After one successful week of language school, I am pleased to report that all of us speak Spanish.
Actually, that’s not true. One of us doesn’t speak at all.
I should note that we don’t speak very much Spanish, but we all know a little. The kids can say the alphabet and a couple of greetings. Crystal and I are walking around the school asking people how many children they have and when is their birthday. Sometimes we get it wrong, like the time I insisted that Christmas was in October. I got a funny look on that one.
It is hard to open your mouth knowing what comes out will probably be incorrect. I am self-conscious learner, and I want to get it right the first time. It’s ironic that the road to excellence is paved with the stones of failure. It is true of many areas of life.
I think rule number one in language learning is this:
Be willing to embarrass yourself.
You have to be willing to try and fail. I’m not likely to confuse the Spanish words for Christmas and birthday again soon. As you blunder, you learn. The second rule follows closely behind: be careful saying rule number one in Spanish. You may declare yourself pregnant.
5 Comments
Learning a new language is a challenge but will have a very satisfying reward. Your children will learn quickly if they have opportunity to spend time with other children who speak spanish and then they will help you learn. Practice makes perfect š
Praying for patience and rejoicing in the small victories that become building blocks.
I have been helping my granddaughters with school and they are sure diagramming sentences has no value but really it does even tho you never use the talent in real life unless you are an English teacher. It builds dicipline into character.
Have Fun!
Love hearing about your experiences. Had to chuckle about you mixing up Christmas and birthday. I would find it totally impossible and would be talking in tongues all the time. I doubt an interpreter would help either. Your children will be much quicker at it and you can talk as a family and we won’t know what you are saying about us. š Prayers as you keep studying and learning a new language and culture!! We love you dearly.
Muy bien. Adelante!
So glad to hear that your language learning is going good. Also glad to hear that I am not the only embarrassed student when I say the wrong thing and get the grunt from my professora that lets me know I haven’t performed correctly.
Bwahahah!! Glad to hear you’re willing to embarrass yourself and not pregnant. That would be weird. š