Tandem Tales: The Story of Jorge and Gerardo

After seeing Jorge and Gerardo’s story unfold on TikTok we couldn’t wait to sit down with them for a (virtual) conversation! Below they share their tale of how joining Tandem marked the beginning of a very important relationship.

Just over a year ago, Jorge and Gerardo both decided to download Tandem. Jorge is from Brazil and is currently learning both English and Spanish. Gerardo hails from Mexico and counts English and Portuguese as his practising languages.

Gerardo made the decision to join Tandem after a teacher advised that it would serve as a good tool to improve his language learning. Jorge, on the other hand, became curious after the “super different app” was recommended by a vlogger on YouTube.

After joining the community at the same time and conversing very early on, Jorge and Gerardo instantly hit it off. They both appreciated the unrivalled human connection that the app offered in helping to learn a language. “I think, in my case, I like the practising part because it's not like a [normal] app [where] you talk with a robot,” Jorge remarks. “You talk with native [people] which is the best for me.”

When they first started talking, they covered everyday topics, such as their daily routines, and then progressed to conversations about their home countries, giving Jorge the chance to share his love of Brazilian Carnival. Eventually, Jorge invited Gerardo to celebrate Carnival with him in Brazil and the rest is history!

Looking back on their Tandem experience, they acknowledge that there is no need to feel intimidated when speaking to new people in your target language. Tandem is a community of members who, just like you, are very enthusiastic about learning while helping others.

Feelings of self-consciousness when talking to strangers are only natural, but Gerardo and Jorge agree that newcomers can rest assured that this is a safe space for those from all backgrounds. “I think the process they use to evaluate [new members] is good to guarantee the security of the partners there,” comments Gerardo.

Gerardo accredited the app for helping him open up to new language partners. “I have more confidence, I think, when speaking and getting corrections from other partners in the app,” he says. He attributes this to “a good environment where everybody is learning, so there are no ‘dumb questions.’”

To begin with, Jorge was pleased with the prospect of having made many “friends for life.” The couple then continued their whirlwind journey once they’d finally met each other in Brazil. “So in one year basically we met each other by the app and now he is in Brazil. So Tandem, you really rock,” Jorge beams.

When asked about the most interesting thing they had learnt on Tandem that they otherwise would not have had the opportunity to, Jorge jokes, “Now I know that Mexican people eat avocado every day and put it everywhere!” Further expressing his enjoyment of learning “random facts” about different cultures, he admits, “Now I am a person that is eating avocado every day with him!”

Sharing the most important takeaways from their Tandem experience, they concur that it is the “respect that you have for other people” which you need to “learn with them and not to judge.”

They both admit that the last year is one of the craziest adventures they’ve ever embarked on and in his final words Jorge thanks Tandem for “making this happen and to meet this incredible guy that’s now in Brazil.” We wish Gerardo and Jorge the best of luck for their futures!

Check out a snippet of our interview with Jorge & Gerardo below! <3

Does Jorge and Gerardo’s story inspire you to learn languages with real people? Download the Tandem app today and join a community of like-minded individuals to help each other meet your ultimate fluency goals!

Written by Zsazsa Osei-Gyamfi