Spanish Advice

[Andrepdx]

I suppose this is for renewal applicants.

I never thought I was going to make it this far in the program, due to my college transcripts. I know it says in the manual, that you must have an intermediate level of Spanish. I do not, however I have been spending a lot of time on this Rosetta Stone program, and just don’t seem to be picking up the language as easily as I had imagined.

Basically my question is,

How screwed am I going to be, when I show up and have very little knowledge of speaking Spanish? I am stressing out very much! Please any advice, ( hopefully, none of which is drop out of the program.)

Thanks


Andre

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[JenT]

Rosetta Spanish was never really my cup of tea... I find it hard to learn that way. I had way more luck using "Rocket Spanish" (find a torrent online...)  I suggest drilling yourself each day, practice for a few hours, and look into joining a beginner's course over the summer. 

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[marcus]

I used to suck at Spanish until I lived in Paraguay for a summer. Then I never really had to work at it again.

Basically, you can't overthink it when you're learning a new language. Just say whatever comes to mind and as long as you're in the ballpark, the message will get across.

Kinda hard to immerse yourself in Spanish in the U.S., but you could try watching Spanish tv. Even if you don't understand most of what's being said, you'll start noticing certain words and phrases. http://www.telemadrid.es/?q=emision_en_directo

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[Packback]

1.) Moving into a new language, as in total immersion, is like nothing else when it comes to learning that language; it forces your brain to learn it.

2.) If they didn't check on the language "requirement", how big a deal is it?

3.) Most people know at least few words of English; make sure you know how to explain emergencies, housing basics (piso searching!), and travel trouble before you go.

4.) Relax.  You'll run into plenty of "uhh, what?" situations the first few months, regardless of your level of Spanish.  (check out some of the returning auxiliares' blogs.  nothing like diving in to show you don't know as much as you think you did.)

5.) Drop ou....kidding.  Do.  Not.  Drop.  Out.  Why risk regret for fear of the unknown?  That's how people end up staying in their little cubicles.  With their one-a-day calendars.  And pictures of chubby children.  ...and travel mugs.  And TPS reports.

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[pittel]

Depends where you end up. If you're in a big city, you'll definitely have an easier time, and more people will probably know English. Obviously, the teachers you work with should have a decent grasp on English, so don't be afraid to ask them for help. I had my tutor come to the bank with me to open my account, and I've been studying Spanish for years.

The challenge for me was that there was a lot of specific vocabulary that you don't always learn in Spanish class, for example, having to do with getting you ID card, renting an apartment, getting a bank account...things like that. My landlord doesn't speak a word of English, so at the beginning (and even now sometimes) there are communication issues. Most people are very understanding, so as long as you try, you should be good. Making mistakes is a good thing, believe me.

Each region deals with it differently. For example, in País Vasco, we have to communicate with our regional coordinator totally in Spanish. Our orientation was all in Spanish, and they got mad when one of the teachers asked if they could do part of it in English, saying we all said we had an intermediate level (whatever that means) so it was our fault if we didn't understand. A little harsh, considering my teachers don't always understand me. But I know other regions had English orientations.

My advice would be see if you can find a Spanish language group, maybe at the local library, or a local university. I know back home there was always a night where people could go to a cafe and practice their Spanish, and that was in a small town in Wisconsin. There are also websites where you can get "penpals" or "Skype-pals" that will help you if you really want to improve.

It's overwhelming for everyone, even if you have a high level, so don't worry too much, just try and learn as much as you can, with tv and music. Every little bit will help you!

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[elph77]

Also, you may know about their national television TVE, here is their website: http://www.rtve.es/
I love it, and they have plenty of videos you can listen to, I think they even have movies...the only problem is, Spaniards tend to speak a little fast...
Maybe try to get Spanish movies with English subtitles?
You could also try the BBC page for learning Spanish: http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/spanish/ It looks like it's more for beginners' levels and it seems like an easy, fun way to learn.

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[ajnabiyya]

You might try looking on www.meetup.com and seeing if there is a Spanish conversation group in your area. Conversation groups can be a great way to practice a language on a regular basis - like a conversation class, but free! In my experience (with an earlier version of the software), Rosetta Stone was quite good for building vocabulary but no replacement for actually using the language to communicate with other people, which is really how you become proficient in a language.

