About Me
Hello, I’m Alistair
Thanks for visiting my blog. I’m originally from Scotland but have lived in Spain for almost 12 years.
I’m an English language teacher, trainer and examiner in Madrid. And I’m also passionate about learning other languages.
So, through my blog, I’m going to share my experiences and provide advice and resources related to language learning – things that have (or would have) helped me greatly along the way.
About Me
What to say? I’m originally from the north of Scotland but have lived in Spain for almost 12 years.
I have spent most of that time in Madrid but also lived in Malaga for a year or two. Both cities are great, but I prefer living in Madrid and what it offers. I like big cities.
I moved to Spain in 2013 and started teaching English in-company. I worked with adults of all levels who needed to learn or improve their English for their careers, so it was a mix of business and general English.
Over the years, I have given specialised workshops, taught English for specific purposes, and prepared students for formal exams. I am also a certified Cambridge English speaking examiner.
My Experience Moving to Spain
When I came to Spain, my Spanish was very basic. I tried to study myself before I moved here, using audio lessons. And I thought I’d done really well…. until I arrived in Madrid and couldn’t speak a word.
It was hard enough to do basic things like finding a flat or opening a bank account. But the bureaucracy of registering with the tax office and social security was a nightmare.
So, I immediately signed up for an intensive course with a Spanish academy and took it from there.
Teaching a language has definitely helped me as a student. So, I hope I can help you make sense of it all for faster and more efficient language learning.
My Hobbies
Aside from languages, I love running, travelling and theatre.
I have run over 11 marathons and a few ultra-marathons around Europe and the US. As well as countless other half-marathons and 10km races in the UK and Spain.
The marathon trips are actually a great way to combine running with travelling. I’d like to say a marathon is a good sightseeing tour, but after a few miles, my mind is not really on the architecture.
I also enjoy travelling on its own. I have visited many amazing places in Spain and have travelled around Europe, Southeast Asia, and Australia. My next trip will be to South America (when I get around to planning it).
Get in Touch
That’s about it from me. If you want to get in touch, please send me a message below.
I’m always open to new opportunities, so if you have a project in mind you think I could help with, please send me a message.