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January 2019 - Marianne Clinton


Since starting her studies at Tierra, Marianne has been a joyful presence in her Spanish classes, eager to expand her knowledge and build community. A family physician, she has long used her Spanish skills to help the many Spanish-speaking families in the clinic she works at to improve their health. Passionate about travel, she's also a great story-teller with many insights about language and culture. Her enthusiastic contributions in class help to create a highly interactive dynamic in which all students participate and enrich the learning environment. We're grateful to count Marianne as part of our community at Tierra and look forward to continuing to witness the process as she hones her skills and never stops learning.
 

Name: Marianne Clinton
Occupation: Family physician at East County Health Center in Gresham, OR
Time studying at Tierra: Since Fall, 2017

1) Why are you studying Spanish? 

"In my work, at least 60% of my patients are primarily Spanish speaking.  While I have been studying Spanish, and speaking Spanish with my patients for many years, I know that I can always improve my ability to understand my patients, and express what I want to say.  So this keeps me learning.  But beyond that, I love learning about culture, and speaking the language helps to open that door."

2) What is your favorite part about your experience here at Tierra? 

"I appreciate the small groups geared right to my level and the very competent teachers. Perhaps especially I enjoy interacting with other students at Tierra, and learning about their language learning journey. It's fun!"

3) Can you tell us of a time you have been able to use what you have learned studying here?

"As I mentioned above, I use Spanish much of my work day.  As well, I have traveled to Mexico, Nicaragua, and El Salvador.  The better I can speak and understand Spanish, the richer the experience."

¡Felicidades Marianne!