VV: Good afternoon, Cedric, and thank you for this opportunity! Congratulations once again on being the Grand Prize winner of ECELA’s 2010 ACTFL Raffle.
VV: What were some of your first thoughts when you found out you had won a month-long, free Spanish immersion program from ECELA?
CC: Honestly, I did not believe that I won the grand prize just by attending the 2010 ACTFL Conference in Boston, so in the beginning when I received the e-mail, I was very skeptical about the prize and I contacted Veronica immediately and then “bombed” her with questions.
VV: What was/were your goal(s) in enrolling in ECELA’s Raffle to potentially study Spanish via immersion?
CC: I have always wanted to learn Spanish for many years now. I learned Latin, German, French, and Polish first. But however; when I saw the opportunity to enter into a raffle tha
Mr. Cunningham won a month-long, expenses paid Spanish program through ECELA's Raffle. Felicidades!
t potentially could land me in South America learning Spanish for free I filled out several raffle tickets hoping that my chances would be greater.
VV: Did you accomplish your goal(s)? If so, how did the immersion part of the Spanish program help?
CC: In four weeks in Santiago, Chile my ear is now tuned very well to hearing Spanish, I can communicate (by speaking, reading, and writing) effectively with native speakers, and I have gained so much from this language experience.
VV: In what ways might you use your Spanish-speaking abilities after returning home?
CC: I am going to continue taking Spanish courses so that I can become more a part of the Spanish speaking community in my country.
VV: From your experiences as a language teacher, how did ECELA’s professors ensure that you understood the Spanish materials taught?
CC: By observing my teachers (Edith, Cimena, Roxanne, Rolando) I have learned from them interesting methods how to teach foreign languages and at the same time make learning a foreign language enjoyable.
VV: What advice or suggestions would you give someone looking to find a Spanish immersion program for themselves or for their students?
CC: I highly recommend ECELA’s program in South America to anyone interested in learning Spanish. Students quickly become immersed in the Spanish language on the very first day of class. Something else that makes ECELA’s program work so well is the interaction among students, teachers, and staff members. The teachers and staff are highly qualified professionals and they truly enjoy their jobs.