Boston Area Spanish Exchange

Jessie Colbert

We have been working with Soheila Ayouboff at BASE for several years and she is an absolutely excellent Arabic teacher. She works with our middle school son and makes the learning inspiring, relevant, and fun. He is excited for the lessons and now has excellent Arabic writing, speaking, and comprehension skills. Soheila is a total joy to work with and we cannot recommend her more highly! BASE has also been easy to work with and coordinate the lessons with Soheila.

Julia

I took two intensive classes at BASE, the most recent one via Zoom with Elaine. I like that the classes are more conversationally driven, especially the fact that homework was designed to incorporate both grammar practice and preparation for conversation during the next class. Because we each had a lot of leeway over the conversation material we prepared for each class, the class discussions felt organic and interesting, like chatting with a group of new friends over drinks. I also gained a ton of useful vocabulary needed for day to day conversations, as opposed to what is covered in textbooks. Elaine did a really great job fostering a comfortable environment to chat in Spanish without being afraid to make mistakes, and gently drawing out the shy ones from their shell. The classes were a fun way to shake up an otherwise monotonous daily routine during social distancing, and my Spanish SO says my speaking has improved significantly after I finished the last course period. I’ve also interacted with the owners, Bill and Lorena, for logistics and when they've substituted for classes, and they are both great to work with.

cristina rodrigues

I have loved my experience at BASE and learned SO much. I walked in with basically no Spanish and am now conversational. It was important that from the very first class we were being taught in Spanish and we were getting to know each other in Spanish. I learned so much more quickly because of that. You get into a rhythm there. The teachers are full of energy, warmth and knowledge. Regardless of your level, they make you feel comfortable speaking in Spanish, making mistakes and learning out loud. We discussed all kinds of interesting topics in class. The teachers are also very generous responding to email questions outside of class time. As a school they understand that sometimes scheduling conflicts are inevitable so they will let you make up classes you miss. Its also been wonderful meeting other people interested in learning Spanish, traveling and community building - people with interesting stories of their own. I have made friends who have increased my motivation to go back. And the location is amazing - right outside of Downtown Crossing. I enthusiastically recommend BASE!

Brahm Gartner

BASE is a truly wonderful language school with truly wonderful people behind it. I first heard about them through the Boston Calendar at the start of the year, and since then have been participating in a variety of events that they've hosted in person and online. Great people, great vibes, fostering community through language and cultural exchange.