An Interview with Astrid De Herrera, Global Learning Specialist at Level Up Village
As I begin another year of exchanges, I become curious as to the different parts of the process; how is the sausage made? I know that when it comes to running a successful virtual exchange, pairing schools isn’t just about matching names in a spreadsheet—it’s about creating meaningful human connections across cultures. So, in order to gain an understanding and an appreciation for this key first step, I sat down with Astrid De Herrera, who oversees pairings at Level Up Village (LUV), to talk about how these partnerships are made, what makes them thrive, and what can occasionally trip them up.
First, who is Astrid and what does she do at LUV?
Astrid introduces herself as a Global Learning Specialist. That means she’s in charge of managing accounts, pairings, and making sure both sides of an exchange have a great experience.
“I want the classes—and the teachers—to communicate fluently,” she explains. “Good communication is the key to a successful exchange.”
She also helps refresh course content and supports teachers through the platform, from maintaining video quality standards to offering pedagogical insight when sales teams are speaking with schools.
How does pairing actually work?
It turns out, pairing is part science, part art. Once schools purchase courses through the LUV platform, Astrid receives teacher details—class size, age of students, subject area, and sometimes preferences for certain countries or pre-existing teacher pairings.
“I look at all the teachers and try to make the best match,” she says. “Some teachers request a specific country because of a past positive experience. Others ask for a particular teacher they’ve worked with before. I’m happy when I can honor both requests—it makes the exchange even more personal.”
Astrid likens the process to matchmaking, where knowing personalities, goals, and past experiences helps set the stage for smoother collaboration.
What makes a good pairing?
Astrid doesn’t hesitate:
- Teacher buy-in. Exchanges work best when teachers choose to participate willingly, not because it was handed down by an administrator.
- Strong communication. Being transparent about delays, vacations, school trips, or unexpected hiccups keeps things running smoothly.
- Shared enthusiasm. When both teachers see the exchange as meaningful, their students feed off that energy.
And what makes a bad pairing?
Astrid sighs. “It doesn’t happen often, but when teachers don’t communicate or don’t take the program seriously, it can sour things.”
Sometimes videos are rushed—low quality, incomplete, or lacking engagement. Other times, a teacher simply drops the ball and doesn’t show up. “That’s frustrating,” she admits. “But part of my job is solving those problems, finding another partner if necessary, and making sure the students still get the experience they signed up for.”
Do students ever weigh in?
Mostly, pairings are managed at the teacher and program level. But Astrid has noticed patterns in the classroom. “Some students become very popular because their videos are so engaging. Everyone wants to reply to them. I tell teachers to make sure everyone gets a reply first, and then students can choose their favorites.”
She compares it to old-fashioned pen pals: “When I was a kid, getting a letter from another country was magical. Now students get to experience that same excitement through video.”
A story that stuck with her
Astrid recalls a teacher in Nigeria named Leticia who was running a demanding arts-and-sciences exchange with almost no resources.
“She had only one broken cell phone,” Astrid says. “Her Wi-Fi was unreliable, her screen was cracked, and yet she managed to run the entire exchange with her students. Her partner teacher, in Argentina, had every resource imaginable. And yet they worked together beautifully. The Argentine teacher was patient and supportive, and the Nigerian teacher was determined. In the end, both classes had an incredible exchange.”
For Astrid, that kind of story captures what virtual exchange is really about: perseverance, empathy, and the joy of connection.
Final thoughts
Astrid encourages any teacher on the fence to reach out and ask questions. “Virtual exchanges aren’t just about practicing language or checking a cultural box,” she says. “They give students meaningful, real-world experiences that can even be used for assessment. And for teachers, they provide a chance to collaborate globally, to see your subject through fresh eyes.”
Her advice? “Choose it, commit to it, and communicate well. The rest will follow.”
The whole process, as seen from Astrid’s perspective, was pretty enlightening to me. Pairings at Level Up Village aren’t random—they’re carefully curated partnerships designed to create the most meaningful intercultural exchanges possible. And when teachers lean in, communicate, and bring their students’ best work to the table, the results can be nothing short of transformative. I can’t wait to meet my new international partners for my upcoming Level Up Village exchange!
