An update on my Spanish

Many of you have asked about how learning Spanish is going. Well, that’s hard to say (in Spanish or English)  I really hoped I would be further along then I am (after 12 weeks of school). In the past when I heard people in Grade C (the 3rd level) of Spanish, they sounded like they were doing quite well with the language. However, now that I’ve finished Grade C, I don’t think I’m at the same level. But as Teri reminds me, I was comparing myself with other students that are high school and college age. And believe me….there IS a difference. My brain doesn’t absorb and produce like it used to, plus it’s been a long time since I’ve been in the classroom with homework and exams. In actuality, I’m told that I do sound OK, and even pretty good at times speaking the language. The problem is in comprehending what I’ve just heard. I’m really quite honestly frustrated with myself over this process. Teri and others tell me that I’m being too hard on myself. I’ve been told that some of the latest research for missionaries shows that it takes an average of 5 years to become truly fluent. And I guess if you sent an adult to take piano lessons for the first time, then the expectations would be pretty low in just 12 weeks. And just as a person's fingers and brain must learn the language of music, my tongue and brain must learn a new language as well. It’s really been much more involved and difficult than I ever imagined. It's been about 15 years since I've worked on and wanted something this badly with all my heart, yet it seems almost impossible to achieve. But my heart reminds me that all things are possible with God.

I’ve learned that I’m definitely not an auditory learner. For me, this means in order for me to learn something, I have to work with it (such as on flashcards or in a workbook format or similar) before I can hear and understand it. I cannot learn this language just by hearing and being around it. This is unfortunate but a reality. I also believe that I have some hearing loss in one ear, which of course only adds to the difficulty.

I’ve found that I really enjoy singing worship songs in Spanish. (No, the dogs are not howling as I sing!) I’ve got a DVD of a Christian singer who’s quite popular here. There are English subtitles, so I’ve been surprised that this is one way that I can learn Spanish. Teri tells me that I also need to watch TV and movies in Spanish and have English subtitles. I’ve got the local news on the TV as we speak, but there are no subtitles. And I have a number of movies, but they are in English with Spanish subtitles. This may help equally, but we’ll have to see. I’ve honestly been too busy to watch any movies. Plus, I think Teri may have some movies in Spanish with English subtitles. Additionally, I’ve become friends with a recording artist. She has promised to send me some additional music.

I originally planned for 12 weeks of school. I met my personal goal of completing grade C by the end of week 12, which is the average rate of speed for most students. And up until the last week or school, I had seriously considered returning to school in September (after the Expo was over). However, during that last week of school it became obvious to me that I was not ready to go to the next level. The very thought of returning at this point causes me considerable angst. Each level builds upon the next. And even though my exam grades were good, it doesn’t necessarily reflect my true understanding. I left Grade B feeling like I understood about 85-90% of the material. I left Grade C feeling like I knew about 80% of the material. To return to school and start Grade D at this point would cause great frustration and stress, and would honestly be a waste of time and money. So, I’ve decided to put off returning to school until I feel like I’ve got a little