Why are we called Cactus?
Rich Ambler founded Cactus in Brighton back in 1999 as a language travel company, sending people overseas to learn the language in the country where it was spoken. After several years' travelling around Central and South America, Rich had come to appreciate the many benefits of speaking the local language, and he felt it was time to take the message back to the UK that language learning was accessible, easier than people thought, and a great means of building bridges between cultures and peoples. The name Cactus probably emanated from this epic voyage, and the fact that our orginal name, "Santa Fe Trading", sported a cactus in the logo.
One of our clients once argued a link between learning language learning and cactus: that they can seem a bit impenetrable at first, they're not that easy to get a grip of, and it sometimes feels like it's going to take an age before you see any growth or development. But with time, and effort, they begin to flourish and even flower, and when they do, it's a rare and beautiful thing.
So whether it's a deep psychological parallel, or it's just a quirky name, Cactus we are.
Over the last 10 years, Cactus has become synonymous with the very best practice in language training. The tens of thousands of satisfied customers who take a course with us each year are testament to what we're all about. With their glowing feedback and encouragement, they urge us on, and to continue our work of making language learning more flexible, enjoyable and approachable for all.