Hotel Conversations with Grammar Mamma

When did you start teaching English?

I started teaching English in my first year of university while studying English philology. It was 2015-2016, the beginning of influencer marketing, and I was 20 years old. I led courses in companies, classes for directors in the big pharma industry, and courses for children. I saw how things worked in public, private, and language schools. The teaching materials for English were faded photocopies, unattractive graphic design, and a lack of funding in education. I thought: what if some of the money allocated to influencers was used for educational posters in schools that were still advertising-friendly? For example, a soap brand could create stickers in English with instructions on how to wash your hands. I envisioned a marriage between marketing and education.

And where did your passion for the English language and the idea of teaching it come from?

I knew I would teach English even before I really knew it. When I was 13, I went on a vacation abroad with my parents, and a waiter called sparkling water “bul, bul, bul…” After so many years of learning, it turned out we didn't know the basics. Is there anything more fundamental than water? That’s where Grammar Mamma came from. I didn’t take English classes in preschool; I learned it relatively late. I started in elementary school, with group classes. I didn’t show any particular talent, but I was very interested in learning. I loved the English textbooks. They were really nice and practical. I immersed myself in the stories of children, parents, homes, the whole town, and the world. I could look at those alleys and streets for hours, escaping into a world where Oscar had a crush on Cindy and everyone went out for pizza after school. That fascination has stayed with me.

Your excellent pronunciation stands out. Do you have a great musical ear?

I don’t have an exceptional musical ear; I just became determined and decided I wanted to be good at English. Besides, my elementary school English teacher saw a champion in me. I knew a bit, had some luck with teachers, and was quite stubborn. I had my entire room covered with sticky notes featuring English vocabulary.

Was that teacher your role model? It’s not common for a girl in elementary school to want to become a teacher.

Definitely. I don’t have a love for foreign languages in general; my passion is for English and all things related to English culture. And I love teaching.

You’re also great at marketing. When did your Instagram profile gain popularity?

In 2022. A breakthrough moment was a one-and-a-half-minute video where I explained why the term “girlboss” is no longer used. I knew that would resonate. The second breakthrough moment for me was my collaboration with PURO. It all started when they offered me the chance to record an English version of a children’s story, “Urban Jungle.” I received the invitation from PURO not because I was famous; I think someone sensed that I would do well. Then I called PURO myself with the idea of recording hotel conversation snippets. And it worked!

Are the hotel conversation snippets popular? Tell me about that project.

Yes, and the reach is growing. We are recording the second part of Rebecca’s adventures. This is precisely the marriage of marketing and education I dreamed of as a teenager. Plus, I love PURO’s aesthetic. From the beginning, I saw PURO as a patron of education. This also ties in with the idea that “travel educates.” Weronika Kwiatkowska from PURO gave me guidelines on how to write scripts to align with the brand’s message. I wrote six episodes of the hotel conversation series. And the rest is history.

What ideas do you have for what to do next? 

A workbook for learning English based on conversations with Patty McCord, the former Chief People Officer at Netflix. I’m fascinated by her figure from Silicon Valley. It’s possible that one day I’ll interview her myself—why not? I’ve often heard in my life, “You’re so talented, but you want to be a teacher.” I’m not from a wealthy family; I pursued my studies for the skills, gained them there, but I also learned a lot on my own. Now it turns out that following my own path made sense.

The second season of the „Hotel conversations” series will be released at the beginning of November on the Grammar Mamma channels.