The Passport to This World: Learning Spanish for Travel with Preply

Ahead of several weeks of travel throughout Latin America, HDYTI Editor-in-Chief Eulanda Shead Osagiede partnered with Preply to continue a language-learning journey that’s followed her throughout much of her life. This review reflects her experience using the platform over several weeks of one-on-one Spanish lessons with Colombian tutors.

I was exhausted after spending the better part of the last 24 hours sweating out my edges and nursing my swollen feet after following my colleagues, now turned friends, Emily, Bruna, and Carolina from one street party to the next throughout Rio de Janeiro. 

We’d danced our way through Pedra do Sal and a handful of other places whose names I’m embarrassed to admit I can no longer remember, stopping only long enough for another conversation, another song or another caipirinha before making our way to the next stop.

Of course, I willingly submitted to peer pressure. We’re all adults here. You learn to manage these things and remind yourself that this isn’t an everyday occurrence. Besides, I knew I’d be back in Brazil twice more that year, and there was no guarantee I’d have time to properly enjoy the city in quite the same way. So, I chose that life.

My aching feet the following day tried their very best to convince me I’d made the wrong choice.

So trust, I was tired.

Somewhere between Rio and the Portuguese phrases I’d spent the previous five days copiously practising, I boarded my flight to Panama City. My brain was still very much in Brazil, which is why I was completely caught off guard by a semi-fluent conversation in Spanish with someone from Colombia.

The family sitting beside me was from Medellín. There was a husband, his wife and their two daughters. After realising they hadn’t been seated together, I happily gave up my aisle seat and took the window instead—which was perfectly fine by me because it gave me somewhere to rest my head.

And that’s exactly what I did. I put on my headphones, leaned against the window and immediately fell asleep.

At some point during the flight, I woke up to someone tapping me gently on the shoulder. Groggily opening my eyes, I realised it was the father of the family sitting beside me. He pointed towards his airline headphones and then to mine and said something with a wonderfully jovial look on his face that I couldn’t quite make out through my own headphones. I smiled politely, took them off and immediately realised he was speaking Spanish.

Perhaps because I’d only just woken up, I didn’t have time to overthink anything. I simply recognised the language and responded.

To this day, I’m not entirely sure what I said. What I do know is that whatever came out of my mouth was enough to continue the conversation. As we continued talking, however, things became considerably more entertaining. My brain was still attempting to differentiate between Portuguese and Spanish, and I found myself laughing and apologising in my wonderfully imperfect Spanish more than once.

“Lo siento, mi español es muy mal.”

I explained that I’d studied Spanish in university—more or less—and that I’d spent much of my life learning it on and off. He quickly corrected me.

“No, no,” he insisted. “Tu español es muy bueno.” Then, laughing, he added that his English was very bad.

For the next hour, we spoke in our wonderfully imperfect languages. He complimented my accent and told me my pronunciation was very clear. He was patient whenever I paused to search for a word and, more often than not, provided it for me whenever vocabulary failed me.

Somewhere during that conversation, as my brain was finally waking up, I found myself smiling. I kept thinking that if only I’d taken my Spanish a little more seriously over the years, I wondered what else I might be able to say.

And perhaps for the first time in a very long time, I found myself thinking that maybe it really was time to commit to Spanish.

Spanish and Me

Spanish has been following me around for most of my life. I’ve always prioritised language learning, just perhaps not always consistently.

I grew up in Denver, Colorado, in a neighbourhood where, over the years, Spanish became as much a part of the soundtrack of my community as English. There were university classes, immersion courses in Spain, years spent dancing salsa and countless moments while travelling where I’ve found myself wishing I had just a little more confidence speaking another language.

Languages have always been part of my travels. They’ve also been something I’ve continually found my way back to.

One month I’m travelling throughout Latin America and another I’m preparing for a French-speaking destination. It’s never been particularly difficult to convince me to begin learning a language. Continuing to show up has always been where I’ve done my best work.

I’ve also learned a few things about the way I learn over the years. I like organised classes. I enjoy structure, provided there’s enough flexibility for life to happen around it. Most of all, I learn best in conversation.

I’ve tried language-learning apps over the years and genuinely appreciate what many of them offer. They’re wonderful for vocabulary building and introducing new concepts. What I’ve continually found myself wanting more of, however, is conversation. Someone listening closely enough to tell me when I’ve confused my Spanish with my French or gently encouraging me to keep speaking when I’ve become stuck somewhere between the right word and the almost right word.

