"I spent years trying to learn English.Now I use ChatGPT."

AI isn't perfect, but it helps me write complex emails and understand Canadian culture

- Yeison Nova Malagon

BACK HOME IN BOGOTÁ, my English education in school was limited to just two hours a week—barely enough to cover the basics. Later, I pursued tourism and hospitality at Agustiniana University. English was essential for my career, so I moved to Toronto in 2019 to study ESL. My first conversation with a native speaker—a border officer at Pearson airport—was a disaster. He spoke fast, and I struggled to understand him. I had to use Google Translate just to get by. Those early days were hard, but my ESL teachers helped bridge the gap and I kept using Google to translate new words. After six months, I returned to Bogotá with enough English to read articles and give presentations, but casual conversations still threw me off.