For this session, we decided to speak English throughout the entire meeting, staying true to our original language-practice goals. Walking for hours while talking gave us plenty of opportunities to engage in spontaneous, natural conversations in English. The snowy surroundings encouraged us to describe what we were seeing and feeling, which helped activate vocabulary related to weather, seasons, emotions, and landscapes.
I noticed that my fluency improved because the conversation flowed smoothly as we walked. We also shared stories about winter in our home regions, which led to discussions about cultural differences and personal experiences. As I’m from the South of Spain, the weather I’m used to is much warmer than the colder climate Paula is from.
This meeting felt very different from traditional classroom learning because the snowy setting created a relaxed and joyful atmosphere. Speaking English while doing something fun made the language feel more natural and less forced. The main goal was simply to communicate and share in the excitement of the moment.
I realized that emotional experiences can make language learning easier. Since we were happy and fully present, the English flowed more naturally and spontaneously. It was also interesting to reflect on how weather shapes culture, especially when we compared Finland’s winter to the milder winters in Andalucía and Aragón.
Because the meeting was outdoors and we were walking through the snow, we didn’t focus on French at all, even though it’s part of our broader language plan. The setting was perfect for practicing English, but not ideal for switching languages or doing structured practice.
There were moments when speaking clearly was more difficult due to the cold wind or because we were laughing while playing in the snow. Still, none of that stopped our communication; it simply made it more informal.
Even though the setting wasn’t academic, it allowed us to maintain English for a long period of time without interruptions, which is one of the key goals of our learning project.
The cultural aspect also came up naturally when we talked about winter traditions, childhood memories, and the differences in weather between our cities.
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