So when Preply invited me to experience its language-learning platform ahead of several weeks of travels throughout Colombia and Panama, the timing couldn’t have felt more appropriate.

My Experience Finding a Tutor in the App

One of the first things I appreciated about Preply was how uncomplicated the onboarding process felt.

Rather than immediately scrolling through tutor profiles, you’re first asked a series of questions about how you’d like to learn, your goals and your availability. Within just a few minutes, the platform begins recommending tutors based on your preferences.

For me, finding a Colombian Spanish tutor was particularly important.

Knowing that I’d be spending time throughout Latin America this year, Colombian Spanish felt like a natural fit. I was also looking for something much more personal than simply finding someone who spoke Spanish.

Teaching styles matter. Personalities matter. The way we learn matters.

As strange as it might sound, I also learn particularly well from certain vocal cadences and tones. It’s easier for me to imitate pronunciation and self-correct when I can comfortably follow the rhythm of someone’s speech.

So I took my time. I shortlisted thirteen tutors before eventually booking two trial lessons. And I’m very glad that I did.

Two Tutors and Two Very Different Lessons

My first trial lesson was with Michely. She immediately put me at ease. There was grammar when it was needed, conversation throughout and plenty of encouragement along the way. She gently guided me towards the correct answer rather than immediately correcting mistakes, which did wonders for my confidence as a learner.

I tested at an A2 (Elementary, Pre-Intermediate) level and walked away knowing exactly where my strengths and weaknesses currently live.

My pronunciation and reading comprehension was considerably better than I’d expected. Listening comprehension, however, remains very much a work in progress.

My lesson with Moi felt entirely different. She spoke considerably more Spanish throughout our lesson and wasted very little time encouraging me to think in the language rather than translating everything in my head. Within twenty minutes, I was attempting to explain who my husband was, talking about my friends and describing where I travel.

One thing I particularly enjoyed was how quickly both tutors centred our lessons around real life rather than textbook examples. We weren’t discussing fictional scenarios or memorising phrases I was unlikely to use. Instead, we were talking about people I love, places I visit and conversations I’m likely to have while travelling.

There’s something quite lovely about discovering that you’ve just spent thirty minutes speaking another language without realising how quickly the time has passed.

Had I taken lessons with only one tutor, I might have simply concluded that I’d found a wonderful teacher. After two trial lessons, I was left thinking much more about the platform itself. Both tutors were exceptionally well suited to what they do despite having entirely different teaching styles.

Language learning isn’t one size fits all, and neither are language learners.

What Happens in Between Preply Lessons

After my lessons, I found myself enthusiastically walking my husband through all of my learning insights—which is perhaps the surest sign that I was enjoying myself considerably more than I’d anticipated.

Preply tracks vocabulary you’ve learned during lessons, creates flashcards for future study and provides helpful speaking insights that allow you to build upon previous lessons.

There are also thoughtful touches that I wouldn’t have considered particularly important until I began using them. I had certainly never thought about how quickly I speak in another language or what that might tell me about my proficiency. Seeing insights around vocabulary acquisition, speaking pace and lesson progress has been surprisingly helpful.

The technology feels useful without ever becoming distracting.

What I’ve enjoyed most over the last several weeks has been how naturally Spanish has begun finding its way back into my everyday life. A quick revision session before bed. Attempting to remember vocabulary while standing in line at the grocery store. Rearranging my lesson because travel plans unexpectedly changed.

It has felt manageable.

Keeping the Conversation Going

I initially had reservations about committing to a subscription model. These days, most of us are intentional about what we add to our monthly budgets, and language learning is no exception.

A few weeks later, I find myself feeling rather differently about it.

Looking back, every period where I’ve made meaningful progress with language learning has involved organised classes. Consistency is where I’ve always done best.

Four lessons each month has been a lovely place to begin.

What I perhaps misunderstood initially was just how flexible the platform could be. Lessons can easily be rearranged when travel inevitably reshuffles my calendar, and learners can decide whether they prefer recurring weekly sessions or scheduling classes individually throughout the month.

There’s also something wonderfully simple about knowing that there’s another lesson waiting for me next week.

