Joseph Mahaut
Language Trainers: Good morning Joseph. Thank you for taking the time to chat with us. Could you tell us a bit about yourself?
Joseph Mahaut: Thank you, yes my name is Joseph and I am a freelance engineer in telecommunications. My clients range from companies such as Nokia to Ericsson. Before this, I used to work for Accenture.
Language Trainers: Why did you choose Language Trainers for your studies?
Joseph Mahaut: I knew I wanted to have a native Spanish speaker teaching me but I didn’t have the time to commute to a class. I was referred to Language Trainers through a friend and tried out an online Spanish class via Skype –and it really worked for me!
Language Trainers: That’s great to hear. What about the online courses appealed to you?
Joseph Mahaut: A long time ago I studied Spanish in a classroom setting: I didn’t get the one-on-one attention I needed, I wasted time in the commute, and I’d arrive late to class and stressed. I found the classrooms usually had too many people and didn’t allow me the opportunity to practice through speaking. I listened a lot to others talk, but that didn’t help me.
With my one-to-one online language course, I could get my tea, sit down in front of my computer, and begin face-to-face lessons with a certified teacher regardless of where either of us is located. My teacher was a perfect fit but was thousands of miles away in Texas. With Language Trainers’ online course, my personalized Spanish courses were possible.
Language Trainers: You said you attempted studying Spanish before. Why did you decide to begin your studies again?
Joseph Mahaut: Yes, I took a two-week classroom Spanish course before when I was dating an Argentine woman, and after those intensive 2 weeks I still was not able to speak. In my past work conditions such as at Accenture, it wasn’t necessary I speak in anything other than English even though the higher-ups received language courses.
But now I am considering moving to Chile to live and work so I wanted to improve my Spanish skills before leaving to take a quick trip over. After just 20 lessons with Language Trainers, I could read and write and communicate with people during my two-month stay!
Language Trainers: Overall, what would you say was the most helpful part of the course?
Joseph Mahaut: There were 2 things that really stood out to me. First is the fact that I got to be at home. Everything was so efficient and organized with my teacher. We had a set agenda and she helped me learn much more than in the classrooms I had tried before.
Second thing is that once I told my teacher I was going to Chile, she arranged my lessons so I would learn information about the customs and people of Chile. I learned about Chileans’ mild behavior, the area, and how to speak to people there. I felt comfortable visiting and am getting ready to move there soon. All with the help of my teacher! It was really the cherry on top.
Language Trainers: And on a final note, would you recommend Language Trainers?
Joseph Mahaut: Yes, I will for sure!
