Living the language
through cultural
intelligence

Ciro listens to his students, understands their needs, and makes every class engaging and relevant. His lessons go beyond grammar — he brings deep knowledge of Latin American, U.S., and European cultures, drawing meaningful connections that give students a holistic perspective on the language and the people who speak it. What I value most is the human element. The class helped me understand communication styles that matter in real professional relationships — how to choose the right level of formality, build rapport before jumping into business, and strengthen trust in day-to-day work.

Ciro combines outstanding professionalism, cultural knowledge, and an engaging teaching style that makes every class dynamic and intellectually stimulating. His approach goes far beyond grammar, integrating literature, culture, and current events in ways that helped me develop real fluency and confidence. The classes gave me the ability to communicate naturally throughout Latin America, connect with Spanish-speaking colleagues, and engage across a wide range of topics — along with a deeper appreciation for Latin American cultures, history, and perspectives that continues to enrich both my personal and professional life.

Ciro makes learning fun and easy. The daunting task of learning a new language becomes a joyful discovery into a new world of people, stories, and events. As a lawyer negotiating contracts across cultures, understanding cultural sensitivities and business rituals is essential — and there is nobody like Ciro to help you navigate that. His more than two decades at the World Bank have given him a wealth of experience he shares generously. His knowledge of Latin American culture has given me a free entry into the history, literature, arts, film, and music of an entire continent — a world I still cherish and from which I draw enormous pleasure.

My classes with Ciro never felt like classes. He always adapted to my needs — areas of focus, learning objectives, preferred settings, even scheduling around lunch when that was all the time I had. I grew up speaking some Spanish, but never developed the fluency of a native speaker. When I was assigned to Latin America at the World Bank, Ciro developed a program that built my overall fluency, gave me the sector terminology I needed daily, and provided a crash course in the cultural contexts of the countries I'd be working in. Beyond language, he gave me something I didn't know I was signing up for: a much deeper appreciation for everything that goes into meaningfully engaging across cultures.

When I first joined the program, I had very limited capacity in Spanish. Today, I work in innovation projects in the Andean Region — negotiating, interviewing, debating, and explaining in Spanish all day, every day. I reached an advanced level by sitting around a table over lunch, learning from Ciro, who understood both the linguistic and the professional context of my work. Beyond the learning, the classes were a great way to de-stress — fun, energizing, and genuinely enjoyable. The memory I treasure most: having a Spanish class while watching Brazil vs. Germany (final score 1:7, "o Mineiraço") during the 2014 World Cup. That was very special.

I don't remember when I started Spanish classes with Ciro. At this point it seems like I've always been having them. A person embraced tightly by corporate and family life becomes quickly addicted to those breaths of fresh air — engaging conversations on any topic imaginable, in the middle of the working day. Oh, and yes, they are in Spanish. It's like a conversation with a friend, only with grammar and cultural overviews woven in. The most important thing I learned was to speak — unlike other language classes that focus on writing and reading. Thanks to Ciro, I have no language barrier. I just open my mouth and speak. In addition to gaining a good command of Spanish, I became a proud member of the club called "Students of Ciro Pepe."

What I treasure most from Ciro's classes is how comfortable and encouraging the environment felt. They helped me become much more confident speaking, and I especially appreciated how language learning was connected to cultural understanding rather than taught in isolation. The classes gave me the confidence to be assigned to projects in Latin America and communicate naturally in professional settings — including with government counterparts. Beyond language and culture, I value how the classes encouraged curiosity, openness, and critical thinking. They helped me better understand different perspectives and become more thoughtful in the way I communicate with others.

Ciro was the finest language instructor I have had — and I studied with many over the years. What set him apart was not just his remarkable knowledge of Spanish across accents, vocabulary, and regional variation from the continent to Spain, but the energy, playfulness, and genuine care he brought to every class. He taught me not just grammar and vocabulary, but how to actually use Spanish and have fun with it — whether debating points of view in a work environment or navigating meetings in Buenos Aires. He enriched the class experience with thoughtful reference to cultural context, history, cross-cultural sensitivities and things to avoid as well as to use. He demonstrated a passion for the language and he cared deeply about his students and supporting their success.

I was not — and am not still — someone with strong language facility. I didn't have high hopes about being able to work in Argentina when I got the job. But when I started studying Spanish with Ciro, I saw the connections not only with my professional goals, but to engage socially and culturally with my colleagues in Buenos Aires and immerse myself in the life of the city and country. After a few months of classes, starting from scratch, I was able to immerse myself in the country's newspapers and media, engage on technical matters with my professional counterparts, and move around the country to explore the forces shaping its economics and politics. I cannot recommend Ciro — and Viva Lingua Global — strongly enough.

I have never been someone who enjoys conversation practice in language classes — it usually feels forced and awkward. With Prof. Pepe, it was a completely different experience: conversations flowed naturally, like a chat among friends. I never felt self-conscious about making mistakes or ran out of things to say. A big part of that came down to the environment he created: genuine curiosity, eagerness to share facts and stories, and mutual respect. His class went far beyond grammar and vocabulary — he brought the full richness of the Spanish-speaking world into the room, from food and football to music and traditions. What I learned allowed me to move in the Spanish-speaking world with a deeper understanding of not just the language but of where people came from. That, to me, is a truly successful language learning experience.