Hola chic@s,

Espero que estén bien.

Over the past few months, I’ve been sharing a few ideas about learning Spanish and figuring out what Chat Spanish is about.

I wanted to bring everything together today, especially for you newbies around here.

Vamos.


Spanish for living, not just learning

This is the idea at the heart of Chat Spanish.

I believe the purpose of learning Spanish isn’t simply to become better at Spanish.

It’s to experience more of life through it.

To meet people, build friendships and discover places and stories that otherwise wouldn’t exist.

Which brings us to another key idea, which is moving from being just a student to becoming a participant too.


The student → prepares and measures progress through what they’ve learned.

The participant → connects with others and measures progress through what they’ve experienced.

There’s nothing wrong with being a student. Learning matters, but we don’t want to get stuck there since preparation can become a substitute for participation.


Participation is messy.

Real Spanish doesn’t follow a lesson plan.

People speak too quickly.

They use words you’ve never heard.

They ask questions you weren’t expecting.

But that’s what makes it exciting.


To help us with this move from student → participant, I’ve landed on three little shifts.


1. Stories over streaks

We should aim to collect experiences, not just evidence of studying.

A Duo**** streak tells us how consistently we’ve practised, but a story tells us what we’ve actually experienced through Spanish.


2. People before perfection

There’s another person on the other side of your Spanish.

It’s easy to become obsessed with how we’re coming across, but we can always shift our attention onto the person we’re talking to.


3. Embarrassment is tuition

Sometimes the price of participation is feeling a little foolish.

Welcome to speaking Spanish. Paying that price doesn’t mean you’ve failed, it means you’ve stepped beyond the safety of preparation.


So there you have it.

The Chat Spanish philosophy, or at least what we have so far.

And finally, remember: no one can live your Spanish for you.

People can teach and encourage you along the way.

But the conversations you have, the people you meet and the stories you collect?

Those are yours.

It’s not always going to be easy or look pretty.

But it’s the key to a meaningful life.


What’s one thing you’d love to experience through Spanish?

Something you’d actually like to do, someone you’d like to connect with, or somewhere you’d like your Spanish to take you.

Hit reply and tell me.

I’d love to know.

Keep getting out there, chic@s 💪

Un abrazo,
Harrison


Spanish for living, not just learning.


P.S - Student mode is still important. That’s why I created the Chat Spanish Verb Lab 🧪, a place for you to practise conjugating the 100 most common Spanish verbs.


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