Meet Wendy: An Inspiring Explorer with a Passion for Spanish

September 25, 2025Naila GulzarSpanish Homestay Immersion Program (SHIP), Spanish Immersion for Adults, Visit Valencia

Some people decide to learn Spanish to travel, and that single choice quietly changes the way they see the world. At 66, Wendy showed that the urge to start learning Spanish has no expiry date, and that a little courage can open doors most of us never imagine.

I’m Pilar, a host teacher here in Valencia and SHIP Coordinator, and welcoming guests into my home for the Spanish Homestay Immersion Program (SHIP) is exactly the kind of work I love to teach and share. This September, I had the joy of hosting Wendy, an Australian explorer whose warmth and curiosity lit up our whole week together.

Meet Wendy – A Retired Teacher with a Traveller’s Heart

Wendy is a retired primary school teacher from Australia, energetic and endlessly curious about everyday life beyond her own shores. Her dream of walking the Camino de Santiago and one day exploring Latin America became the spark behind her decision to learn Spanish.

She still volunteers with young learners back home, proof that a love of learning never truly retires. Active, fit, and full of plans, she walks regularly to prepare for the road ahead.

Why Wendy Chose a Spanish Homestay

Wendy could have signed up for ordinary Spanish classes back home, but she wanted far more than a textbook. She chose SHIP because living with a native speaker turns language learning into genuine connection rather than isolated study or printed resources on a page.

Unlike audio lessons or busy language schools, every hour with me became real, living conversation. For her, it was the most natural way to learn Spanish for travel and prepare for the journeys ahead.

Wendy’s First Spanish Lesson

Wendy arrived with only a little Spanish, yet her enthusiasm made every session fly by. We started with the essentials: conjugating regular verbs in the present tense and the tricky difference between ser and estar.

Step by step, her language skills grew, and the language barrier she had feared began to melt away. Like many English speakers, she was a bit nervous at first, but her effort never wavered.

Building a Strong Foundation in Class

Across her Spanish course, Wendy explored gustar-type verbs, learning to say “me gustaría” when describing what she’d love to do. She studied reflexive verbs for her daily routines and worked steadily through the Holidays I workbook, expanding her vocabulary and sharpening her pronunciation with new words she could use immediately.

Roleplays in cafés and tapas bars gave her common phrases for real situations, from greeting waiters to asking for “la cuenta” when she wanted to pay for the bill.

Speaking Spanish Beyond the Classroom

The real magic happened well beyond the classroom. Throughout the day, Wendy practised her second language at home, in the car, and around the city with my daughter Esmeralda. There were moments she longed to speak English, though, but she chose to push on instead.

Rather than relying on just English or reaching for Google Translate, she pushed herself to speak Spanish at every turn. From small talk with neighbours to chatting with locals, she embraced the local language and began to hear far more than she expected.

Wendy’s Immersion Experiences in Valencia

Every excursion was designed to blend history, cuisine, and conversation, giving Wendy the chance to use Spanish in enjoyable, practical ways. From traditional dishes to historic squares and quiet lakes, each outing turned the city into a living classroom. Here are some of the highlights of her unforgettable week.

Paella in Port Saplaya

On one of her first days, Wendy enjoyed a classic Valencian paella by the harbour at Port Saplaya. Curious as ever, she asked me to name every ingredient, practising the language around the table and expressions of preference.

The dish was so generous she couldn’t believe the amount of rice, and her delight over such delicious food made me laugh out loud. Sharing that meal felt like the perfect introduction to her week in Spain.

Exploring Gilet

A short drive took us into Gilet, the peaceful town beside Valencia where I live. Wendy asked questions about local customs and landscapes, building confidence with every exchange.

Wandering its streets, she practised describing what she saw and picked up plenty of new expressions about village traditions. It was a lovely, low-pressure way to settle into the rhythm of a Spanish town.

A Visit to the Supermarket

Even an ordinary errand became a memorable session. At the supermarket Wendy learned the names of everyday products and the polite words that smooth daily shopping. She practised “por favor” and “lo siento,” gaining the confidence to manage real situations on her own.

Armed with a few key words, she navigated the aisles with a smile. These small moments are where real progress hides, and Wendy embraced every one of them.

The Roman Castle in Sagunto

We also visited the Roman castle in Sagunto, where ancient ruins tell the story of Spain’s layered past. Wendy explored the ramparts and learned terms linked to history and architecture.

Standing among the stones, she described the castle and its significance, connecting the language with the deep history all around her. History, she told me, sounds even better in Spanish.

The Historic Centre of Valencia

In Valencia’s historic centre, Wendy admired the Cathedral, the Lonja de la Seda, Plaza de la Virgen, and the lively Plaza Redonda. She practised vocabulary for buildings and squares while soaking up the atmosphere.

After tasting traditional horchata, she tried to ask for water in Spanish, sparking warm smiles from the staff. It was a wonderfully natural way to test her growing Spanish phrases.

A Day at the City of Arts and Sciences

Touring the futuristic City of Arts and Sciences with Esmeralda, my daughter, Wendy described the striking architecture and answered questions entirely in Spanish, boosting her spontaneous fluency.

A funny moment came when she reached out to touch the plants on an interior wall, certain they had to be artificial. The smiles around the group said it all. Moments like these prove that all this real practice, woven into a fun day out, is what makes immersion stick.

A Sunset Boat Ride on La Albufera

Our week’s calmest moment was a sunset boat trip on La Albufera, one of Spain’s largest lakes. Wendy relaxed, chatted with other visitors, and switched smoothly into Spanish in a completely new setting.

Watching the light fade over the water, she told me what a great idea it had been to learn in real places like this.

From Beginner to Confident Speaker

By the end of the week Wendy had built a solid A1 foundation and could introduce herself, talk about her family, and describe her routines. All that she absorbed gave her real momentum toward more advanced Spanish in the future.

Tackling a new language at mid sixties took courage, and she made it look easy. Whether in Valencia, Cádiz or a small village anywhere in Spain, she can now hold her own among Spanish speakers. This is exactly why I wanted to share her story in this post.

Wendy’s Next Adventures

Wendy’s Spanish journey is really just beginning. With the Camino de Santiago on her calendar and dreams of trips of two weeks or longer across South America, she now has the basics to connect wherever she goes.

She pictures herself in Mexico, Colombia, Peru, and Argentina, ordering meals and asking “¿a qué hora sale?” at a busy station. From Costa Rica and throughout Central America, she’ll feel at home in almost any Spanish-speaking country.

Ready to Begin Your Own Spanish Story?

If you’d love to learn Spanish in a real Spanish home, surrounded by the culture and daily conversation of Spain, I would be delighted to welcome you to Valencia. Every SHIP is personal, blending structured study with the warmth of a real family, so you don’t just study the language, you live it.