Being in a whole different country without knowing the language is not an easy task. I have been here for about a week and a half, and I know quite a few different random words in Spanish, but not really how to put them together to form conversation - and they aren't really words that you would have much of a conversation about... Donde esta el banjo? I can ask for directions to things, and greet people properly, but if they actually want to TALK to me, forget about it, I blush and say, "Lo siento, Hablo muy poco espanol". At first I thought I was picking it up pretty quickly for someone who has no Spanish education to work with, but today at my first Spanish class I figured out very fast that I don't know jack. Inside my head all the words are mushing together into one big spanish-english concoction that doesn't make any sense, and when I try to pull out pieces I draw blanks. Literally. When someone is talking to me I feel like I am just staring at them with a dumbfounded look on my face at all times and when I can pull out a word that sounds familiar I let out a little smile and say "vale" which means ok. But really in my head all I can think about is how fast they are talking and keep wondering where one sentence ended and another one started. Sometimes all the words just blend together and I think they are making stuff up to see if I'm going to catch on. Jokes on them, I'll smile and nod my head all day while I'm trying to piece together the few words I recognise.
I am usually a very fast learner. However, I have never really tried to learn a language (Something I kick myself for on a regular basis, most Europeans know multiple!), and I am learning very quickly why a lot of parents start their kids so young at learning multiple languages.That way they don't have a battle in their head every time they talk trying to translate one language to another. I literally came over here with the intentions of being fluent in Spanish by the time I leave, boy was I being cocky with those expectations.
Every week I have 3 Spanish classes. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. After today, I decided I'm going to find myself a tutor to help me piece together the chaos in my head on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Between that and Cross fit - I hope and pray that I have my "Ah-Ha!!" moment.
I will not accept defeat.
No comments:
Post a Comment