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Bolio’s Spanish Log | ||
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 Language Learning Forum : Language Learning Log |  | |
| BOLIO Senior Member United States Joined 4650 days ago 253 posts - 366 votes  Speaks: English* Studies: Spanish | Message 153 of 344 16 May 2014 at 4:50pm | IP Logged |
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Just checking in.
Spanish has been everyday but not the depth I have been doing in the past. Still working on Assimil and have another 5 or 6 weeks before it will be done. I wanted to complete it before leaving for mexico in three weeks but it won't happen. Oh well, I keep plugging along. Tonight I will get a chance to listen and speak Spanish thru friends at a get together. Usually I am listening to them speak and I am trying to pick out the words I know and put the pieces together. They sometimes change to English when they are speaking to me but I have asked that they at least give me a shot at understanding them in Spanish. It will be fun. 110/340 1 person has voted this message useful | |
| BOLIO Senior Member United States Joined 4650 days ago 253 posts - 366 votes Speaks: English* Studies: Spanish | Message 154 of 344 19 May 2014 at 3:46pm | IP Logged |
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I was able to be around quite a bit of Spanish over the weekend. We spent most of our time araound friends who were from Mexico or are only a generation away from Mexico. Yesterday we had a great time going to the Pulga in Houston.
It is a huge flea market with great food. I thought I had eaten every mexican food invented but I came across a new to me dish. It is called Huarache. It is an oblong gordita or fried masa with different choices of meats on top of it. I had the barbacoa with cilantro and onions with a huge amount of of this very spicy salsa. It was very good. The friends that were with us said it is very common in the part of Mexico they are from. We also had Papusas from Salvador and plenty of fresh churros that were still warm (imagine funnel cake if you have never had them before). I love going there for a couple of reasons. First, I stand out. There are not that many Gringos there. Second, there is music every where and the people have always been very nice to me. I had a very nice conversation with a Man from Jaliscos, mexico. He was one of the fruit vendors. He said that he had lived here for 7 years with his wife and two kids. I made several mistakes and had a very difficult time understanding every word. But he was very forgiving and I am convinced that he gave us better service because of me trying. One of the mangos we purchased was a little green and he replaced it with two more. A very nice guy that I will reach out to the next time we go. I had been very sick the last week and my formal studies suffered because I could not concentrate. Assimil has now become an item on a to-do list. I just want to finish it and move on. I think after taking some time away from it, I will go thru it again with more pleasure. 112/338 1 person has voted this message useful | |
| nancydowns Senior Member United States Joined 3914 days ago 184 posts - 288 votes Speaks: English* Studies: Spanish, Arabic (Written) | Message 155 of 344 19 May 2014 at 8:00pm | IP Logged |
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Hey Bolio! Sounds like you are doing very well! It is so wonderful that you have so many opportunities to speak to natives! Keep it up! :-)
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| BOLIO Senior Member United States Joined 4650 days ago 253 posts - 366 votes Speaks: English* Studies: Spanish | Message 156 of 344 22 May 2014 at 7:06pm | IP Logged |
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Thanks Nancy!
OK, I am having to take a step back from Assimil for a minute. I am losing my joy with it right now. So, for the next two weeks I am practicing my speaking and working on phrases that I may use out in conversation with vendors, directions, pleasantries and the such while in Mexico in June. I spoke with my Brother in law and his wife last night who are living in Mexico right now. She and I are the only "Gueros" in the family. Until they moved to Mexico two months ago, my Spanish was further along than hers. Now, not so much. Her husband told me that her Spanish has jumped to another level being able to speak it every day. I told her that I was jealous and she said to get ready because we will be able to talk to all the people we want and never have English to fall back on with the natives. I know I will mess up when trying to speak but I am VERY EXCITED!! She says the people have been very helpful and forgiving. Edited by BOLIO on 22 May 2014 at 7:55pm 2 persons have voted this message useful | |
| kmoeini Newbie United States Joined 4886 days ago 10 posts - 10 votes Speaks: English* Studies: Spanish | Message 157 of 344 25 May 2014 at 4:08am | IP Logged |
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Hi Bolio,
I think enjoying what you do is critical in order to keep going. It's nice to see other people here studying Spanish. Good luck with your studies. 1 person has voted this message useful | |
| BOLIO Senior Member United States Joined 4650 days ago 253 posts - 366 votes Speaks: English* Studies: Spanish | Message 158 of 344 28 May 2014 at 6:59pm | IP Logged |
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Dropping in for an update. I have been working more on audio programs and trying to shadow. Actually I cannot shadow the material but I can echo it. I find myself looking at my Scriptorium journal and thinking that I should be doing it. However, I think the little break will be good in the long run. The weekend was good to me because I was around several Spanish speakers and I listened to them and felt part of the conversation even though I missed much of the faster speach. Producing without translating is beyond me right now for all conversation except some of the most common phrases. I sound like a two year old and it can be frustrating. I remind myself of where I want to be. If I continue my studies, I am only passing through this low level of speach. If I stop my studies, I will live here forever. Onward and upward.
I have let things get in the way of extended study. I will make adjustments to my schedule and responsibilities to ensure more hours of study. 117/333 1 person has voted this message useful | |
| BOLIO Senior Member United States Joined 4650 days ago 253 posts - 366 votes Speaks: English* Studies: Spanish | Message 159 of 344 02 June 2014 at 3:17pm | IP Logged |
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I am getting really excited about my trip in a few days. This will be my first time on a non-resort type trip to Mexico(Other than border town trips, which I have zero interest in doing now). While in Puerto Vallarta, we were able to travel away from the resort far enough to get away from English but it took effort. On this trip it will be very easy. I cannot wait.
I have been listening to "Learn in your car" and the audio for Assimil while at work and while walking. I try to echo or shadow the conversations. I have been speaking more at home. Although, my wife pledged to speak only Spanish at home, it lasted about a day. :) Oh well. I have signed up for Lang8. I feel like the process of writing correctly can help me with producing the language over time. I will incorporate it into my studies very shortly. Enjoy your studies everyone! 120/330 1 person has voted this message useful | |
| nancydowns Senior Member United States Joined 3914 days ago 184 posts - 288 votes Speaks: English* Studies: Spanish, Arabic (Written) | Message 160 of 344 02 June 2014 at 6:10pm | IP Logged |
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I am so excited for you, Bolio!!! To be surrounded by Spanish only is so wonderful!!! Have a great time. Your hours spent vs. your hours to go
are getting closer together! :-) 1 person has voted this message useful |
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