Español

Hola! Que tal? (What's up?)

So I have been in Spain for a little over a month and half now (ish?), and my Spanish has already improved immensly. I know that I have a long ways to go until I'm fluent, but I am content because I know that my Spanish is improving each day. The more I speak, read, and hear in Spanish, the better. Right now I'm taking four hours of Spanish class a week at my school, and it's going well. Matthew and this other boy who moved here from Hungary (he's 12) are also in the class, so we help each other out. My current Spanish status is something like this: When I concentrate I can usually understand the topic people are talking about and maybe even some details. When talking in Spanish, I can usually get my point across but my grammar/sentence structure sucks. People understand what I want to say, even though it's not grammatically correct. Learning Spanish isn't the number one reason I came to Spain, but I wouldn't consider my exchange a success if I came back not fluent. I have made some observations about learning Spanish over the past few weeks, so here they are.

1. More English isn't going to make your Spanish better.

What I mean by this is that when people talk to me in English, or when I talk in English, it doesn't help my Spanish at all. I am trying very hard to only speak Spanish, which is gradually becoming pretty easy. The more I use new Spanish words and phrases, the quicker they stick. When I speak English, it's difficult to get my mind back into the "Spanish groove." As far as other people, I am at the point where I usually become frustrated when people speak to me in English. I NEED TO LEARN SPANISH! If I don't know what a word is, then yes, it's helpful for someone to give me the translation. However, sometimes it's more helpful for people to simply explain themselves with different (more simple), Spanish words. I understand that sometimes it can be a hassle for someone to get their point across to me, but it helps me so much more than just conversing in English. To everyone in Spain who is patient enough with me to chat in Spanish: muchas gracias! :)

2. Some things get lost in translation.

For example, phrases like "I'm just pulling your leg" or "I'm hot on your heels" or "Por la cara" don't make sense when they're translated. For this reason, I either have to be spoken to in a very literal way, or be taught these figurative sayings.

3. One must learn how to learn another language.

After one studies a second language, it is much easier to learn other languages. For example, I have many exchange student friends who studied Spanish in high school and now they are learning a different language in their host country. I have heard many of them say that studying Spanish has helped them immensly. They know about conjugating verbs and the structures of language (other than English). They know how to learn a language.

In America though, we don't begin to study a second language until high school. Here, my classmates have been studying English since they were 9 or 10. Now, they all just began learning French, and some of them also just began learning Greek and Latin as well. However they know how to learn a language, so these other languages aren't as difficult. For Matt and me, we've only studied Spanish so we are 1. still learning new aspects of language and 2. simultaneoulsy using  that information to actually learn the language, in our case, Spanish.

I think that the U.S. needs to start teaching foreign language MUCH EARLIER. Spanish especially is becoming more and more commonly spoken in America. If we began learning Spanish in 3rd or 4th grade, we could easily learn other languages later on. Many may argue that we don't need to learn other languages because we know English, a valuable language everywhere in the world. However another language is something that no one can take away from someone else - another language is always valuable, especially as other languages are becoming more and more important to the US such as Chinese and, again, Spanish.

Back on topic though.

4. Even with steroids, you still have to work.

One has to make an effort to learn a language. I have to concentrate while listening to Spanish - it doesn't just come. While watching movies, or even having conversations, I have to make sure I pay close attention, and don't let my mind go off in la-la-land. I see being immersed into Spain as steroids for learning Spanish - I get a huge advantage because I am surrounded by Spanish everywhere, but I can only learn if I put in work.

5. Andalucia isn't the best place to learn Spanish.

Andalucia (the region in Spain that I live in), has some very distinct differences in their Spanish than many other places in the world. Many -- most -- of the 's's are usually dropped when talking, and replaced with a "th" sound. Example: Hasta luego may sound like "Hatha luego." Sometimes 'z's and 'c's are dropped too, and at times I think people decide to drop random consanants when they feel like it. I think that it's common for 'r's to be replaced with 'l's, but honestly I'm not even sure. The accent here is really thick and sometimes it is very difficult to understand people. Chances are that I'm eventually going to pick up on the accent and come back with an Andaluz accent and you all are going to make fun of it, but I'm cool with that.

6. You have to think in Spanish.

I have become pretty accustomed to speaking in Spanish, but thinking in Spanish is the real challenge. It's a day-long battle and I have to continually remind myself not to think in English. If I think in English, it's that much more difficult to improve on my Spanish. When I think in Spanish, speaking and understanding Spanish is much easier afterwards. It's about "living" in Spanish - completely immersing myself.

7. Spanglish is an English word.

Spanish is an English word. English is an English word.

8. My Spanish will improve, only at the expense of my English.

As I learn more Spanish, my English is slowly falling away. Sometimes I can't think of English words. Sometimes I don't know how to phrase something in English. It's such a strange feeling - the language you've known all your life, becoming more and more unfamiliar. I'm determined to learn Spanish though, so if it means having bad English for a while, I'll deal with it.

Well, there you have it. A peak into my mind that is attempting to think in Spanish. I'll continue to let you all know how my Spanish is going throughout future posts. Until later, I hope all is going well wherever you may  be reading this.

Have a fantastic Thanksgiving!
Josie