Liken your Spanish progress to the bamboo tree for a perspective on patience.
Spanish, like the bamboo plant, requires dedication and time to achieve fluency.
Learning a new language is frustrating. For beginners, so much time goes into studying and practicing yet there seems to be no pay off. Even after a year (or month in immersion), the progress is often so marginal that many students give up. Next time you feel discouraged with learning a new language think of bamboo.
Bamboo is a strange plant. When it’s planted, there’s initially no growth. Gardeners need to provide light, enrich the soil, and regularly water a plot of soil showing no signs of life. Year after year, gardeners labor over this dirt. Then, in the fifth year, bamboo shoots up over eighty feet in the span of six weeks!
Those who just happen upon this garden may think that this growth materialized from nothing but the gardener knows the growth came from dedication and time. Language learning is very much like the bamboo. At first, the language learner is like the gardener. You labor over the lessons. You devote time and energy to learning the material but nothing seems to happen. In fact, it can become quite frustrating, laboring so hard for no signs of progress.
Then, from what seems out of nowhere to an observer, your fluency improves drastically. Like the light, nutrients, and water provided by the gardener, all the commitment, time, and effort you put into learning Spanish comes together in a short amount of time. Suddenly, all the information you’ve gathered over the years in lessons and practice will make sense and combine together to vastly improve your grasp of the Spanish language.
The gardener and the language learner know that the secret to growth isn’t magic. It’s dedication. Both may become discouraged by the process but ultimately know that the reward is worth it. Next time you become discouraged with your progress learning Spanish, simply think of the story of bamboo!
Most of our seats are reserved for current students and Ecela alum. Each week we have limited spots for new students.
Follow these easy steps to check for openings:
- Check Availability (link below).
- Wait for us to review our schedule.
- We will confirm within one day if we have a spot for you.
No payment information or commitment is required now.
All of the teachers used the most up to date L2 techniques
Newly arrived in a big city, from a diverse range of countries, ages, backgrounds, staying for varying periods of time to gel and get along? Most people would find this a nearly impossible task but they seem to manage it at ECELA Buenos Aires with the fantastic range of activities on offer and the care they take to attend to students needs.
Having taught English as a foreign language myself I can appreciate the quality of the Spanish teaching at ECELA BA. All of the teachers used the most up to date L2 techniques and as well as having a passion for their native language the general atmosphere was one that seemed to be designed to foster active communication wherever possible. Many of the teachers speak 3 or 4 languages themselves and have a fervent interest in linguistics.
I would recommend ECELA Spanish School in Buenos Aires to anyone, of any age, from any background who has a passion for new experiences.
Peru was a time in my life that I’ll never forget
I’ve been an ECELA student for three weeks. These 3 weeks have been fantastic. I’ve met so many nice people from all around the world. The teachers are really nice, and they make the classes really fun. You learn so much in the classes! The school also offers a wide variety of activities every week. You can learn to cook or make pisco.
If you have the chance to volunteer for a day, I highly recommend it. It’s a beautiful, unique experience. Seeing the poor children smile brightens up your day. Volunteering doesn’t feel like work, it’s more like having the opportunity to do something good for someone else. In the end, the kids are as happy as the volunteers.
Peruvian food is delicious. There are so many tasty fresh fruits and vegetables. Some of the dishes you should try are ceviche, tamal, and definitely chicharrón!
And obviously Peruvian people are so friendly. I always felt safe. You do have to get used to the traffic; you could say it’s a bit wild and crazy, but honestly I miss it now. There’s always something going on in the streets; it’s never boring!
Peru was a time in my life that I’ll never forget. Everyone should go and spend a vacation as wonderful as mine was.
I LOVE LIMA!
When I got here, I could say: “una cerveza por favor.”
My name is Kjell and I’m from Norway. My wife Bjorg and I have been here for 3 weeks. When I got here, I could say:
“una cerveza por favor.”Now I can say more; for example: “tres litros de Quilmes por favor”; ” Tengo dolor de cabeza”..
