August 2024 - Bobbie Kenney

An extraordinarily dedicated student, Bobbie has made amazing progress during her time at Tierra. An avid reader and music lover, she immerses herself in reading in Spanish and learning about musicians and artists through different eras; her thirst for expanding her cultural knowledge provides depth to her language learning experience. A kind and generous classmate, Bobbie is the type of student who organizes others to meet outside of class for more practice - she instigates community building. Dreaming of retiring abroad, Bobbie is a fantastic example of a student who commits to learning Spanish, sticks with it, and enjoys the ride! We are honored to count Bobbie among our inspiring student community at Tierra and look forward to continuing to see her abilities blossom.

Name: Bobbie
Occupation: Electrical Engineer
Time Studying at Tierra:  2.5 years

1) Why are you studying Spanish?
"It is a difficult task for me to learn a new language but because of that, every success is the greatest thing ever. I absolutely enjoy the challenge. Plus, I'm thinking of going to live in Chile when I retire".

2) What is your favorite part about your experience here at Tierra?  
"There are so many favorite parts about Tierra. First I think are the instructors. I have been a student of several and they are all so very patient, knowledgeable, and fun. Second would be the other students. Tierra does a good job of placing students who are all about the same level so we never feel intimidated and never feel under-challenged".

3) Can you tell us of a time you have been able to use what you have learned studying here? 
"I was on a flight when an elderly woman sat next to me. She was from Mexico, travelling to see her son in Portland, but didn't speak any English. I was able to scrape together enough Spanish to translate the flight crew instructions for her, help her find her way around the Portland airport, and get connected with her son".

¡Felicidades Bobbie!