Author: Rochelle Marsh

Hello! My name is Rochelle and I’m a modern languages teacher. I'm currently working as an English Language Assistant in Neiva, Huila, Colombia.
Featured

The Myth of the ‘Native’ Accent

A former student of mine once asked me whether it was possible to truly speak a foreign language with a ‘native’ accent. This student – let’s call her Emma – had initially come to me for French classes after not having studied the language since secondary school. Emma had reached that all-too-familiar feeling of defeat … Continue reading The Myth of the ‘Native’ Accent →

Featured

Home

There's no place like home. That's how the saying goes, right? That you could be anywhere in the world, be on the most extravagant adventure or lavish holiday of your dreams, but when it really boils down to it, home is where it's at. And why is that? Because of our loved ones? Because it's … Continue reading Home →

Discovering Colombia Through Encanto

I recently rewatched Disney's Encanto for the first time since moving to Colombia. For anyone who's seen it, you'll already know it's a visual masterpiece with some of the catchiest songs ever produced for a Disney animation. What I didn't realise the first time I watched Encanto was how true it is to Colombian culture. … Continue reading Discovering Colombia Through Encanto →

Neiva

I’m waiting at the kerb, staring down the stream of oncoming traffic. Cars, motorbikes and yellow taxis beep their horns as they soar past, drowning out the noise of the restless cicadas. The city bakes under the morning sun: stallholders slouch under their parasols; motorcyclists careen down the road fashioning their jackets backwards with the … Continue reading Neiva →