Ioan Gruffudd in the television series Hornblower

Three years ago Diana Manzanilla cashed in almost all her belongings and quit her job to come to Wales.

She first became interested in the Welsh language after watching Ioan Gruffudd in the television series Hornblower.

She hopes the classes will help raise awareness about the Welsh language.

The Hornblower series was a big hit on television in the United States, making Ioan Gruffudd a household name.

After watching the programme, Ms Manzanilla read a magazine interview with the star, where he talked about his passion for Wales and how no one could pronounce his name.

"I thought, who is that man? He's really cute. It was the reason I got interested in Welsh in the first place," she said.

She searched the library where she worked for anything related to Wales, but all she could find was a dictionary, and a copy of the movie Hedd Wyn.

When she heard Welsh spoken on the film, she fell in love with the language, and decided to try and learn it.

She began teaching herself and was so keen to start taking classes, she flew across the United States for a week-long course in Atlanta.

Wales is such a wonderful place. I miss it. It was just beautiful Diana Manzanilla

But in the end she decided the only way to learn Welsh properly was to leave her life in the US behind, and move to Wales.

"There was something in me that wasn't being satisfied.

"It's easy to never learn another language, and never leave the country.

"But when you really find something that you love, there's really no question in your mind.

"My friends and family didn't really try to stop me, because they didn't think I was going to do it."

She first visited Wales in November 2001, and by the start of 2002 had moved to Cardiff.

Towards the end of her stay she studied to become a Welsh language tutor, and eventually began teaching in Newport.

The classes led to her meeting Ioan Gruffudd's mother, and sister, but unfortunately not the star himself.

"The minute I moved there, he moved over here. It wasn't meant to be.

"Teaching was the most rewarding experience I've ever had. It brought me so much pleasure."

Memories

Now back in California, she has 10 students signed up for the lessons, and is a member of the Welsh American Society of northern California.

"There are lots of Welsh ex-pats over here but they are hard to find," she said.

"I'm going around town to British food stores putting up flyers.

"I'm also going to do bi-lingual tours in the area."

She hopes that once she starts teaching Welsh again it will help to remind her of the time she spent living in Wales.

"It was just beautiful. I felt like I could really be myself. I found it to be such an accepting place.

"Wales is such a wonderful place. I miss it."