"My first introduction to Juan was in the fall of 2003 when I decided that I wanted to study Spanish for my own gratification, and because I make biennial trips to Barcelona . I was never comfortable with other teachers who obviously had command of the language but lacked the patience it takes to teach non-speakers.

What struck me from the first day of class was the way that Juan interacts with a classroom of students. The class was composed of a diversified group of individuals. It was obvious from the beginning that Juan was very comfortable with being in front of class. He proved himself to be a fine teacher, one in my estimation who is as willing to teach as he is to learn.

Juan Carlos is a very professional, intelligent and patient individual. He treated all students equally and made great strides in getting all students to participate at their own pace and without embarrassment. By the end of the first semester Juan had managed to bring the group together in something resembling a family much more than just a class.

I have not had the privilege of taking private lessons with Juan. If his class room style is any indication of his effectiveness in teaching privately then I highly recommend him as a private tutor or in a group setting."

David Gaudette, Brooklyn Heights

"Juan Carlos Jurado is the best of teachers, and, like all first class teachers has infinite patience in stimulating his students to speak Spanish. This, added to his sense of humor, make lessons with him a most pleasant and rewarding experience.

Were it not for the excellence of his teaching, I might will not have continued my Spanish lessons to which I always look forward"

DR. Bella Schonfeld

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In 2001/ 2002, I studied abroad for 9 months in Sevilla, Spain. I felt very comfortable with the language and communicating with other people who spoke Spanish. However, as the years have passed, it's been very hard for me to keep up with my Spanish. I don't have time for classes and I hate homework! I just needed a tutor who I could meet and speak Spanish with to help me keep up with my conversational skills.

After finding JC, my Spanish has completely come back to me. It might actually be better now than it was when I was studying abroad. Not only am I remembering the vocabulary that I learned while studying in Spain, but I'm learning new vocabulary and speaking about different subjects. With JC, I can talk about my career in television, pop culture, political issues, colloquial slang.....I learn something new every session!

"As a business man and creative artist, I believe that it is important to have a global perspective with regards to using art in order to reach people of different nationalities and cultures.  This belief eventuallly led me to take a basic Spanish course with Juan that combined classroom instruction along with private tutoring.  His friendly and patient demeanor allowed me to not only feel more comfortable speaking in Spanish with native Spanish speakers during my travels, but that newfound confidence has enabled me to take the plunge into singing parts of a song in Spanish as well.  If you have a willingness to learn, Juan has just the right enthusiam and guidance to get you well on your way to speaking Spanish with more confidence."

Thanks Juan....Michael Ashanti

JC has been my tutor now for 2 years. His affable and patient attitude has made me more self-confident than ever with speaking the Spanish language. Also, his sense of humor has made the classes fun and I look forward to speaking with him! I can take what I learn with him through our conversations and communicate with my Spanish friends very smoothly.

JC's individual classes can be tailored specifically to your needs. Whatever you need help with, whether it be grammar, conversational skills, vocabulary, etc- he will help you! I definitely would not be as advanced now without the help of JC. I plan to keep him as my tutor for as long as possible!

Thanks JC! Jenny Beck

"I've had a lot of foreign language teacher before and Juan Carlos is definitely one of the best I've had. He knows how to adapt to your needs, is very flexible and creative. You don't even reallize that you are taking a lesson and working hard because he knows how to create a relaxed atmosphere. I recommend Juan Carlos to anybody who wants to learn Spanish fast and efficiently!".

Sophie, Hong Kong

My Trip to Cuba

by Garry Waller

It was during a trip to Cuba in 2004 that I discovered the need to learn Spanish. I was there on a photography course with a small, dedicated group of fellow photographers documenting the people and places we came across in and around Havana. Not talking to people there is near impossible considering how open and friendly they are. The problem for me was I could only say a few words in Spanish.

Needless to say conversations in Cuba were short with lots of smiles, nods and attempts to break the awkwardness by showing people my camera. However, despite the limited vocabulary the trip was an unforgettable experience and the people I met and photographed were inspiring. But it made me think about what a different experience it would have been if I'd been able to speak to them.

I've been taking lessons at Spanish for Business & Life with Juan Carlos for about a year, nothing crazy, just one night a week. The difference now is that I could hold a conversation in Spanish for more than 10 seconds thanks to the fun, informal lessons. Each class puts a strong emphasis on conversation, there's no painful grammar and vocabulary drills to memorize so learning to speak comes more naturally.

I'm now looking forward to another trip to Cuba in the not so distant future when I'll be able to string more than a few words together. Thanks to Juan I'll be speaking more confidently, getting to really know the people there...and snap some killer photos at the same time!

You can see more pictures of my trip in the Cuba section of my website: www.garrywaller.com