Many thanks to Elizabeth, Leila, and everyone at the school for three interesting and educational weeks.
Hasta la vista!!
Once again I learned that the most important and necessary thing for learning is being motivated to work with other people.
I have so many things to be thankful for. I’m so happy that I spent two weeks with kind, dedicated, and well-prepared instructors. They taught me with patience and a lot of enthusiasm. I had fun with the other students in my class. Pilar organized the activities really well, and Emmanuel helped out when necessary. Thank you, Romina, for your help. Thank you everyone!!!
Once again I learned that the most important and necessary thing for learning is being motivated to work with other people. We can take on this work with our hearts. Being a teacher isn’t just a job, it’s a vocation!
Many thanks to Gabriel, to Nadia García, to Florencia, to Guillermo, and to Susana for being my instructors with that gift of teaching!
I’ll see you soon, I’m coming back!
Thank you for making me feel that I was more than just a language student.
I spent one month in ECELA Viña del Mar and could not have been more pleased with my progress in Spanish, and happy with my experience in general. Both the excellent staff and instructors were professional, kind, and helpful.
The feeling they were able to convey was that they not only wanted to help with the advancement of the language, but that students felt comfortable and confident navigating a new city, language and culture.
Thank you again for this experience. Thank you for making me feel that I was more than just a language student.
For me the only thing I didn’t like about the school was leaving!!!!
My time at Ecela, Buenos Aires was wonderful – in fact so good I came back the following year!
Buenos Aires is a fantastic city to visit and the school is in one of the nicest neighborhoods. But best of all the staff at the school really make you feel at home and the atmosphere is friendly and fun.
From knowing no Spanish at all when I first joined the school I have reached a level in Spanish that I am delighted with and in all honesty never thought I’d reach!
The professionalism of the teachers is outstanding and the classes are interesting and fun and you can really tell the teachers enjoy their jobs.
For me the only thing I didn’t like about the school was leaving!!!!
I had a better experience than I ever could have imagined
When I decided to study at Ecela, I was looking for a school that had good classes and a comfortable environment. But when I got there, I had a better experience than I ever could have imagined.
The class structure was organized, and the small classes helped me learn quickly. The school’s staff was really kind and professional.
Also the school’s excursions are a great opportunity to learn outside of the classroom. The salsa classes and the barbecues were the most fun.
I recommend this school to everyone.
The students you meet seem to come from every corner of the world, some I’ve never even heard of before!
This is my 3rd week here and I have made good friends and gone places that under normal circumstances would not have been able to. I would recommend this for anyone looking to live in Santiago and experience a slice of life in Chile.
The teachers at the school are helpful and very easy to talk to. My Spanish has improved with every day I have attended classes. The activities and location of the school provides good opportunities for exploring the city of Santiago.
The things I have learned in Chile will outlast the time I have spent here. The students you meet seem to come from every corner of the world, some I’ve never even heard of before! I am glad that I have participated in this program and know that I am a better person for doing so.
My experience at ECELA was UNFORGETTABLE – or better yet, “inolvidable!”
My experience at ECELA was UNFORGETTABLE – or better yet, “inolvidable!” I don’t know any other word that better describes the weeks I spent in Cusco!
The Spanish course offered by ECELA Cusco is really top notch. Its professors are better than you can hope for. I felt very comfortable the whole time. Not to mention the marvelous friendships that I made during my trip and the incredible activities and excursions.
I really must thank the ECELA Cusco family for everything, for their support and their kindness. I recommend the school to anyone who wants to learn high-quality Spanish while feeling at home.
A warm thank you to my friends Carmen, Ygor, Erik, and Alexis
I will without doubt recommend the school to anyone!
My summer in Cusco was one of my most memorable vacations ever. I enjoyed staying in the beautiful city, getting to know both Peruvians and other international students. The teachers and staff in Ecela were very good and fun at the same time.
I will without doubt recommend the school to anyone! Ecela put me together with a host family who was loving and caring. They helped me improve my spanish by talking with me every night. Going to Ecela in Cusco is really the best way to study Spanish!