Paul: “You can’t learn a language by always trying to follow the rules.”

Hi Paul! Tell us a little bit about you! ?

I was born in Belfast, Ireland but I moved to California as a child. I left there several years ago and have lived in Mexico, Poland and I’ve spent the last 5 years here in Spain.

How was the experience of living in California as a child???

I grew up in Los Angeles, in the San Pedro area. It was a close-knit, multicultural community and even though it was a little rough, I have great childhood memories. 

Later, my family moved one hour north of Los Angeles, to Ventura County, which was a bit more laid-back and near the mountains.

Fun facts: I was an avid skateboarder and used to surf a few times a week. 

Why did you move to Spain???

I had always wanted to visit Spain, and I had arrived at a point in my life where I felt I needed a big change.  At that time I was working a lot, teaching history in a local school during the day and playing music at night, and I had quite a bit of money saved up. So I sold almost everything I had and returned to Europe. I spent some time in Hungary, where my brother was living, and I visited my family in Ireland. 

Then I travelled for a few months and ended up in Spain. 

I liked being here from the first day and at the moment I can’t imagine living anywhere else.

Why are you an English teacher??

I have been teaching for over 15 years and I’ve found that it’s something that I enjoy doing and that it allows me to be creative.

Tell us…What is your favorite thing to teach? ??‍?

Phrasal Verbs and Expressions!

Do you have any hobbies??

I also work as a professional musician, so I spend most of my time rehearsing, practicing, composing and recording. 

At the moment, I’m involved in several different projects, playing everything from soul, funk, cumbia, rock and even klezmer music. 

I should have some new music streaming on Spotify very soon.

Wow… that sounds really cool! 

What else do you enjoy doing in your free time??

I also love cooking for my friends and anything food related. Travelling is also a passion of mine. 

When I want to relax, I enjoy a good read. I’m also currently addicted to doing burpees, so you can often find me in the park.

Can you give a tip to your students or future students?☺️

Speak and make mistakes often in class, where you have a teacher who can help you. 

Don’t think too much about the grammar, because it can stop you from speaking freely and fluently. 

The primary purpose of language is to speak and you can’t learn a language by always trying to follow the rules, here in Yuhu we can teach you how ?