Language Learning

I've been in Spain for a little over a month. My Spanish is improving, but not at the speed I had hoped. Learning a language is hard. Some people say one thing, and others say another, but that's not what we were taught in school. I'm still nervous when I go places and ask for something. It seems I always have to say something twice. I don't know if I'm pronouncing things wrong or if they weren't listening. Even when we speak in English we have to repeat things. Maybe I just notice it more because Spanish takes more effort than English.

Generally I understand what people are saying, it depends on the accents. The way the Malagueños speak is by chopping off the last syllable of the words. This proposes problems because then the words don't sound like words, the sound like sounds. I am adopting to this. But some of the old people are hard to understand. The tend to cut off more than half of the word and slur their speech. I've just given up a few times. I smile and nod and walk away with no clue as to what they were saying. Part of my problem is understanding what they're saying and forming a response quickly. This will get better as I practice.

I have a made a few Spanish friends, but none that I see during the days. I talk with my roommates in Spanish and when we go out and do something. It is easier learning here than in the States. Grocery shopping is a learning experience because I'm learning the new words of the food I eat. Also, weights are in kilos. My friends and I are going to an intercambio that is at a bar. My roommate told me it was more about drinking than intercambio, but I'm going to look at the list and see if I can recruit an intercambio partner. I hope it will help me learn Spanish faster and I hope that I can find one.

My roommate Maria is from Greece. When she was in kindergarten she was learning 2 alphabets. She didn't start learning English until she was 6 or 7, but she still retains a lot of it. She only studied English for 5 years and then French for 12, I think. She can't speak French because of the age she learned it at. She hasn't studied English since she stopped learning when she was 12, but Enlgish music and movies have kept her somewhat up to date. She says her English insn't good, but I think with a little correction she could be fluent pretty quickly. The little girl I'm tutoring is 5 and the parents want me to work on pronounciation. She can't even pronounce the Spanish words correctly, but I will try anyway. I think different people have different opinions on when children should start another language. I have read a couple articles, but not enough to form an opinion.

Learning a language is an interesting experience. Sometimes after long hours of Spanish I could not construct a correct sentence if my life depended on it. Other times it flows out without trying. I don't understand. I wish I would have taken a language earlier in life. I see 10 year olds who are speaking 2 or 3 languages and I'm jealous. I definitely see a need for children to be bilingual and would like to allow that opportunity to my children. With different languages comes different customs, foods, opportunities and friends. It seems silly not to take advantage of the international world when it is at our fingertips.

I think I'm at the brink. If I continue the way I'm learning I will fluent when I come back. I am impatient. I wish that I was improving faster. I am making effort though and I think that's what counts. I don't speak English all day and I would like to eventually evolve to the point where I don't speak any, except in my classes. This is a time intense process, one that I was prepared to make. It's only been a month so I have 8 more to learn.