S1 E8: Embodied Language Learning, an interview with María Ortega García

"How are people supposed to know what to do with you when you don't even know what to do with yourself?" That question set off a journey of disentangling my identity from other people's expectations that I'm still on today. I'm humbled you're joining the conversation now and I can't wait to hear what you think of today's episode.

Today’s guest is María Ortega García, an embodied language coach, language teacher, mentor and Spanish multilingual poetry teacher based in Ireland.

I went to María with so many questions given that I spoke Spanish fluently (not perfectly), was familiar with various Spanish-speaking cultures, and yet I didn’t feel comfortable speaking Spanish in my own country. I found it hard to connect with people and frustrated at not knowing how to answer, “How did you learn Spanish?” I felt lost and out of place since Spanish has been a part of my life forever and yet I don't have a Spanish/Latin American identity or heritage.

Through the work of embodiment (which I personally find especially effective for introverts), María helped me seek answers within myself and tap into my body in order to feel more confident in new situations, as well as how to be aware of my body as a safe space.

If you're interested in working with and/or connecting with María, you can find her on her website at www.mariaortegagarcia.com.

I hope you enjoy today’s episode! Please reach out to me on Instagram at @shhh_imlearning to let me know what you thought and/or if you'd like to be featured on the show.