ELE-Certified Native Spanish Teacher from Colombia — Real Conversations, Real Progress. Dubai & Online.

When I began learning Spanish, I knew no one in my family or circle of friends who spoke Spanish, but I really wanted to continue learning by speaking with someone, so eventually, through a friend of a friend, I met Astrid and she agreed to speak with me and help me develop my Spanish.
She was kind and patient, and she always had a smile when she saw me; a smile she maintained during our early, halting conversations in Spanish. Over a period of a year or more as I continued studying, our conversations became more fluent as my confidence increased. We would focus on different language topics as I was learning them, and use them to describe and talk about life events, movies and plans. I found her accent clear and approachable among the many different Spanish accents that exist.
I was also able to meet her family and communicate with them in Spanish which was very validating for me.
To this day I remember very fondly how Astrid helped me and was formative early in my journey with Spanish, which I later used extensively throughout Latin America, Spain and even in my home country of Australia. She didn't just help with the mechanics of the language, she brought enthusiasm for it as well as for her country and culture.
I have no doubt she will bring the same warmth, patience and understanding to others looking to learn or improve their Spanish. I'm very grateful to her and wouldn't hesitate to recommend her as a language teacher, though I personally count her as a friend.

My wife is Colombian, and I came to Astrid with very, very basic Spanish and a lot of curiosity about the culture my wife grew up in. Wanting to learn as a way to communicate with extended family.

She brought everything into every lesson: the language, the humor, the way Latin Americans actually think and express themselves. A lot more things started to make sense!

I never expected to progress as fast as I have. We are now reading a book together in Spanish. On day one, that would have seemed impossible.

Best decision I made for my Spanish and honestly, for my relationships too. James

I grew up watching Latin American telenovelas and picking up bits of Spanish as a child, so I always understood more than I could actually say. The words were there in my head I just couldn’t bring them out with any confidence. Astrid changed that completely.

From the very first lesson, she made everything feel natural, relaxed and genuinely fun. She tailored every session to real situations from my life — social conversations, introductions, the easy back‑and‑forth you need when you are out with friends. It felt practical, personal and immediately useful.

The moment I realised how far I would come was during a salsa night with my Latin friends. Halfway through the evening, I caught myself chatting, laughing and keeping up, in Spanish, without even thinking about it. That was the moment everything clicked.

If you have been telling yourself you’re not ready or not good enough to speak, book a lesson with Astrid. She will prove to you that you already are.

Eternamente agradecida,
Maya