Hey Poznan!

After two decades in Poland, I can finally hold a full conversation in Polish without sweating like I’m on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. It took me six long years, but hey — progress is progress. What’s really blown my mind though, especially in the last 6–7 years, is how insanely good Poles have gotten at English. Like, proper fluent. Some of my friends here could easily do customer support for Apple in California. Honestly, the only place that rivals it is Scandinavia — but those folks learn English before they can walk, probably while assembling IKEA furniture.

But here’s the plot twist — while Poles are mastering English, they’re also quietly falling in love with Spanish. Yep, the language of Despacito, sunshine, and people who can make a two-minute greeting sound like a poem. Everywhere I go, I keep bumping into Poles rolling their Rs like pros, and half of them are watching La Casa de Papel like it’s a national sport.

Apparently, it’s easier than French and everyone I meet keeps saying how fun Spanish is to learn. I even discovered there’s a whole mini-ecosystem of Spanish schools in Poznań. And after some digging, one name just kept popping up like the chorus in a reggaeton hit: Girasol Academia De Español, on Półwiejska 23/4.

The Mastermind

I reached out to Dr. Magda Wegner, the mastermind behind it all — Spanish and Catalan teacher, DELE examiner, and proud language nerd. Her favorite Spanish word? Girasol — meaning “sunflower.” 🌻 Which is kind of perfect, because the place has that same sunny, friendly vibe. (And unlike real sunflowers, it still thrives in Polish winter.)

Girasol isn’t about memorizing verb tables till your brain gives up — it’s about learning actual Spanish that works in real life. You know, the kind that helps you finally understand what Shakira’s saying, or follow La Casa de Papel without rage-pausing for subtitles. They teach in small groups, laugh a lot, and sneak the grammar in when you’re too busy talking to notice.

Madre Mia!

And it’s not just about the language — it’s about the culture, too. They run extra events, movie nights, and workshops about life in Spanish-speaking countries. It’s the kind of stuff that makes you want to travel, or at least order tapas and pretend you did.

What surprised me most, though, is how many different ways they teach. Adults, kids, teens — even Catalan (yeah, for those of you who plan to bump into Messi and want to impress him properly). You can join in person, online, solo, or with a buddy. There’s even tutoring if school Spanish is melting your brain.

Hasta Luego

We’ll actually be sitting down with Magda soon for a full chat about how this whole thing started — and what it’s like running a Spanish school in the middle of Poznań. Should be a fun one.

Until then, if 2026 is the year you finally want to swap dzień dobry for buenos días, Girasol is clearly the place to do it. Just don’t ask me to teach you — I charge triple, and half my lessons involve siestas and sangria breaks.