New Spanish instructor at Vintage House

After living 30 years in a small Mexican village, Pennsylvania native Pegge Bastress has relocated to Sonoma and joined the instructional staff at Vintage House.

Visiting friends in Sonoma in past years, she was attracted to the small town ambiance, the progressive atmosphere, and the opportunity for her bi-lingual, bi-cultural daughters to study in the local schools.  Since arriving she has been offering private lessons in all levels of Spanish and English, and will now also be teaching weekly classes at the Vintage House of two levels of conversational Spanish. 
According to Vintage House Program Director Linda Gavron, Bastress employs a combination of the Accelerated Learning Method and her experience of many years as a language instructor.  Her style is based on fun, imagination, participation, and relaxation, Gavron said.
Bastress moved to Sonoma a year ago with her two teenage daughters after living in Mexico, mostly in the small, car-less village of Yelapa, an hour’s boat ride south of Puerto Vallarta. 

While there she taught Spanish to tourists, visitors, and expat residents, and English at the local high school.  She also continues to teach medical Spanish to nurses and mental health therapists in a weeklong intensive workshop held in Yelapa which provides continuing education through a program run by Sonoma’s own Contemporary Approaches in Health Care. 

 Gavron said that students enjoy an uplifting educational experience while having fun — class activities include skits and plays, games and prizes, and singing and dancing.  Sessions are Tuesday mornings and will begin on September 14; all levels will be accommodated and drop-ins are welcome.

 Vintage House is located at 264 1st St. E.  Call 996.0311 for further information.