Querida Señorita (Dear Señorita),
I know most students don't take their language requirements seriously, and that's a real shame because when you take a step back, it's clear that this class is one that can truly prepare you for the rest of your life. I definitely did not take it as seriously as I should have. I pushed my work aside and believed other classes more important, and I sincerely apologize for and regret that decision.
Now that I am in college I realize just how important language is in my life, especially as a speech major. Not that learning about other topics wasn't important, because they are all important to being a well rounded individual. I believe I spent too much time stressing over them when I should have focused on a second language.
I remember you getting frustrated over the lack of work some students did for the class. I usually passed it off as not that big of a deal. We went to a STEM school, and it was their choice after all. Like I said before, I didn't put enough effort into learning Spanish myself. Looking back, falling into that pattern was one of my biggest regrets of high school. Spanish is the most practical class to take in high school. No matter what you want to do for the rest of your life, a second language is the most beneficial thing to start early.
Thank you for making me confident in myself. Learning something this different is hard and even though I might have passed it off as an "easy" class, it really wasn't. Knowing that I can be decent at something that is so hard to learn is comforting and confidence boosting. Thank you for showing me that it is worth all the work. Every minute I spent during senior year trying to catch up from everything I slacked off on in my earlier years, you made it seem like I was a champion. Even when it took me a while to understand tough grammar concepts, you rewarded me for every time I tried, and that made me want to work harder.
Thank you for never doubting me. Even when I came back from the IB exam unsure of what I had wrote for the past hour, you made sure I knew that I had nothing to worry about. When I wasn't so sure of my own abilities, you never questioned me. You showed me how to accept challenges head on and not back down. You taught me how to enjoy language and appreciate every second of it. You sent me into this admiration of other languages that I hadn't experienced before.
You made me realize
that a language wasn't something to just get through. A language is a door to a
new culture. It is so important to be culturally aware, especially in the world
we live in today. Thank you for opening my eyes to a new world. You made me a
better person in more than just Spanish and I am more than grateful for all that you have done for me.
Gracias por ser un gran maestra, (Thanks for being a great teacher)
Su estudiante apreciativa (Your appreciative student)
