2. My experience with English

I always speak in Catalan. It is my native language, although I speak Spanish and a little bit of English as well.

I started learning English when I was 8 years old, in the elementary school. I remember I used to love English classes. Everything seemed to be going really well until I went to “Batxillerat”. All my troubles with English began. I remember I used to study very hard and try my best, but it wasn’t enough.  It was really difficult for me to understand the English grammar as well as listening exercises. 

Four years ago, I decided to make a change. I was thinking to do something different with my life, because I wasn’t happy with myself. I had an ambition. I wanted to leave my country and start in another place. I decided to take my suitcase and buy a single ticket to go to England. It would be a challenge for me.

That makes me look brave but at first reality hit me and I was really scared. I didn’t speak English. I was just nineteen years old and I was on my own also I didn’t have job, a place to live and I didn’t have too much money.

In the beginning it was extremely difficult to learn English.  Moreover, it was hard to find a job and a nice place to live. But gradually I started learning and improve my speaking. I arrived at a little village called Ashford situated in Kent, rather far from London.  During the time I was living there, I lived with a lovely English family; they made me feel like a part of them. I worked in a shop, in Ralph Lauren. In there I met loads of people that later became my friends. All this new people that I met in this long travel of my life, they helped me with everything I needed and they made me spend the most amazing moments I had ever lived. They are lovely and pretty nice people

I think working in the shop made me improve my English because I had to relate and help the customers. People were very surprised with me because they told me how quick I was learning. When I already arrived I couldn’t say more than three words. I think live with child was a good way to learn English as well, because I learn from them.

I didn’t have time to study in any sort of academy for this reason my English is not as it good as could be. Actually I think my English improved, and now I can defend myself speaking English. I realize that my English at this moment is not as good as it was and I know I’m losing loads of expressions and vocabulary as well.

These are two of the little children who I was living with, Sophie and Recce.