We are Bannside Languages.
As a languages company, we are passionate about helping Spanish students improve their English and experience the best Northern Ireland has to offer, but also helping local families introduce and experience a different culture and language into their homes. We have a vision that our programmes would spark the interest of local N.Irish students in learning international languages and travel, thereby broadening horizons and career opportunities.
Lynne Harbison
Lynne Harbison
Lynne grew up in Aghadowey and attended Coleraine High School. During her 20´s the opportunity arose to work for a bank in Toronto, Canada. When she was there she very quickly realized that she was the only person in her whole office who spoke only one language. This encouraged her to start studying Spanish and eventually, brought her to Madrid.
She now works as an English teacher in a large school in Madrid and is passionate about teaching kids how languages can open up the world to them. Her role in Bannside Languages is the coordination and liaison with the host families as well as teaching. She carefully listens to the needs and requirements of host families and chooses the right students to stay with them. When the students are staying with the host families she is in charge of organizing the afternoons activities so the host family members and students who take part have a blast!
Carlos Romero
Carlos grew up in Madrid and spent his summers in Ireland when he was a teenager on language programmes to learn English. After travelling extensively, he is now a Maths teacher and head of the department at a large secondary school in Madrid. Having previously worked as a Deputy Head, he is passionate about encouraging his students to travel and learn languages and conveying to them the opportunities they can have.
Carlos´s role as a Student Monitor during the summer hosting programmes in Coleraine means that the Spanish students have someone with them who is native Spanish the whole time they are in the North Coast. This helps the students settle in with their host family as they have someone to talk to in their own familiar language, in an unfamiliar setting.