This initiative moves learning from the classroom to everyday environments, offering students the opportunity to interact in Catalan without direct teacher supervision. The goal is for participants to overcome their fear of using the language and better integrate into Catalan society.
An example of this methodology is the case of a student of Colombian origin, who practices at Celler Rovira in Tarragona. A doctor by profession, she arrived in Catalonia three years ago and is currently studying elementary Catalan. She explains that her main difficulty is the pronunciation of the 'r' at the end of verbs, a distinctive feature compared to Spanish.
“"Sometimes I get confused and a word in Spanish comes out, but well, it's normal."
The winery owner, of Italian origin, has learned Catalan self-taught through social interaction and consuming local media. This personal experience makes him an ideal collaborator for the program, as he understands the difficulties of learners.
Another participating establishment is Casa Jardí, specializing in dried fruits, where a student of Moroccan origin, who attended primary school in Catalonia and has recently returned, also carries out her practices. Her goal is to fully integrate and improve her job opportunities, as she aspires to be a Spanish teacher and wants to communicate in Catalan with people from the region.
“"When students come, they practice in an environment where we all know they are practicing, and we promote our shop. Both sides benefit."
The owner of Casa Jardí, who has collaborated with the program for seven years, highlights the mutual benefit of this initiative, which not only helps students but also promotes local businesses. Last year, 211 students participated in these linguistic practices in Tarragona.
