Blog Post 5 – Learning Spanish While Traveling Through Latin America

It’s Monday again! That means, posting another blog post. The previous weeks I have managed to be quite consistent, often writing my blog posts in advance so I only had to polish before publishing. This week? Total writer’s block, or maybe just too many ideas to choose from. So here I am, brainstorming with ChatGPT, my little sidekick who helps me polish my text and make it SEO (Search Engine Optimization) proof so that one day my blog will be found on Google more easily.

Since this is a travel blog, it makes sense to write something related to my adventures, right? So today I want to share about learning a new language while traveling - the challenges, but also the incredible benefits and tips how to pick up a new language quickly!

Why I Chose to Learn Spanish

I have always said to myself, in my thirties I wanted to be fluent in three languages. Since Spanish is one of the most spoken languages in the world - it found itself high on the list. Big plus I find it quite a sexy language! Traveling through Latin America, learning Spanish along the way has been one of the most rewarding challenges of my journey. A year ago, I could barely order food at a restaurant. Now, I can have meaningful conversations, connect with locals, and even receive compliments on how good my Spanish is.

This hasn’t been my first language journey - I learned English by studying at an internationally oriented University and when I lived in South Africa I got introduced to Afrikaans and some basic Xhosa which came in handy on the work floor. Language learning is different for every person, but I will happily share how I seem to grasp a new language the fastest.

Getting Started Before the Trip

So, how did I get to learn Spanish so quickly? Well, technically, I had some basics from school over 10 years ago - but never used it. Just like German, I could only recognise a few words. My French was definitely stronger as I have had seven years of it at school.

Anyway, a couple of weeks before I flew to Mexico I downloaded the app Duolingo. Next to the swimming pool, while on holiday in Greece, I just spent a couple of hours a day practising Spanish on this app. “Yo como manzanas (I eat apples)”. It is a very basic start, but it is a start! In the process I looked up and wrote down useful vocabulary connected to art and travel - things I actually talk about often. Then I created a short introduction story for myself in Spanish. Something in the form of:

Hello, my name is Kimberly. Hola, mi nombre es Kimberly.

I am from the Netherlands. Soy de Holanda / Países Bajos.

I am 31 years old. Tengo trenta-y-uno años.

In my free time I like to paint, photograph and travel. En mi tiempo libre mi gusta pintar, fotografiar y viajar.

My plan is to travel from Mexico to Chile. Mi plan es viajar de México a Chile.

I wrote this down - first in a little booklet, but also typed it in my notes on my phone so I could always look back at it.

Learning Through Immersion in Mexico

Once I was in Mexico, I just started walking into all the little stores and art galleries and introduced myself in my best Spanish to the people working there. Most people didn’t speak English, so it turned out to be the perfect way to practice. Locals also appreciate it a lot when you are learning and trying, and happily slow down their pace.

Besides that, I joined all the Spanish-speaking free walking tours and booked the local (cheaper) tours without an English translator. Was it challenging? Absolutely! It can cost you a lot of energy too. But it pushed me to listen carefully, take notes and expand my vocabulary.

And it paid off! I made local friend and even got invited to a book club get-together where I found myself reading in Spanish for the first time, a piece of Argentinian literature.

A Spanish Immersion Course in Guatemala

From San Cristobal de las Casas in Mexico I took a bus and crossed the border to Guatemala. In Quetzaltenango (Xela) I signed up for a Spanish immersion course. Honestly, it was a highlight of my trip!

I stayed two weeks and thought it was a pretty good deal! With the conversion rates at that time I paid around 200 Euros a week. This included 25 hours of lessons per week, one-on-one with a private teacher. On top of that there were salsa classes three times a week and several other activities organised by the school. I lived with Rosa, a lovely local woman who cooked us three delicious meals a day. Every morning at 8 a.m., she waved us goodbye at her doorstep as we headed to school with our backpacks and books.

There I was, 30 years old, going back to school - and loving it. It gave me a much stronger foundation in grammar, which helped a lot. After this experience, I stopped using Duolingo and focused fully on just speaking with locals.

For anyone who is looking to do the same: I went to the non-profit Kamalbe Spanish School in Xela and have had a really good experience learning with their teacher Ana. Highly recommended!

Challenges Learning Spanish in Different Countries & Regions

The hardest part with learning the Spanish language while traveling Latin America is that there are huge differences between the different countries and regions. Not only in the accents, but also in the vocabulary itself!

For example up until Colombia, a car is a carro, an avocado is an aguacate, But then in Peru, suddenly a car was a coche and an avocado is a palta. Talk about confusing.

My first days in North Colombia were so difficult! I was on a bus heading into the jungle and couldn’t even understand the price of my bus ride. The poor bus driver had to repeat himself about ten times until finally another traveler stepped in and translated for me.

Good thing is, if you travel slowly, you adapt. I ended up spending over a month in that region, even made some local friends, and got used to the accent. I could understand everyone in the end! And then… Just when I felt confident, I crossed the border into Peru… and there it was again: different accent, another set of words to learn!

As some of you may know from my previous blog posts, I ended up dating a local in Peru for a while. Honestly, I learned a lot of vocabulary from him - things you don’t necessarily pick up as a tourist, but from sharing daily life together. Since my Spanish was stronger than his English, we naturally spoke Spanish with each other. It was challenging at times, especially when talking about more sensitive topics. There were definitely a few misunderstandings along the way, simply because things got lost or mixed up in translation.

Final Thoughts

Learning Spanish while traveling was not always the easiest, but it has been so worth it! It has opened doors to deeper & more meaningful conversations, local friendships, and experiences I would have otherwise missed.

If you’re thinking about traveling and learning a language at the same time, my biggest advice is: don’t wait until you’re “ready”. Start small, be brave enough to make mistakes, and say “si” to every opportunity to practice. Locals truly appreciate the effort, and every word you learn will bring you closer to the heart of the culture.

Quick Tips for Learning a Language While Traveling

🌍 Start practicing before your trip (apps like Duolingo help build a base).

📝 Write a short self-introduction in Spanish — it makes meeting people easier.

🚶 Join tours in Spanish to push your listening skills.

🕰️ Travel slowly so you can adapt to different accents and vocab.

🎓 Take an immersion course if you can — it’s a game-changer.

💬 Don’t fear mistakes — they’re proof that you’re learning

With warmth,
Kimberly 🌻