My name is:
Kaily

My new level is:
B2

Approximately how much time do you dedicate to working on your Spanish outside of class?
30 min – 1 hr daily

On average, how many times per week do you take classes @ Pura Buena Onda?
1x/week

What role has Pura Buena Onda played in helping you improve your Spanish & advance to the next level?
I started taking classes at PBO in order to get more comfortable using the grammar and vocabulary that I know – and making mistakes! – in conversation. The teachers and fellow students have helped me with this by creating an environment in which we can relax and ask questions. Having a regular, safe space to practice Spanish has been really important to improving my language proficiency; and something I look forward to every week!

What are some of your favorite resources?
I love listening to the Duolingo podcast – more so after Winnie suggested that I not treat the podcast as homework, where I have to understand every word and grammatical syntax, but relax and listen to the story as a whole. When I do want to get technical, I’ve found the SpanishDict app really helpful. They provide a comprehensive list of conjugations for pretty much any verb, and have some great grammar lessons that are accompanied by video stories.

Is there anything else you would like to share with us?
Though I’m excited about my B2 classes, I’m also, honestly, a little sad to have to move on! I really enjoyed class with Winnie and would like her to know how much I’ve appreciated her honesty, humor, the way she (kindly) stays on top of our errors. Thank you, Winnie! ”

¡Gracias Kaily!

¡Felicidades a Kaily por avanzar al nivel B2! ¡Bien hecho! We are so happy to have you in our online Spanish classes!

My name is:
Marisol

My new level is:
B3

Approximately how much time do you dedicate to working on your Spanish outside of class?
On average an hour a day (usually 15 minutes of journaling in Spanish, 15 minutes of vocabulary, and 30 minutes of homework or self-directed study).

On average, how many times per week do you take classes @ Pura Buena Onda?
1 private class per week

What role has Pura Buena Onda played in helping you improve your Spanish & advance to the next level?
It’s been the key! I would not be moving forward at the pace that I am without the help of PBO. As much as I selfishly want to keep Winnie a secret so that her private class times don’t fill up, it would be doing her a disservice. She has encouraged and supported my goal of learning Spanish while deepening my understanding of the culture and history of Mexico and has structured our class time around this goal. To me, this is the best part of being able to take private classes – to be able to have a whole hour focused on your goals and learning style. Worth every single cent.

What are some of your favorite resources?
My two main resources right now are 1) journalling in Spanish (so you get to learn/practice vocabulary that you will use in your daily life) and 2) listening to podcasts/music in Spanish (so you’re soaking in how the language sounds and how the sentences are structured).

Is there anything else you would like to share with us?
I love being a part of the PBO community, even though I live in another state. Every class/workshop I have taken has been so welcoming and open.

¡Gracias Marisol!

¡Felicidades a Marisol por avanzar al nivel B3! ¡Bien hecho! We are so happy to have you in our online Spanish classes!

My name is:
Rommel

My new level is:
B3

Approximately how much time do you dedicate to working on your Spanish outside of class?
About 30 minutes a day in average. More if I am at a client training software users who only speak Spanish.

On average, how many times per week do you take classes @ Pura Buena Onda?
Once a week.

What role has Pura Buena Onda played in helping you improve your Spanish & advance to the next level?
A lot! The classes helped me boost my Spanish speaking confidence. Making mistakes is just the nature of learning a language and the teachers are there to help you correct them. The topics and scenarios discussed each week also help with vocabularies that I otherwise would normally not use.

What are some of your favorite resources?
Duolingo Stories and Podcasts. Netflix Spanish shows, watched with Spanish subtitles.

Is there anything else you would like to share with us?
I got started with PBO in the beginning of the Pandemic and what a great way to spend my time wisely! As we start opening up more, I get out to the world feeling a bit more accomplished with all the Spanish language improvements I garnered all through the wonderful teachers at PBO!

¡Gracias Rommel!

¡Felicidades a Rommel por avanzar al nivel B3! ¡Bien hecho! We are so happy to have you in our online Spanish classes!

My name is:
Li

My new level is:
A3

Approximately how much time do you dedicate to working on your Spanish outside of class?
30 minutes per day

On average, how many times per week do you take classes @ Pura Buena Onda?
1 to 2

What role has Pura Buena Onda played in helping you improve your Spanish & advance to the next level?
It’s given me great insight on how native speakers talk in regular conversation.

What are some of your favorite resources?
PBO, language learning apps, Caliente radio station on Sirius XM and following native Spanish speaking groups on social media.

Is there anything else you would like to share with us?
I love all of the teachers and other students at PBO! They make class fun and learning another language interesting and engaging.

¡Gracias Li!

¡Felicidades a Li por avanzar al nivel A3! ¡Bien hecho! We are so happy to have you in our online Spanish classes!