Lina Polonsky-Doyle
Director/Teacher
After living in Mexico, Italy, Holland and Yugoslavia, Lina taught bilingual students in public schools in San Antonio, Texas, and Woodburn, Oregon. She started the Colegio de Axixic in 1999, when she concentrated on early childhood language acquisition. Beginning in 2009 she has taught Spanish to Americans and Canadians living in Ajijic.
The Brain-Based Curriculum taught at the Colegio de Axixic has been developed by herover the last 10 years to make sure that you speak quickly and understand native speakers at their own speed.
Over the last 10 years in Ajijic, the experience she has acquired teaching adult students has been invaluable to improving the lifestyles of the retired residents of the area. Not only have they learned to speak to their neighbors, new friends and service people, but they have found that their brains are more alert and their memories have improved.
Many of her students have become movers in the community to help the less fortunate; working with children with special needs, resale stores and other non-profits that improve the community.
Eric Wolf/Teacher
Eric comes from the state of Washington. and arrived first in Guadalajara and then in Ajijic, eager to become fluent in Spanish. He had tried different traditional approaches, as well as Rosetta Stone and DuoLingo, but was disatisfied with the results.
He found exactly what he needed at the Colegio, and quickly learned to speak and understand Spanish. In fact, he did so well that he has been teaching beginners´ classes. Having a background in Finance, it surprised him to find out that he is actually a talented teacher, whose recent experience with learning a new language gives him a unique ability to help the beginner.
Native Speakers
An integral part of the course is access to native speakers who are trained to listen, speak slowly, and encourage the beginner to talk and who are also able adapt their speech to students at different levels of fluency.
Cinthia Ibarra is a young mother who knows everyone in the village and is experienced in getting you to talk and correcting your mistakes
Josefina “Chepa” Ibarra is a moher, grandmother, and great grandmother from the barrio, whose great sense of humor and stories about Ajijic make the students see how the language is a living and exciting way to get to know the town of Ajijic.
Daniela Perez is a college student who is studying English and loves dogs and all kinds of animals and is a fresh face at the school.