“When life finally gives you time, learning becomes a gift you give yourself.”

Language Learning: A Personal Journey

I’m not here to teach Spanish — I’m here to share the tools, approaches, and sources that have made my own learning journey enjoyable and sustainable. Think of this series as practical notes from the road: insights you can adapt to Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, or any language you choose.

These articles aren’t meant to replace formal instruction or compete with professional teachers. Instead, they reflect what has genuinely helped me make steady progress: the methods that made learning enjoyable, the tools and services that supported consistency, and the sources of information that kept me curious and motivated. While my examples come from learning Spanish, much of what I share can be applied to any language.

My hope is simple — that something in this series encourages you, sparks an idea, or helps you shape your own approach to language learning. Whether you’re starting fresh, returning after a long break, or simply exploring how others learn, I’m glad to have you along for the journey.

With that in mind, let me share how my own journey began — because it didn’t start with a grand plan or a sudden burst of discipline. It started with a quiet moment of honesty.

In the spring of 2019, I retired to a quieter life after working non-stop for 35 years. During those busy decades, I always wanted to learn a second language — but like many people, I never took the steps to begin. My excuse was simple: “There’s just no time.”

As retirement approached, that excuse no longer held up. I finally had the space to pursue something I’d always wanted to do, and I saw language learning as a natural extension of my broader Health & Wellness journey. It would keep my mind active, curious, and engaged — a perfect complement to the physical habits I’d been building for years.

When I considered which language to learn, Spanish stood out immediately. Three things made the decision easy:

• It’s the third most spoken language in the world.
• It’s the official language of 22 countries across five regions.
• I’ve always been fascinated by Spanish culture and the diversity of its people.

For context, Spanish is spoken across North America (Mexico), Central America (Guatemala through Panama), South America (Colombia through Uruguay), the Caribbean (Cuba, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico), and even Europe and Africa (Spain and Equatorial Guinea).

In other words, learning Spanish opens the door to a remarkably wide and vibrant world — one I’ve always wanted to explore, even if only from home.

Learning a language — or anything new — is a wonderful lifestyle pursuit. Since I don’t have a pressing need to learn quickly, and I’m not planning extensive travel to Spanish-speaking countries anytime soon, I’ve embraced a slow-paced, self-directed approach.

My goal is simple: improve my Spanish proficiency poco a poco — little by little.

Over time, I’ve experimented with different methods, tools, and resources. Some approaches clicked immediately; others didn’t suit me at all. Through trial and curiosity, I’ve discovered what makes language learning enjoyable for me — and what makes it frustrating. That ongoing process has shaped the way I learn today.

This series isn’t about teaching Spanish. I’ll leave that to the professionals and passionate teachers with far greater fluency than I have.

Instead, I’ll be sharing what has genuinely helped me along the way:

• Approaches that made learning more enjoyable
• Tools and services that supported steady progress
• Sources of information and engagement that kept me motivated

While my examples come from learning Spanish, much of what I share can be adapted to other languages — Italian, Portuguese, and beyond.

Whether you’re just starting out, picking up where you left off, or simply curious about how others approach language learning, I hope you’ll find something here that’s useful, encouraging, or simply enjoyable to explore.