foreign languages

Speaking foreign languages and I go together like oil and water - it's just not my thing. I fancied myself a French scholar after my required semesters of high school French, but then got to college and heard people speak real French and knew I didn't stand a chance. That part of my brain just isn't wired correctly.

So when we first moved to Mexico, I went with zero espanol and thought I'd be fine.

Until I realized I wouldn't be after about 22 minutes in the country.

After a lot of gnashing of teeth, I finally realized that I had to get with the program. When in Rome and all that jazz...

So I took classes at a little school in Guadalajara and then did online courses with the University of Maryland. I got the basics but that was about it. I made myself a promise that I'd never go to another country to live again without the language. The promise was kept with Mozambique because I was able to do full-time Portuguese training with Jimmy at the State Department before we moved there. And even though there was a 4+-year gap between Portuguese classes and our arrival in Brazil, I hoped the Portuguese synapses were still firing. And they were, well enough to get by.

And now, of course, we're going back to a Spanish-speaking country. I'm afraid any Spanish that's still lurking in my brain is so damp and mouldy that there's no way it's coming back out. The Portuguese has taken over.

I thought it would be a good idea to take a class at the local community college, but then I decided that was more commitment than I needed in my life right now.

Then I remembered that counties have adult education programs. I remember Arlington, VA had a comprehensive and wonderful selection of adult ed classes. And when I was in Boston, I picked up the book (no exaggeration) of adult ed classes offered by Cambridge. You could study anything and everything from Thai cooking to Finnish.

Not so in Dorchester County, SC. Your choices are basically ESL or school bus driver training. No joke.

So I shelved the Spanish training until yesterday when Mac and I went to Target. While he used the restroom, I checked out the $1 section right in front of the store where I found this:
Isn't that brilliant? Quick and for dummies and cheap. Just what I was looking for.

Well I started "studying" last night in the bathtub. There's some funny stuff in this book. I thought you might like to improve your Spanish along with me. You should make sure you're locked in the bathroom with the fan on so nobody hears you making these sounds. Here goes three short lessons for your enrichment...



I was so inspired by "putting my mouth in a rounded position, as if to breathe a kiss over a flower" (WHAT?!?!?!), that today I bought a Berlitz program at Barnes and Noble. Since I can't seem to muster the mojo to start my running program, maybe I'll do Spanish instead...