BELLAIRE • MEMORIAL • RIVER OAKS • TANGLEWOOD • WEST UNIVERSITY

New language, new adventure, new job

By Jack Telle, age 18 | August 1, 2017

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STUDENT TO TEACHER Jack Telle, a rising senior at Strake Jesuit College Preparatory, loves Spanish and now helps other students learn the language.

Thanks to one of my closest friends, a native Spanish speaker, I was introduced to the Spanish language. After eating Spanish-style meals with his family and spending time with them, I decided I wanted to pick up the language. Though I had taken years of Spanish in school, my understanding of the language was basic, and I felt that I needed to immerse myself in another country to learn.

I travelled 5,000 miles from home to live with a family for two weeks in San Sebastian, Spain. I traveled alone, knowing nobody, and unsure of what to expect; however, it was the best experience of my life. I befriended students with the same interests from all over the United States. We spent each day going to class, surfing on the beach and exploring the city. By walking through the streets of the bustling town and interacting with locals in stores and restaurants, I learned how to use the language proficiently, and my interest grew deeper.

I was nicknamed “Tex-Mex” by a few locals for speaking a Texan version of the language, since I had picked up some Spanish by interacting with native speakers from Texas rather than in a formal classroom setting. I returned home and spent hours of my free time reading Spanish novels and listening to Spanish music on the radio and Spanish podcasts of the news. I practiced at restaurants, with my friends, and anyone I encountered who spoke the language.

My aunt noticed this interest and mentioned to me that I should try helping students who were trying to knock out credits through summer-school courses. After tutoring my cousin in a few lessons, I found that I really enjoyed teaching the language to other students. Gradually, I began to expand to others in the Memorial area. I continued this job into the summer of 2017, spending most of my free time helping students in the area to complete their course in Spanish. I now have tutored over 10 students and enjoyed it very much. I am thankful my close friend helped to enlighten me on what would eventually become my favorite hobby.

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