I tried 3 podcasts today - Notes in Spanish: Inspired Beginnners, Spanish Para Todos and SpanishPod. I have to say that I was disappointed in all three of them. I’m can’t say whether they are really poor or not, but after Coffee Break Spanish, they seem to lack organization and verve. It may well be that Coffee Break Spanish works for me, so perhaps these podcasts shouldn’t be counted out unless you try them yourself. Read more »
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We need to learn Spanish to prepare for life in Costa Rica. I had a lot of fun immersing myself while we were there, and except for one occasion at a bus terminal where I was completely dumbfounded, I was able to communicate well enough. It would be really helpful to learn some of the grammar and improve my vocabulary for our return to Costa Rica.
I’m always on the lookout for free online resources since I spend a lot of time at a computer. I’m getting close to mastering my Inbox. I use Google Reader and Google Alerts to keep up with websites, blogs and news topics. And now I’ve come across some websites that offer opportunities to learn Spanish for free, thanks to Wide Open Education, a website devoted to online learning. Read more »
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Today’s my first day back at work and I hit a deli for some breakfast. All the deli guys are Latino and I’ve never spoken a word of Spanish to them before, and had no intention of doing so this time either. Apparently, my habit of ordering food with limited Spanish is hard to break - I got 6 words in English in before Spanish took over:
Me: I’d like an omelette with bacon y tomates.
Deli guy: Home fries?
Me: Si, todos.
Deli guy: Solo bacon y tomates?
Me: Si… Perdon - cebolla tambien.
Deli guy: Cebolla? OK.
Me: Gracias.
I didn’t realize what happened until the guy asked me the question in Spanish. I’m pleasantly surprised and kinda proud. Now I think I’ll look for other places I can practice my Spanish too.
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To prepare for the eventual move to Costa Rica, we need to learn Spanish, which rocks since it’s a perfect example of self-directed learning. Why should the kids have all the fun? Our library system has been a great help since we can try different books and resources to see what gels with us. We started with library books for the kids, since it would be a fun way for all of us to learn together.
Our current reading includes Senor Felipe’s Alphabet Adventure, about a photographer whose assignment is to photograph one item for each letter of the Spanish alfabeto. It’s written in English, with Spanish words for each item photographed, and there’s an additional list of vocabulary at the end of the book. We’re also reading El sombrero del tÃo Nacho / Uncle Nacho’s Hat, which is bilingual, with the story written both in English (sprinkled liberally with Spanish words and phrases) and Spanish. The story follows Uncle Nacho as he just can’t seem to get rid of his old hat that’s full of holes. It’s very helpful for Trish and me to see both versions since the alfabeto book provides a lot of vocabulary but little in the way of verbs. Read more »
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