April 2014 - Joshua Strickland

With a hearty laugh and humourous take on life (and learning Spanish), Joshua’s presence adds vitality and a sense of playfulness to any class he joins. His ambition to understand his wife’s native language and culture as deeply as possible has provided the impetus behind Joshua’s unwavering resolve to achieve fluency in Spanish, giving him the stamina to overcome the inevitable plateaus in language acquisition in order to reach new periods of tangible progress and refinement. Instinctively friendly and sociable, he thrives in Tierra’s small-group setting, forming meaningful relationships with classmates and integrating the class interaction and energy into his learning process. His spirit of fun and genuine eagerness to learn make Joshua an excellent example of how attitude contributes to success in attaining language skills and we look forward to continuing to watch him accomplish his goals!

Name: Joshua Strickland
Occupation: Cook
Time Studying at Tierra: Almost 2 years

1) Why are you studying Spanish?

"At first I was drawn to learning Spanish by my love for Mexican food and desire to open my mind to new ideas, having read in a book that language shapes our perception of reality. I took a few classes and went to Mexico only to realize it would take much more than I thought to master the language, so I chose to put the brakes on it. A few years went by and I found myself married to a Costa Rican and back on the Spanish train."

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

"Sometimes all the different word equations and sounds can be a daunting task to memorize, and I find Tierra has an entertainment component that keeps the enjoyment of learning a new language alive.  I also like learning about things with guidance and cultural references outside of my spectrum of knowledge. For example, in class we have watched some clips of Mexican comedian Cantinflas, which are hard to understand but very interesting."

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

"I have acquired several family members who do not speak much English, so as I’ve studied Spanish over time my capacity to communicate with them has increased. At first our conversations could not exceed two minutes, and without anyone else in the room to translate, confusion set in rather quickly. Nowadays confusion still comes, but we can talk for much longer periods of time without any interference."

¡Felicidades Joshua!