Learning a Second Language is Life-Changing
My name is Drew Stockton. I’m a Lion, I’m a Tarheel, and I’m a passionate human inspired to make a difference in our world.
First Signs of Love
My love affair with Spanish started at age 13 when I took my first class at The Lovett School (or Lovett). It wasn’t necessarily love at first sight, but I was a hard-working student and enjoyed using my memorization skills to excel.
The music was my favorite part of class. We listened and broke down multiple songs by the Colombian singer Juanes that are stuck in my head to this day. Learning the Spanish lyrics and meaning behind them motivated me in a way that other school subjects did not.
Spanish Classes in College
I arrived at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) at age 18 with little idea what I wanted to study. Studying was not a priority. I was more excited by some of the other possibilities that came with going to college. I was no stranger to the social scene in high school and the new feeling of independence that came with leaving my parents’ house for the first time was very exciting. To say the least…
Yet, I wasn’t completely without direction while choosing my academic focus - my proficiency in Math and the positive experience with Spanish at Lovett led me to elect a major in Economics and a minor in Spanish. Although I thought my Spanish minor would just be a GPA-booster, I found that my deeper love for the language that was sparked in high school was re-awakened in my college classes.
The Importance of a Good Teacher
Dr. Grant Gearhart was my main professor throughout the Spanish minor program. The classes were small and intimate (only around 20 students) which was quite different from the Economics classes that hosted hundreds. The intimacy allowed students to connect with teachers in a way that just wasn’t feasible in the larger classes.
Grant was unpretentious. First of all, he had a Ph.D., yet insisted we call him “Grant” instead of Dr. Gearhart. He didn’t look down on me and my friends but instead seemed both interested and aware of how to motivate us to work hard and succeed.
While my journey with economics always felt like a struggle, Spanish was smooth sailing because I was excited to learn. During our graduation ceremonies, Grant invited me and a few others from class to celebrate our success and encouraged us to reach out to him whenever we pleased. This was a unique gesture by a professor during my time at UNC and forever differentiated Grant in my mind.
Changing My Life and Reconnecting with Spanish
It wasn’t until about 4.5 years later when I found myself unemployed and in the middle of South America that I decided to take Grant up on his offer. Post-graduation, I had worked 3.5 years as an analyst at a large, national bank in commercial real estate finance. During that time, at 25-years old, I was diagnosed with Stage 2 Hodgkins Lymphoma blood cancer and underwent 8 rounds of chemotherapy (see link to a previous blog post detailing my cancer experience).
After finishing my final chemo treatments and learning that I was cancer-free (woo-hoo!), I was told that I could start easing back into normal life. So I did the only thing that made sense to me - I bought a flight to South America. I was just one month out of my last chemo treatment when I landed in Bogota, Colombia in October 2017. I was in the worst physical shape of my life, still recovering from the side-effects of chemo, but I didn’t care. The freedom of being cancer-free and escaping the hospital system was exhilarating.
Two weeks backpacking in Colombia awoke something in me, and when I returned to my desk-job at the bank, my mind was elsewhere. It took just a few months back at the office before I would quit and head off for more adventure in South America.
October 2018 - Santa Marta, Colombia (me left, Lovett friend Will Law right)
My eyebrows still hadn’t returned and if you look closely you can see my chemo port bulging out of my shirt.
Spanish in the Real World
Back in South America, for the first time in my life I was using my 9 years of Spanish education in the real world. It’s hard to explain in words, but there is a sense of fulfillment speaking Spanish in the real world; buying bus tickets, ordering food or even just making a joke and sharing a laugh with someone in their native language. It creates deep connection.
After many months in South America, I wanted to continue my adventures and testing my mind. I decided to try and pursue a Master’s degree in Psychology in Spain. In Spanish… I knew it would be a challenge, but I had made huge improvements with the language in just a few months and considered it possible.
It was this new dream that prompted me to reach back out to Grant. His direct response caught me off-guard, but it was what I needed to hear: “You are definitely not ready to get a Master’s Degree in Spanish.” Ouch. But thankfully, he didn’t just leave me deflated on the phone, and instead recommended an English assistant program in Spain that would give me an opportunity to continue improving the language while immersing myself in the culture.
June 2021 - Cordoba, Spain (Me and Dr. Grant Gearhart)
During my summer travels following my second year as an English assistant, Grant and I reunited in Cordoba, Spain, where his wife and her family are from.
3 Meaningful Years in Spain
It didn’t take long to realize that Grant had a point, and I ended up following his recommendation and applied to the program. The English assistant role consisted of just 4 days and 12 hours of work per week at a Spanish primary school. There was no preparation nor revision work required. The program provided a Spanish visa (which isn’t exactly easy to acquire) and a generous monthly stipend to speak English, dance and sing with children. It was certainly a change of pace from office life at the bank.
I loved it. Well, I mainly loved the life it allowed me to live. I had tons of free time which I used to explore my new interests: meditation, yoga, nutrition and travel, to name a few, while also deepening my connection to the Spanish language. I ended up taking advantage of this program for 3 years, living a simple life in Valencia, a city of 300+ days of sun per year with easy access to beaches and surrounding mountains.
My love of Spanish allowed me to grow deeper roots in the community and live a more full life in Spain. I was speaking Spanish daily with my teacher colleagues at school, most of whom spoke no English. There was one colleague in particular whom enjoyed talking travel and who recommended to me some of my now favorite trips in Spain.
I also started attending yoga classes and listening to guided meditations taught in Spanish. My profound experiences with yoga and meditation ultimately led me to get certified as a yoga teacher and I’m currently teaching classes in both English and Spanish. I joined a trail-running team as the only native-english speaker and some of my most meaningful personal relationships are with Spanish-speaking friends.
November 2022 - Valencia, Spain
Me teaching a yoga class on top of a mountain outside of Valencia.
Launching My Business - MÁS Health
In September 2022, as I celebrated 5 years of being cancer-free, I launched a Lifestyle Brand and Coaching business - MÁS Health. MÁS Health is focused on holistic health for the individual while ultimately contributing to a healthier, happier world for all.
I coach US and Spanish (in Spanish) clients virtually from my home in Valencia. My coaching focuses on i) nutrition, ii) habit change, iii) managing stress/anxiety, and iv) mindset, with the overall goal being to support the individual to feel and live their best life.
September 2022 - The launch of my new business MÁS Health.
Connecting with Gratitude
As I reflect on this purpose-filled, meaningful life that I am now living, I feel grateful for the people and places that have played a part in making it a reality. The love of Spanish guided me to Spain, and the opportunity for this love to express itself can be credited to: Lovett, UNC and great teachers like Dr. Grant Gearhart.
Lovett and UNC did an exceptional job in creating a space and sharing resources for students like me that want to dream big. The exceptional teachers at these institutions, like Grant, help guide and inspire students to succeed. These institutions introduced me to tools, skills and a mindset I needed to ultimately find clarity and purpose in life.
