really about to have actually learned the language.

Veronica: And was that a legitimate concern then after you spent some time in Buenos Aires?

Shelley: No, it was incredible how quickly I picked up the language. I really surprised myself. I think the whole point of the immersion program and being around people who really only speak Spanish is it forces you to learn how to communicate with people one way or another and it was an incredible learning experience. I was originally invited for six weeks and just learned an incredible amount of Spanish, so.

Veronica: Yeah, that’s wonderful, and how long is your program there in Lima? I’m sorry.

Shelley: I’m sorry.

Veronica: How long is your program there in Lima?

Shelley: I have been in Lima for three weeks now and this is my last week, so four weeks total.

Veronica: Awesome, for when our listeners listen, there’s just some construction in the background. So why initially did you decide to pursue learning Spanish?

Shelley: For my career. I’m, really I was working on my MBA in International Business and it became very evident that having the ability to speak a second language, particularly one like Spanish that’s so widely spoken would really become necessary in my career, so that’s why I embarked on these adventures.

Veronica: Yeah, so after returning the first time could you tell a big difference? Did you use your Spanish right away?

Shelley: I did. First of all there was a huge difference because I didn’t speak any Spanish before I went. I think my last Spanish class before I went to Buenos Aires was 11 years before then, my freshman year of college. So when I returned I actually just started my MBA program. I went right before I started my MBA program and immediately met 2 people, 1 actually from Lima and 1 from La Paz, Bolivia, and immediately was able to use my Spanish to start making new friends. They spoke English as well obviously, but it was a really good way to connect to people and be able to speak in their native tongue, so.

Veronica: So how has studying abroad changed the way that you view Spanish or language learning in general?

Shelley: You know, I think that when you learn a new language it gives you more than just the ability to communicate, it’s really about a thought process and learning and understanding how people think and I think that helps you understand them better as people. So for me it’s given me a lot of perspective, not just on the communication factor but kind of on the way and why people function the way that they do, and for me with a career in international business that’s really important to be able to, not just be able to communicate with people but really understand them, and I think that by learning a language, particularly learning it in its native context, gives you that perspective.

Veronica:   So what are your grammar and conversation classes like?

Shelley: Grammar is challenging for me in English, so that, but, no, our grammar classes are great because we really kind go through all of the, the rules and really understanding why the structure of sentences are the way that they are and how to properly conjugate different things. So it’s really great. It’s all in Spanish which is, was really challenging at first for me, but then you start being able to learn to use the words you know to communicate, the way you know how to communicate, and continue to learn from that and it’s a lot of fun. It’s usually pretty small classes. Just a couple other people and the professor, so you get to know each other and we have a lot of conversations about all sorts of different topics, and even in those grammar classes it’s very much focused on having those conversations and whether it’s, you know, the tenses that you’re currently learning of using certain types of sentence structure, so they really keep you on track with making sure that you’re properly using your grammar and then conversation classes are really fun. I really like those because you just get to share a lot about yourself and chatting with your company and your professor. You play a lot of games whether it’s like word games or just to encourage conversation it can get really fun. And we just have a lot of fun. We laugh a lot in our conversations.

Veronica: Good. That’s a good way to learn. Aside from classes, what does a typical weekday look like for you?

Shelley: It’s always different. It’s always different because there’s always something fun going on or something new to see. Ecela puts on a lot of afternoon activities which is really cool so it helps to coordinate people to go to the other parts of the city that you might not otherwise see or learn something new like last week we had a class on making the flowers. I remember in Buenos Aires the tango class and, you know, trips to go see really interesting places in Lima. Here they have some ruins within the city so we took a trip out to go see those, but there’s always something different going on. Usually after class a group of us will always get together and go to lunch together and kind of see what the afternoon brings if there’s not an organized activity, so it’s hard to say what a typical day is but it’s a lot of fun and typically there’s a really big group of other students to go out and explore the city with.

Veronica: Good, did it take you a long time to find a group of people to go out and explore with?

Shelley: Absolutely not. Every week, every Monday there’s new students here and everybody here is just really welcoming because everybody has shown up on their first day and not known everyone and so everyone’s really welcoming and, you know, it’s a very exclusive group.

Veronica: Good. Have you taken any, like, extended or weekend trips in Lima?

Shelley: I have. I went to Cousteau, I went out to Machu Picchu which was a lot of fun. It was really incredible, Machu Picchu, it was absolutely amazing. I did some traveling before I got to Lima, so that was my big trip since I’ve been here. When I was in Argentina I went to Mendoza, visited the wine country out there and I went down to Ipswaya, the most southern point of Argentina and did some exploring. It was winter then, so we went snowshoeing up a mountain and went sledding and cool stuff like that, so there’s always tons of places to explore and there’s still so much I have yet to do.

Veronica: How do you feel about the school’s location there in Lima?

Shelley: Oh, it’s incredible. It’s right in the middle of Mira Flores which is a really incredible neighborhood. It’s really convenient to, you know, where I’m staying and it’s kind of walking distance to all of the places where you want to be.

Veronica: Have you found any good restaurants there?

Shelley: Lima, I’m convinced that all the restaurants are good restaurants here.

Veronica: What has been your favorite cuisine?

