Archive for the ‘Learning Spanish’ Category

I’m writing this post from 35,000 feet in the air on my way from Santa Cruz, Bolivia to Cancun, Mexico. As I squeeze into the middle-row seat on a 6-hour flight between 2 layovers and an overnight bus ride, nothing can push me off the feeling I have at this moment. The feeling is of complete warmth. One that rushes through your body when something you’ve been working so hard for finally comes to fruition. It’s like that sensation you get on a Friday afternoon when the sun hits your face as you leave the office. This is the feeling I crave and one that constantly drives me. Last Saturday, the BiblioWorks staff, myself and nine other volunteers put on the first ever book fair in Sucre, Bolivia and it went off without a hitch. We had 15 educational institutions participating, 11 corporate sponsors and hundreds of children and adults …

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One of the most frequent questions I receive in the T2T inbox is how I meet and befriend locals while traveling and living abroad. The entire concept of this site focuses on that interaction and I base the success of each adventure on the friends I’ve made and authentic moments I’ve shared with locals. I’m not saying you can’t have the same experiences following the backpacker trail or hanging out in tourist bars, but I do think that while traveling, everyone should make some effort to understand a place and culture through the people who define it. The moments I cherish most while traveling and living abroad are those when taking photos seems inappropriate and an explanation of the scene always falls short of the feeling. They are the times when you feel comfortable being part of something completely foreign. It’s for this reason I’ve gone into every South American …

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It feels good getting back into using my second tongue. I’m still far from fluent but I’m starting to grasp the vocab and dialect I need to have a decent conversation. One of my major goals for this trip in Colombia is to get my words organized and get a better understanding of the correct structure of building sentences. I can hold a conversation but I suck at reading and writing (EL and LA, O and A are my worst enemies). So, in order to accomplish this goal and advance my second tongue, I started taking private Spanish lessons everyday for 2-hours per day at GozArte (pictured), a humble little cultural center a few blocks from my apartment in Envigado. I have more than enough opportunity to practice my conversational Spanish with friends, going out and with Bueno, entonces… so the true test is to see how much better at reading and …

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Before I could hold a decent conversation in Spanish, I had to come up with a few tactics to act like I knew a lot more than I really did. I dove in head first when I arrived in Buenos Aires, trying to learn the language as fast as possible, but the fact is it takes time. So what do you do until that point? I scored the bartending gig right away, but working with all Argentines made it difficult for me to communicate even at the most basic level. Why fake it? Well, if I didn’t pretend to know more than I really did, eventually people would stop talking to me. If you say “I don’t know” or “I don’t understand” enough times people are going to just start asking somebody else. Especially when it’s a waiter needing a drink or a customer wanting some food. Below is a list …

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First, I tried the private classes with Cecilia, which were great for getting me into the swing of things when I first arrived. However, I soon found out that I needed more structural help than conversational practice. So, I switched over to group Spanish classes at BASP. The 2-week intensive program helped me get a grasp on the fundamentals in a fun atmosphere with excellent Brazilian eye candy! Now strapped for funds, I’m turning to a 3rd option to help me master the Spanish language. Last week a friend of mine gave me a copy of an interactive online Spanish learning program that he created called Bueno, Entonces… by General Linguistics. They dub it as a mix between Rosetta Stone and South Park. I’m going to give it a whirl and let you know how it goes. If you want to join me in the adventure of learning Spanish, let me know and I’ll …

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As mentioned in the 6-month Status Update, my formal Spanish lessons have been put on hold as of late due to tight funds. I have been working on a proposal to trade Spanish classes for marketing services but to be honest, I just haven’t finished it yet. Even without classes, I’m still learning a ton through co-workers and friends. I’m also trying to watch more Spanish TV to attack this beast from all angles like the boys from Sandlot. It’s frustrating though… I just want that damn ball already. The funny thing is, is that I’ve met a few people who I’ve asked “How’s your Spanish?” and “How long did it take you to learn?” and their response was… “oh it’s great” and “I just picked it up after living in blah blah blah for a few months.” Bull Shit. I’ve heard a lot of these same people attempt to speak Spanish after I’ve …

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I haven’t done a STATUS UPDATE in awhile so I feel like I should take a minute to get myself organized and briefly fill everyone in on progress of the Tourist2townie.com mission. It seems crazy to be writing this 4 and a half months in. It honestly feels like i’ve been here for 2 weeks. With so much stuff I still want to do and see, the key word has definitely been overwhelmed. Overwhelmed that I still have awkward lost in translation moments everyday. Overwhelmed that I don’t have the time or money to travel everywhere I want to go here in Argentina (and outside). And overwhelmed at the fact that there is so much I want to add to this site it’s ridiculous. BRIEF RECAP SPANISH: I feel like I have hit a wall with my Spanish after the 2-week intensive class at BASP. So much information was absorbed that …

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Last monday I started group Spanish classes at the Buenos Aires Spanish Center (BASP) near Congreso. BASP is a 2-week intensive Spanish program and classes are from 9:30am to 1:30pm (with a short break in between). The first 2 hours are spent on Spanish grammar and vocab while the second half of class focuses on conversational Spanish practice (and dirty jokes). The team of Spanish professors are ton of fun and very helpful. The only real problem with the class is that I have to get up at 8am after working at the bar until 4 or 5am. But it’s okay, we setup a system: No one is allowed to talk to me for the first half hour of class (including la profesora) until I get my groove back. After that, I can Study Spanish in full concentration. While the building is a little creepy and has no sign out front, the office …

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The honeymoon is over and it’s time to start bearing down. I’ve been able to penetrate some Argentine social circles and now its time to actually build relationships. I’m decent with salutations (Hellos, goodbyes, etc.) but where the conversation goes from there is anyones guess. I’m also okay with the “where are you from?” and “what are you doing here?” and other basic questions, If spoken clearly. Now, I need to get beyond that and actually interact and have successful conversations that don’t begin mediocre and end in a frustrated look, blank stare or confused customer. Anyone who tells you they learned a language in 3 months is full of shit (I hope). Okay, if they moved to a foreign country with a ton of college experience or were in intensive language courses for the 3 months I can see how they could manage. I’ve taken classes and for the most …

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For the past month and a half I’ve been searching for the best places around Buenos Aires to study Spanish notes. I figured the best way for me to learn the language and experience the city (during the day) was to combine the two. Here’s a list of my top 5 favorite places to study so far. 1. Bosques De Palermo – Basically the Central or Hyde Park of Buenos Aires. There’s a ton of funky trees and grassy hangout spots to setup shop. My favorite area is the Parque de las Poetes, with benches and sculptures of the major figures of poetry. If you can find a bench unoccupied by a young couple rounding second base then you’ll have a great time. If I was a good multi-tasker, I would rent a paddle boat and take a stroll around the beautiful ponds while reading. Also, within the parks enormous perimeter …

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Today was my first spanish lesson with Cecilia, a very energetic and caring Argentine who will be tutoring me. I posted a craigslist ad and emailed teachers who also posted their services. Cecilia wasn’t the cheapest at about $12/hour, but seemed to be just the right fit for what I’m looking for. I chose individual tutoring to begin with because the prices were comparable and honestly, I wanted all the attention! We didn’t waste much time getting started either. As soon as I introduced myself she said “now try to say all that in Spanish.” And she gave me homework on the first day of class! If this was 5 years ago I would have been bummed. But, it’s a different time and I’m so glad she came and took the bull (me) by the horns! It makes me wish I would have paid more attention back then but there is no …

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