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[kyky22]

5.) Drop ou....kidding.  Do.  Not.  Drop.  Out.  Why risk regret for fear of the unknown?  That's how people end up staying in their little cubicles.  With their one-a-day calendars.  And pictures of chubby children.  ...and travel mugs.  And TPS reports.

I've thought of dropping out not because of Spanish but because I have a really secure, well-paying job, that I HATE here in the US and am a little afraid of stepping out there and making changes but you helped me remember why I want to go. I can always find a job in my field if I have to come back but I'll never have the career and life that I want if I don't try. THANKS.

Back on topic... a resource I like is www.notesinspanish.com. They have podcasts for beginners-advanced levels.  I'm listening to the radio, watching TV and reading magazines in Spanish to try to immerse myself as much as possible right now.  I also found a website www.lenguajero.com that you can find conversation partners to skype with. They also have weekly topics to write about and native speakers correct each other in English/Spanish. Good luck!

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[dctinafri]

I have never taken a spanish class in my entire life but im Mexican and
I speak spanish in the home frequently and with other family members.
Will this be okay to satisfy the requirement?

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[pittel]

Yeah, they don't care about qualifications. If you're Mexican and speak Spanish already, you'll be fine. They don't check up on your level of fluency. It's all on your honor.

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[Packback]

It's all on your honor.

This makes me want to puff my chest out a bit a say "Yo hablo."


...maybe I'll refrain.

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[Arreola]

watch some movies, get used to their lingo.
May i suggest ALL of Pedro Almodovar's films, not only are the farfegnugening fantastic and perfect, but they'll introduce you to some slang and expressions you might not find in a book. also get you used to the fact that spaniards cuss a lot.

i watched every almodovar film i could get my hands on before i went to spain in '07 and then bought the rest that i couldn't find in the US in madrid.

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[tapasntrouble]

watch some movies, get used to their lingo.
May i suggest ALL of Pedro Almodovar's films, not only are the farfegnugening fantastic and perfect, but they'll introduce you to some slang and expressions you might not find in a book. also get you used to the fact that spaniards cuss a lot.

i watched every almodovar film i could get my hands on before i went to spain in '07 and then bought the rest that i couldn't find in the US in madrid.

i also love pedro almodovar films!

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[Reportinglove]

Hire a private tutor -- that's what I'm doing. It's actually cheaper than taking classes and mine's from Spain and teaches me specific intricacies common only to Spain.

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[lrogers]

Thanks for starting this topic! I took 3 years of high school spanish and one semester in college, but I never took it seriously and I'm hardly conversational! I'm trying to spend at least an hour or 2 each day working on my Spanish. Here's what I've been doing so far (and most of these have already been mentioned, so everyone has really good advice):

-Notes In Spanish (notesinspanish.com)- someone already mentioned, but these are amazing. LISTEN TO THESE PODCASTS ON ITUNES! I'm doing inspired beginners right now... I take notes on my computer with all the translations while I listen, and I go back and re-listen and do the "homework" assignments. they're fun and addicting, i promise!
-Spanish movies on Netflix w/ subtitles
-I found that my local peace and justice center has a conversation hour weekly... I'm planning to start next week
-Finding an intercambio de lengua (language exchange): I found a language exchange website and now have a pen pal in Madrid... our schedules haven't allowed us to skype yet, but we've been emailing and g-chatting for month, half english/half spanish... and then we always send each other corrections.
-Textbooks: I borrowed 2 textbooks from a friend who studied in Spain, and they are in all Spanish... so I try to give myself grammar lessons, make flashcards, etc. Basically everything in Spanish textbooks can be googled though!
-Thinking in spanish- I randomly start thinking of how I would say certain things in Spanish... I've been trying to think of common conversations I have when I meet people and then learning those phrases in Spanish.

Any more advice would be greatly appreciated! It's overwhelming, but hopefully once I'm over there I'll realize that I know more than I think I do!

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[alexj]

Like some others have said, watching movies is great but you have to be academic about it.  Just watching it and reading the subtitles will give your ears a bit more practice, but if you really want to benefit you need to pay attention to the phrases rather than just zoning out and reading the subtitles.

