How I Learned Spanish
Spanish was not spoken in my house as a child; my father’s side of the family is of Irish ancestry, and my mother’s side of the family is of Scottish and British ancestry.
Growing up, I took basic classes in middle school and high school. I learned only enough to barely survive in a Spanish-speaking country.
Then, May 11 this year, I actually flew to Mexico City and lived there for a few months. I used AirBnb for lodging, at first living on Calle 174 in Venustiano Carranza with a girl my age named Astrid and her mother. The house was within walking distance from the international airport.
Immersion was key to my success in learning Spanish. To basically function, I had to use this foreign tongue. I read signs on the street and labels on products in stores. Also, in the action of merely purchasing an item, I got to practice Spanish. Going to the local Walmart for the first time was quite the experience...
I frequented the market close to where I resided, and I offered free English lessons to workers in the market (also those in surrounding stores). English is highly valued in Mexico City, as it increases earning potential there. I improved my Spanish through teaching English; it was mutually beneficial.
In this same market, I purchased books full of Condorito comic strips. Reading Condorito was an excellent means of learning Spanish, as there are pictures and the strips’ text consists mainly of dialogue.
I learned most of my Spanish in Mexico, as I was there for a substantial amount of time (3 months).
I was in Havana, Cuba for 3 weeks, and I practiced my Spanish further. No new technique was adopted in Cuba that I hadn’t used in Mexico.
Since I returned home, I’ve practiced with Latinos on the bus and train. I greet them and ask them if they want to converse in Spanish with me. East Boston in particular is an area of Boston with many Latinos. It seems that nearly half the people there speak Spanish. I’ve gone there to practice my Spanish, buying items in stores out of politeness.
So far, I’m merely conversational in Spanish; I am by no means fluent. But I’m improving bit by bit haha. Poco a poco jaja
Growing up, I took basic classes in middle school and high school. I learned only enough to barely survive in a Spanish-speaking country.
Then, May 11 this year, I actually flew to Mexico City and lived there for a few months. I used AirBnb for lodging, at first living on Calle 174 in Venustiano Carranza with a girl my age named Astrid and her mother. The house was within walking distance from the international airport.
Immersion was key to my success in learning Spanish. To basically function, I had to use this foreign tongue. I read signs on the street and labels on products in stores. Also, in the action of merely purchasing an item, I got to practice Spanish. Going to the local Walmart for the first time was quite the experience...
I frequented the market close to where I resided, and I offered free English lessons to workers in the market (also those in surrounding stores). English is highly valued in Mexico City, as it increases earning potential there. I improved my Spanish through teaching English; it was mutually beneficial.
In this same market, I purchased books full of Condorito comic strips. Reading Condorito was an excellent means of learning Spanish, as there are pictures and the strips’ text consists mainly of dialogue.
I learned most of my Spanish in Mexico, as I was there for a substantial amount of time (3 months).
I was in Havana, Cuba for 3 weeks, and I practiced my Spanish further. No new technique was adopted in Cuba that I hadn’t used in Mexico.
Since I returned home, I’ve practiced with Latinos on the bus and train. I greet them and ask them if they want to converse in Spanish with me. East Boston in particular is an area of Boston with many Latinos. It seems that nearly half the people there speak Spanish. I’ve gone there to practice my Spanish, buying items in stores out of politeness.
So far, I’m merely conversational in Spanish; I am by no means fluent. But I’m improving bit by bit haha. Poco a poco jaja
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