Learning Spanish

otra cerveza, por favor!

 

¿Cuánto por una mamada?

 

I was fortunate enough to get my former company to send me to Spanish Immersion for 2 weeks in Costa Rica. As others have said, immersion is absolutely the best way to learn. I did classes all day and then would try to talk to my host family at night.

On my first work trip after being there for 2 weeks I was amazed at how I could now at least keep up with some conversations, especially after a couple of beers where I would be more relaxed. Unfortunately where I live does not have a lot of Spanish speakers so have lost quite a bit, if not most of my ability.

We have my daughter in Spanish bilingual school, half day in English, half day Spanish so I am hoping she comes out with great language skills.

We are also thinking of doing a family vacation back to Costa Rica, Spanish school in the morning, beach in the afternoon.

 

I managed to download first three levels of Rosetta Stone for free. Can't find levels 4 or 5, though. So I just go back through the first 3 levels over and over (there are always things I'm forgetting). It has really helped a lot. I can ask a ton of questions. I can answer a ton of questions. I know a lot of words. I just can't really hold a real conversation, though. Слищком трудно (too difficult).

 

As someone who took two years of high school Spanish and two years of college Spanish, I found this to be true.

I had the added advantage of having family who hail from Cuba. Even when I didn't show any interest in speaking or learning Spanish, I heard so much of it that it made things much easier when I finally decided to take Spanish in school.

I even took Spanish calls at one call center job I had many moons ago.

Of course, now I use it so rarely that I've lost whatever confidence I had in speaking it.

 

UNA cerveza. Beer is a beautiful, mysterious lady and you should refer to her as such.