Regardless of how much you learn before you go, you'll feel like you don't know enough when you arrive.  Because of this (it happens to everyone), the two best pieces of advice I can give are...

1. Don't be afraid to make mistakes.  If you're lucky it'll go unnoticed.  If you're luckier someone will correct you and you won't make the mistake again.  Or if you're like me you'll continue making it until someone corrects you again, then you'll learn it.  Maybe.
2. Don't be afraid to ask for questions.  You won't learn otherwise.  Plus the 'getting settled' period will be much more difficult than it has to be.  If you don't know how to look for an apartment, or get your NIE, or make a doctor's appointment, or get a cell phone, ask someone for help.  Spaniards are much more generous with their time than Americans tend to be.

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[Andrepdx]

    You guys talk about needing vocabulary for renting a place  to live, as well as emergencies, and travel needs. Are there some very key  phrases that you would like to pass my way? I keep plugging away at Rosetta Stone,  and I just signed up for this other Spanish learning website. Plus I am moving  down to the bay area for the summer, which means I will pick up a lot of Latin America  Spanish, which has its differences, but it can only help me.
 
Thanks
 
Andre

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[evanjsilver]

There is a great series of podcasts for free on itunes called Coffee Break. They have three levels of instruction. They are only about twenty minutes long (hence Coffee Break) and the lessons are led by a charming Scot with excellent pronunciation and a brilliant sense of humor. Highly recommend them.

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[trebles]

There is a great series of podcasts for free on itunes called Coffee Break. They have three levels of instruction. They are only about twenty minutes long (hence Coffee Break) and the lessons are led by a charming Scot with excellent pronunciation and a brilliant sense of humor. Highly recommend them.

Thanks, I'll check them out!

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[alexj]

I've always liked http://www.studyspanish.com/.  If I get some time in the upcoming days I would like to post a 'survival' phrasebook of sorts on here, but don't hold me to that just yet.

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[MelAllStar]

There is this TV show that is really popular in Spain called Fisica o Quimica, I sort of think of it as the Spanish Degrassi (if your familiar with that show.) I watch episodes of that online and it has become my guilty pleasure! There are a few places that you can watch it for free online. http://fisica-o-quimica.seriespepito.com/ (beware, there are lots of pop-up adds) I don't think it exists anywhere with subtitles, but this is a great way to get used to how quickly Spaniards speak, pick up a ton of slang, and get amped to work in a school!

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[JoDuggs]

Another thing you can watch for good practice is a series called "extr@ en espanol." It's about three Spanish friends who live in Barcelona and an American who comes to live with them. You can watch it on youtube, each episode is usually broken up into three videos. But it's been easy enough to find each one and follow along.
Here is the link for the first episode:


It's a super cheesy show, but it's aimed at a non-native speakers so they speak slowly (especially for Spaniards!). And since it takes place in Barcelona they use a lot of colloquial Spanish (as opposed to Central/South American Spanish)...
 

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[elph77]

    You guys talk about needing vocabulary for renting a place  to live, as well as emergencies, and travel needs. Are there some very key  phrases that you would like to pass my way? I keep plugging away at Rosetta Stone,  and I just signed up for this other Spanish learning website. Plus I am moving  down to the bay area for the summer, which means I will pick up a lot of Latin America  Spanish, which has its differences, but it can only help me.
 
Thanks
 
Andre

Someone posted some really useful practical vocabulary on this forum under the thread "Getting ready for North American Language and Cultural Assistants 2011-2012". It's a long post, you'll find it easily.

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[tapasntrouble]

Another thing you can watch for good practice is a series called "extr@ en espanol." It's about three Spanish friends who live in Barcelona and an American who comes to live with them. You can watch it on youtube, each episode is usually broken up into three videos. But it's been easy enough to find each one and follow along.
Here is the link for the first episode:


It's a super cheesy show, but it's aimed at a non-native speakers so they speak slowly (especially for Spaniards!). And since it takes place in Barcelona they use a lot of colloquial Spanish (as opposed to Central/South American Spanish)...
 

Haha. I started watching it. It's kinda funny!

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