A Few Weeks (and Three Lessons) Later

Over the last several weeks, I’ve lost count of how many conversations I’ve had about Preply.

Friends have asked what I’m using to learn Spanish. Someone has asked whether I’d recommend finding a tutor online. I’ve found myself pulling out my phone to show people my lesson insights and enthusiastically walking them through the platform in much the same way I did with my husband after my first few lessons.

At this point, I’ve probably spoken to at least half a dozen people about it—and nobody has had to ask twice whether I’m enjoying the experience.

I don’t say that lightly.

I’ve spent years trying different approaches to language learning. Looking back, I’ve realised that I’ve never particularly struggled with wanting to learn another language. I’ve struggled with finding something that’s realistic enough for me to continue returning to when life inevitably becomes busy.

That’s where Preply has fit particularly well into my life.

Everything feels intentionally designed to make learning easier rather than adding another thing to manage. The reminders are helpful without feeling intrusive. Rescheduling lessons is wonderfully straightforward when travel rearranges my calendar. Keeping track of vocabulary, lesson notes and upcoming classes feels seamless whether I’m sitting at my desk or waiting to board another flight.

There have been several moments where I’ve caught myself thinking that the platform feels less like a language-learning platform and more like having a very organised concierge quietly helping me keep up with my lessons.

And I mean that as a compliment.

As I’m writing this, I’m sitting in Colombia. It’s a country I’ve visited before and one whose language I’ve been learning—more or less—for much of my life. The difference this time has been a quiet one. I’m speaking more. I’m understanding more. And I’m considerably more willing to try.

Three lessons might not sound particularly significant in the grand scheme of language learning, but they’ve already proven meaningful in ways both big and small.

I’ve also realised that I can’t imagine returning to learning languages any other way. After years of trying different approaches to language learning, I’ve realised that one-on-one language lessons work exceptionally well for me. Being able to ask questions, laugh at my mistakes and build lessons around my own life has made all the difference.

For me, Preply has been one of the most enjoyable language-learning experiences I’ve had.

The Passport to This World

Years ago, while travelling in Morocco, I met the manager of a beautiful hotel near Tangier. He spoke seven languages fluently and shared something his father had always told him:

“Languages are the passports to this world.” I’ve carried those words with me ever since.

They’ve followed me through conversations on aeroplanes, around dinner tables and across continents. They’ve quietly made appearances whenever I’ve wished I’d studied just a little bit more before arriving somewhere new.

Language learning has never felt like arriving at fluency for me. It’s always felt much more like continuing a conversation.

Preply hasn’t made me fluent in Spanish in a matter of weeks. What it has done is make it considerably easier—and considerably more enjoyable—to keep showing up.

Spanish and I have been finding our way back to one another for quite some time now. I’m looking forward to next week’s lesson.

If You’re Curious About Preply

A few things I’ve particularly enjoyed about using the platform over the last several weeks are the flexibility and the sheer number of tutors available to choose from. One of the reasons I’ve found myself recommending it so often is that it allows learners to find tutors based on much more than simply the language they’d like to learn.

You can search based on teaching styles, tutor availability, country or region of origin, language proficiency and price point, making it particularly helpful if you’re looking for something quite specific. For me, that meant finding Colombian Spanish tutors whose teaching styles aligned with the way I learn. For someone else, it might mean finding a French tutor based in Paris or preparing for an upcoming trip somewhere entirely new.

A few practicalities worth knowing:

• Lessons are available across 90+ languages.
• Trial lessons are available before committing to a tutor.
• Tutors set their own lesson rates.
• Monthly subscription plans are flexible and can easily be rearranged if travel or life unexpectedly gets in the way.
• Lessons can be scheduled as recurring weekly sessions or individually throughout the month.
• Preply learners report 60% higher speaking confidence than self-learning app users
• 7 in 10 would highly recommend Preply after just 12 weeks – more than double the rate for the self-learning app

If you’d like to try Preply for yourself, you can use my affiliate link to receive 50% off your first lesson.

Happy learning! I hope I’ll see you somewhere out in the world attempting to order coffee, dancing Salsa, asking for directions or laughing your way through a wonderfully imperfect conversation in another language.

Co-Founders & Curators at HDYTI

Eulanda & Omo Osagiede are London-based freelance writers and award-winning social influencers who run the popular travel, food, and lifestyle blog HDYTI (Hey! Dip your toes in).

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