Shelley: Yeah. I’m sure that’s probably not true. I’m sure there’s some bad ones, but it’s really incredible. I feel like we don’t actually go to the same restaurant twice because we’re always looking for a new place to try, but there’s some amazing food here in Peru.

Veronica: That’s awesome. What type of food has been your favorite?

Shelley: Well, I love seafood, so the ceviche is divine, the la moso pado which is the steak is also incredible, the puebo brazo, I don’t know, it’s just almost anything you can get here. All of the food is really fresh and you can, the ingredients themselves just have a ton of flavor, so if you like food, you’ll like Lima.

Veronica: That’s good to know. So back to kind of like class stuff, what area of Spanish is currently the most challenging for you?

Shelley: For me, I’m working on the prederate indefinito and imperfecto and that is, for me, the, understanding the rules between when you use each of those tenses and particularly trying to get them out properly when you’re having a fluid conversation is one thing, when I can sit down and think about it, but it’s another thing when you’re having a conversation and you’re trying to get those conjugations right, so that’s been a little challenging for me, but I’ve had a lot of help and people are really supportive of helping you get those things right, so.

Veronica: Good. What are your accommodations like in Lima?

Shelley: So in Lima I, it’s a little bit different for me. I signed up to stay in the shared housing, but I guess this time of year because it’s the middle of summer it’s really popular down here, so I ended up getting put into a, I guess a different kind of shared house with some other people that aren’t part of Ecela, so it’s a little bit different, but I have a private bedroom and I share a bathroom with one girl from Ecela. We’re the only two people from Ecela in that apartment and it’s a lovely home, a lovely house and the other people there are very nice.

Veronica: Good. Have you experienced the night life there at all?

Shelley: Absolutely.

Veronica: All right. What did you do?

Shelley: It’s part of the experience. Well, people in Lima like to go out and stay out very late. I’m not so much of a late night person. Yeah, we’ve gone out and experienced a whole bunch of different types of bars, gone out dancing, gone and seen some live music, it’s just, there’s tons of stuff going on all of the time until the wee hours of the morning, so it’s been a lot of fun. There’s always something going on.

Veronica: So what’s the latest, or earliest I guess, that you manage to stay out?

Shelley: For me, 4 AM, which is really late, really late for me. Other people stay out much later than I do. I’m usually the early bird that goes to bed early. They stay out till 6 or 7.

Veronica: Oh, I give you credit. I’m like two that would be my max.

Shelley: Yeah, normally I don’t even stay out until two. Here you kind of lose it in the moment and go with it.

Veronica: Oh, that’s awesome. And then sleep.

Shelley: Yes, yes and sleep, but I like my days, I like to have my days so I don’t like to sleep all day, so very conflicting for me.

Veronica: Right. So aside from that aspect, how is the Peruvian culture in Lima similar to or different from your hometown?

Shelley: Oh, I would say it’s much more laid back. The people here are really nice and it’s pretty laid back. Things don’t necessarily run on rigid time schedules, for better or for worse, and everybody here is super nice, not that they’re not nice where I’m from, but it’s unbelievable how nice they are here and people are really helpful out in the community, you know, when you’re trying to communicate and get around. So, yeah. I think that the laid back nature, I think it also helps that it’s summertime right now and people are really, you know, everybody wants to be outside and enjoy the sun and be close to the sea and just, everybody’s in a good mood.

Veronica: Mm-hm. That’s wonderful. I’m a little envious of the summertime weather.

Shelley: Yes, yes, so I’m not looking forward to going home. Here’s its.

Veronica: Do you have a favorite or memorable Spanish word or phrase?

Shelley: So when I was in Argentina, we used to use the phrase a lot Es La Vida and I love that phrase because it’s just kind of like that’s life and that’s the way it is and it’s just, it’s a phrase that reminds you to embrace your experience and, you know, you just don’t get worked up about things and you just kind of relax and enjoy the experience for what it is, and it really helps to keep life in perspective.

Veronica: Yeah, that’s a good one, especially traveling abroad.

Shelley: Yes, it’s very good perspective no matter where you go.

Veronica: Uh-huh. Is there anything else that you’d like to share with our listeners?

Shelley: No, I mean, I think that for me as I kind of mentioned, it was a near impossibility for me to learn Spanish, you know, just taking classes in the states and trying to learn a really traditional way, so, I mean, Ecela has given me a really incredible opportunity to really be able to learn a language and a culture and really experience that first hand. I have to say that I have, you know, I’m by no means fluent in Spanish, but I’m working on it and I’ve made so much progress that would just be impossible I think any other way, so if you can allow yourself as much time as you can to really learn and absorb, cause it won’t necessarily come incredibly quickly, but if you can give yourself time and patience, you know, it’s really an amazing experience and whether you can spend a week or a month or three months doing it, it’s something that no one could work around.

Veronica: Well, muchismas gracias Shelley, It’s been a pleasure speaking with you.

Shelley: [SPANISH]

Veronica: Do you have another school in mind in which you would continue Spanish immersion in the future?

Shelley: Oh, yeah, well I would probably want to go to Chile because I have not been to Chile yet, so with any luck I can find the time I will be back to Ecela in Chile.

Veronica: Oh, perfect. Well [SPANISH].

Shelley: Gracias.

Veronica: Ciao.

Shelley: Ciao.