Our Story: How Het Latin Lab Was Born to Teach Latin American Spanish
It all started with a seagull and a cup of coffee.
I’m Daniela, the founder of Het Latin Lab. For over 30 years, I’ve been teaching French and Spanish to adults. During this time, I realized that, despite the richness of Latin America’s culture, there was a missing piece: an institution offering a comprehensive and structured programme focused on Latin American Spanish.
Since the early 2000s, Europe has increasingly connected with Latin America—through the Latin film boom, the worldwide success of Buena Vista Social Club, and the rise of figures like Shakira, Ricky Martin, and Juanes. As interest in the region grew, so did the desire to learn Latin American Spanish. However, while the world embraced Latin American culture, there wasn’t a clear space where people could fully immerse themselves in the language and its cultural nuances.
Where could you go to experience Latin American Spanish in all its depth and variety?
At that time, there was no platform that offered a complete and immersive learning experience.
Then, one summer morning in 2023, while sipping coffee on my balcony, I watched the same flock of seagulls that visited each year. As I fed them, a thought came to mind: What if these seagulls crossed the Atlantic and landed on the coast of Uruguay—would they understand each other?
I smiled at the thought. Of course, they would. And then a deeper question followed: What about us?
For centuries, Europe and Latin America have shared stories, music, and ideas. Despite this deep connection, there was still no place to truly engage with Latin American Spanish—to learn it not just as a language, but as a living, breathing part of the culture.
If someone wanted to learn Latin American Spanish in an authentic way, where could they go? The answer was clear: nowhere.
That’s when I knew: Het Latin Lab had to exist.
The Birth of Het Latin Lab
I called Rocío. We had worked together before—she had been my manager and later became a close friend. I always knew that if I were to create something meaningful, I’d want her by my side. I also reached out to Virginia, a longtime friend whose talent I had always admired. We were all at a point in our lives where the desire to build something of our own was clear, and everything fell into place.
In February 2024, we officially secured the brand and registered our concept with the Benelux Intellectual Property Office. This marked the beginning of a year of intense planning and development. We meticulously worked on every detail: designing our instructor training, creating the learner experience, and building a fully integrated digital ecosystem.
We didn’t want to depend on external platforms like Zoom or Meet. Instead, we created our own immersive learning environment using Moodle and BigBlueButton (BBB), hosted on our servers. Every aspect, from the backend to the user interface, was crafted with precision and intention. We automated what could be streamlined, while ensuring that the human touch was present in all interactions.
Our approach is distinctive because it is entirely focused on the learner. Each aspect of the experience is carefully designed to offer a high-quality, culturally rich environment that represents the essence of Latin American Spanish.
Het Latin Lab officially opened its doors to the public on 14 February 2025.
The Heart of Het Latin Lab: Our Instructors and Mission
At the core of Het Latin Lab are our instructors. They are native speakers and cultural ambassadors, bringing their personal histories, regional accents, and rich traditions to every class. From day one, they embraced our vision with passion and commitment.
Our mission goes beyond teaching a language; it’s about sharing the beauty and depth of Latin American Spanish as an integral part of global education. We aim to showcase the language as an expression of identity, culture, and connection, not merely as an accent or a tool for communication.
This is just the beginning.
Be Part of the Story: Learn Latin American Spanish with Het Latin Lab
If you’re reading this, you’re already a part of the journey.
Whether you’re learning for work, love, travel, or simply the joy of it, Det latinske laboratorium was created for you. We believe that learning a language should be immersive and personal, deeply connected to the heart of Latin American culture.
Are you ready to start your own journey?
