In 2013, one of us was starting a Master's in Law while the other was completing a Master's in Spanish teaching. After class, we would meet for coffee, laugh, and chat about the future. One of the ideas that emerged from these friendly conversations was to create a school different from the ones we attended ourselves, one that combined two cultures close to us, Spanish and Russian.
There were doubts and fears, but we were also sure that people needed such a project. We named the first school "Matryoshka," and as soon as it opened, students started signing up for Russian and Spanish classes. We worked day and night, and the school grew and grew thanks to talented professionals, some of whom are still with us today.
Despite our affection for our original name, in 2017 we rebranded and changed our name to FreeDa — combining the English word "free" and "da" (yes in Russian) and influenced by a great Mexican artist. The reason was to make our space an international place. That same year, we received accreditation from Cervantes Institute, the official quality stamp for any school teaching Spanish.
The trust of the students inspired us to create a learning experience that adapted to each individual's needs but also allowed us to effectively learn the language as a team.
As a result, we developed the Freeda Space Method™, of which we are very proud and which we continue to use in our work.
In 2019, we opened our second school in the heart of Barcelona, in the Born neighborhood. It was a big step forward but also a great challenge.
Covid and lockdown right after the opening made our job very difficult, and we adapted to the circumstances to stay afloat. Online classes were organized during quarantine, and we made every effort to maintain the quality of teaching.
Once the restrictions were lifted, everything returned to normal. The Born school is the most popular, with classes offered in two shifts: morning and afternoon.
In 2022, we opened another school in an amazing neighborhood of the city: Gràcia. It's a large, bright space with eight classrooms and a huge hallway with natural plants. It's an enchanting place.
We renovated it, equipped the classrooms, and soon after, the school was filled with new students.
Here, we celebrate parties and movie screenings; there's room for everyone.
Our spaces are now located in the most interesting areas of the city: El Born (right in the center) and Gràcia (a popular part of the city, but slightly away from the tourist routes; the favorite place of artists). Every year, hundreds of people visit us to learn Spanish, Catalan, and English.
For all our successes, we are immensely grateful to our team and our students — for choosing us, for recommending us to friends and family, and for helping us grow every day.
With love, Olga, Olga, and Olga
