June 2014 - Emmy Ivarsson

Hailing from Sweden, though you’d never guess it as she speaks perfect English, Emmy has taken on the task to achieve comparable mastery of the Spanish language with gusto. An immigration lawyer, her determination to put her professional skills to use and help Spanish-speaking immigrants in Portland navigate the legal process has motivated her focused dedication to learning the language. She’s advanced with impressive speed, recently testing out of several course levels after a month long immersion trip to Mexico during which she took classes and enjoyed practicing with locals. Cheerful and optimistic, Emmy emanates positive energy and is a model of how a second (or third) language can be acquired rapidly when one is truly committed to that goal. We congratulate her on her success thus far and for the important work she does with the local immigrant community.

Name: Emmy Ivarsson
Occupation: Legal assistant at Catholic Charities Immigration Legal Services
Time Studying at Tierra: Periodically since early 2013

1) Why are you studying Spanish?

"Well, in late 2012 I moved to Portland from Stockholm, Sweden to live with my husband. In Stockholm, I worked as an immigration lawyer and, since it is such a fun job, I wanted to continue working in this field in the U.S. as well. Due to the large number of Spanish speaking immigrants it is basically a requirement to know Spanish yourself to get a job in this field here - so I figured I better get at it. And it was fun to learn Spanish right from the start."

2) What is your favorite part about your experience here at Tierra?

"I really like the relaxed environment with few students in every class. You get lots of time for questions and practicing. You are also exposed to different Spanish accents, and learn about various cultures as the teachers come from different Spanish speaking areas and countries."  

3) Can you tell us of a time you have been able to use what you have learned studying here?

"I currently work at Immigration Legal Services at Catholic Charities and have the daily opportunity to communicate with clients in person and over the phone about their legal issues and cases they have with us. I still make plenty of mistakes and have to ask them to speak slower all the time, but feel more and more confident in my Spanish every day. I have a great time learning by conversing!"

¡Felicidades Emmy!