I'm Learning Spanish!

Just over a week ago, I finished a course on how to learn a language and a culture. We were taught different techniques to help us do this when the time comes. Now the time has come!

My class started a six-week Culture and Language practicum last week. We were matched up with people on staff or in the community who speak another language, and now we get to practice the techniques we have been learning in class.

I am working with two of my classmates, Todd and Patty, and we are learning Spanish. Our language helper is Cynthia. She was a missionary in Bolivia and is now working here in the NTMC office.

Every week day, we meet with Cynthia for two hours to practice our language-learning techniques. So far we have been focusing mostly on comprehension--we ask her the word for several objects; she tells us; then she asks us where each object is; and we point it out. We don't necessarily know how to say the names of all the objects, but we can recognize them when we hear them. Although the focus is on comprehension, not speaking, there are some things we've learned how to say: "What do you call this?" "What is he/she/it doing?" "Say it again, please." We get lots of practice on those phrases!

After our daily sessions with Cynthia, we go home and practice the things we've learned. We record her saying words and phrases, which we can review at home. Also, we've all been learning how to use a software program developed for filing this type of data. Every day, we file the information we've gathered in our session.

It keeps us busy, but I'm really excited about it. Well, I'm not so much excited about the filing, or even the practicing...but I'm excited about learning Spanish!