Team

We are a team of qualified teachers who are passionate about education. We have been living and teaching in Wellington for years, working in different educational institutions. We love our language and our culture, and we feel proud to guide our students in their discovery of Spain and Latin America.

photo of Cynthia

Our co-director Cynthia came to Aotearoa in 2009 after working for several years in the primary and adult education sector in Argentina. With a degree in language teaching, she has been guiding Wellingtonians through their Spanish learning for the past 10 years.

Cynthia has also worked with migrant and refugee-background students across different schools in the Wellington region. Since the completion of her qualifications in Librarianship and Information Studies in 2016, she has been working as a secondary school librarian in Porirua.

In her free time, Cynthia enjoys taking dancing classes, snowboarding on Mt. Ruapehu and discovering the best cafes in town.

Dana

photo of Dana

Our co-director Dana is passionate about teaching and has been working in this field for more than 10 years. Having taught hundreds of students over this time, she has a clear understanding of how unique and individual each learner is.

Dana completed degrees in Spanish Linguistics and Literature and a Postgraduate Diploma in Spanish as a Second Language. In 2020, she finished a PhD in Spanish at Victoria University of Wellington.

Dana is not only passionate about languages, she loves literature and good music. She is also an enthusiastic traveller who is always willing to gain a deeper understanding of other cultures.

Caro Miranda made Aotearoa her home in 2007, after spending 6 years and a bit in the UK. She has worked as a language teacher, lecturer, translator and interpreter in New Zealand, as well as in her native Argentina and the UK, where she completed a PhD in Translation and Drama.

Passionate about culture and language diversity, Caro loves being exposed to different ‘Englishes’ and ‘Spanishes’. She is into reading, travelling and spending time with her friends. But when the Wellington wind is blowing hard, she is very happy at home knitting and watching crime dramas.

Ikerne was born and raised in Mexico, but has also lived in Canada, Japan, Australia and Belgium. She has settled in New Zealand, where she has lived for 11 years. She has a PhD in Human Geography, experience with research on cultural differences and environmental practices, and loves teaching and learning languages.

In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, reading, cooking and enjoying the beautiful New Zealand outdoors.

Mariel is from Uruguay, has lived in Scotland and Spain, and moved to Aotearoa in 2022. She has a BA in Translation from Udelar in Uruguay, a Master's in Localization from ISTRAD in Spain, and is currently working on her PhD in Literary Translation at Vic. She has taught English in Uruguay and Spanish in Aotearoa.

She is passionate about languages and travel and has learned most of her English and pop culture references from listening to Lorelai in Gilmore Girls. She enjoys karaoke and hiking, and dabbles in the Wellington stand-up comedy scene.

Mauricio is originally from Chile and has been living in Aotearoa since 2004. He's also lived and worked as a translator and interpreter in the United States and Germany.

He recently finished a PhD in Literary Translation Studies at Victoria University, where he tutored different levels of Spanish classes.

Mauricio is also a trained chef, and a black belt in a Chinese martial art.

Mika Homolja is a third culture kid, poised in translation between languages and customs of her native Serbia and Aotearoa. Her passion for culture, identity, and belonging has paved the way to her studies and research in linguistics, anthropology, Spanish and TESOL.

She has taught languages in Spain, Macau, and locally, working with learners from all walks of life in community organizations, primary schools, and universities.

Off the clock she can be found cackling with friends and family over dinner, plotting new craft projects, making cordial from foraged plants, or working on the set of some short film.

Valeria is a well-travelled individual with a strong background in education and a passion for teaching. Originally from Chile, she embarked on her global journey after participating in a teachers' training program in the United Kingdom. Her travels took her to Canada and then to Aotearoa.

With a BA in Education and a degree in English Language Teaching, Valeria has honed her skills in educating students of various ages over the past decade. This dedication to teaching reflects her commitment to making a positive impact on others' lives.

In her leisure time, Valeria enjoys a range of activities. She practices yoga for relaxation and tries to maintain an active lifestyle by taking walks in places like Oriental Bay and visiting the Botanical Gardens. Her love for the sea is evident as she relishes a cup of coffee by the water. Val's interests also extend to indoor activities like watching TV series, cooking, baking, and knitting. These hobbies provide her opportunities to unwind and enjoy her own company.