NUESTRA VOZ - El “profe” rockero que ama a los latinos

5 minutes read
Posted 16 November, 2023

El “profe” rockero que ama a los latinos

Cada vez que pregunto por clases de inglés, el nombre de Luke Donovan surge como una recomendación constante. Este profesor ha forjado una sólida conexión con la comunidad latina en Queenstown, en gran parte debido a su enfoque pedagógico único que convierte el aprendizaje en una experiencia entretenida.

De padre inglés y madre Kiwi, Luke pasó sus primeros años en Nueva Zelanda donde estudió Literatura Inglesa. Luego se mudó a España y enfrentó el difícil desafío de aprender español. De a poco fue memorizando palabras y se adaptó a la cultura, haciendo amistades entre españoles y latinoamericanos, con quienes hablaba de literatura para practicar el idioma.

Cuenta que desde temprana edad se sintió como un “desadaptado”, pero en España la atmósfera intelectual y vanguardista lo acomodó.

Ya establecido, trabajó en una discográfica y se presentó además a un casting que lo llevó a actuar en la película “Gente Pez” (2001). Así, se integró en la escena artística y bohemia del país, donde conoció a un DJ con quien formó la banda musical “Cycle” en 2005.

Sin imaginarlo, el grupo logró enorme popularidad durante ese año, tocando en destacados festivales, saliendo de gira y siendo parte de la rotación de videoclips en MTV. Sin embargo, debido a tensiones entre miembros del grupo, Luke decidió renunciar en el punto máximo de su carrera musical.

Gracias a los ingresos que obtuvo con la banda, pudo viajar por el mundo durante cuatro años sin trabajar, una experiencia que muchos envidiarían, y que lo abrió a nuevas culturas y perspectivas de vida. Luego, se reintegró a su vida “normal” y a Cycle, con quienes tocó entre 2015 y 2019. Y fue en el encierro de la pandemia que decidió, tras 25 años, volver a Nueva Zelanda.

Ya en Queenstown, trabajó como lavaplatos en un restaurante, rodeado mayormente de latinos. La experiencia lo inspiró a enseñar inglés para servir a la comunidad latina y, al mismo tiempo, adaptarse mejor a ella. “La calidez humana es la gran lección que los neozelandeses pueden aprender. Los latinos prefieren amar y perder, que no amar. Simplemente son así”, dice.

En la actualidad al “profe” Luke, como se autodenomina, le apasiona crear nuevos y entretenidos métodos de enseñanza, pensando también en las necesidades especificas de sus alumnos. Ofrece clases particulares y grupales, en sesiones que se convierten en juegos y risas, a veces con guitarra incluida. Además, tras muchos años en el campo, ha logrado desarrollar su propia escuela online gameofenglish.com, que cuenta con material interactivo gratis y recursos para estudiar, donde lo primordial es divertirse aprendiendo.

La vida de Luke Donovan ha sido de aventuras, música, altos y bajos. Y su pasión por la enseñanza y la conexión humana lo llevó a sentir un fuerte vínculo con los latinos. “Qué maravilla de comunidad, que se juntan y ayudan mutuamente. Me parece una maravillosa fiesta y si me dan el privilegio de aceptarme un poquito dentro de ello, yo estoy encantado”, expresa.

 

English translation

The rock “teacher” who loves Latinos

Every time I ask about English classes, Luke Donovan's name comes up as a constant recommendation. This teacher has forged a solid connection with the Latin community in Queenstown, largely due to his unique pedagogical approach that turns learning into an entertaining experience.

From an English priest and a Kiwi mother, Luke spent his first years in New Zealand where he studied English Literature. He now moved to Spain and faced the difficult challenge of learning Spanish. Since then he has been memorizing words and adapting to culture, creating friendships between Spanish and Latin American people, with which he speaks literature to practice the language.

He says that from an early age he felt like a “misfit”, but in Spain the intellectual and avant-garde atmosphere accommodated him.

Once established, he worked at a record company and also appeared at a casting that led him to act in the film “Gente Pez” (2001). Thus, he integrated himself into the artistic and bohemian scene of the country, from where he became a DJ with whom he formed the musical band “Cycle” in 2005.

Without imagining it, the group achieved enormous popularity during this year, playing at prominent festivals, becoming popular and being part of the video clip rotation on MTV. However, due to tensions between members of the group, Luke decided to resign at the peak of his musical career.

Thanks to the income he obtained with the band, he was able to travel around the world for four years without working, an experience that many gave, and that opened him up to new cultures and perspectives on life. Soon, he reintegrated into his “normal” life and the Cycle, which he played between 2015 and 2019. And it was at the end of the pandemic that he decided, 25 years ago, to return to New Zealand.

In Queenstown, he worked as a dishwasher in a restaurant, surrounded mostly by Latinos. The experience inspired him to teach English to serve the Latin community and, at the same time, adapt better to it. “Human warmth is the greatest lesson that New Zealanders can learn. Latinos prefer to love and lose, rather than love. Simply son así”, he says.

Currently, the “professor” Luke, as he calls himself, is passionate about creating new and entertaining teaching methods, also thinking about the specific needs of his students. He offers private and group classes, in sessions that are suitable for games and laughter, sometimes with guitar included. Furthermore, after many years in the field, he has managed to develop his own online school gameofenglish.com, which provides free interactive material and resources for studying, where the main thing is to have fun learning.

Luke Donovan's life has been one of adventures, music, highs and lows. And his passion for learning and human connection led him to feel a strong bond with Latinos. “What a wonderful community, coming together and helping each other. It seems to me like a wonderful fiesta and if you give me the privilege of accepting a little inside it, I'm enchanted”, he says.


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