My Language Journey: From Lima to Ostrava

 

 Photo by Jakub Gojda on Unsplash

Hello language lovers, and thank you for visiting my blog!

In this first post, I’d like to share who I am, what I do, and why I decided to start blogging.

My name is Margarita. I was born and raised in Lima, Peru. Ever since I was a child, I’ve been drawn to words and communication — even though I was a shy kid. I often found moments to talk to myself out loud and even tried keeping diaries. But what I loved most was sharing conversations with people close to me.

At school, my favorite subject was Spanish. I was the one who cared about vocabulary and spelling in writing — the little details always mattered to me.
As I grew up, I also became fascinated with English. I loved listening to singers like NKOTB, Bryan Adams, Cyndi Lauper, and Whitney Houston. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to be: a communicator, a linguist, a reporter, a writer, a tour guide… all of those possibilities excited me. I eventually chose to study journalism and earned my degree.

I had the opportunity to work at a local radio station, where I experienced what it felt like to be heard on air — it was amazing. But soon, my path led me back to languages. Not only Spanish, but English too. I wanted to connect with people through another language — in writing and in conversation.

I studied English at a North American language institute in Peru, and soon after, my journey as a language teacher began. I also pursued further education and earned a pedagogical degree in education, specializing in teaching English to young learners.

Later, I became active on social media and began offering freelance tours in Lima, helping English-speaking visitors discover my city. I served as a guide, an interpreter, and a local friend. It was through this work that I met someone special — from the Czech Republic.
Months later, I made a life-changing decision: to step out of my comfort zone and move to a very different country.

The Czech Republic transformed my mindset. I experienced culture shock, but it was absolutely worth it. I learned (and I’m still learning!) Czech, became more independent, and met amazing people from all over the world. I feel so grateful to work with colleagues from different nationalities and perspectives.

Here in Ostrava, I’ve had the opportunity to teach both English and Spanish in language schools. I’ve witnessed how students grow in confidence and communication over months and years. It’s an incredible feeling to guide someone on their language journey.

Now I speak daily in Spanish, English, and even Czech — with native speakers, foreign colleagues, and, of course, my daughter.

Yes, I’m also a proud mother of a beautiful 10-year-old girl, born in the Czech Republic. Like me, she has a passion for languages. Living as a single mother in a foreign country is a journey of love, sacrifice, and strength.

At this stage of my life, I want to share my story with other students, teachers, and language lovers — and offer help not only with learning languages (through teaching), but also with translation and correction work.

Blogging gives me a chance to reconnect with my journalism roots, and blogging in a foreign language brings me closer to my lifelong passion for communication.

I invite you to follow me, share your own experiences, and spread your love for languages and learning.

See you soon!

Margarita


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