As part of my Puerto Rico training and to get ready for our move, I started taking a conversational Spanish class at Aims Community College here in Greeley. It is 2 days a week and will be a good step in preparation for Puerto Rico. While I have gotten by in PR without knowing much, it will come in handy. In PR, most people know at least a little English, but Spanish is by far the preferred language. Cassie being fluent is a good crutch, but after seeing how much easier it is to get by for her I figure I should try as much as I can to learn before we move so I am not as dependent on her.
When my friend Matt and I went into Home Depot in Mayaguez, I needed to get crossco roof coating for the cabana. I didn’t even know the word for roof, so it made it difficult to communicate. It’s ‘techo’ by the way.
I know quite a bit of vocabulary just by living with Cassie, but I don’t know much of the basic structure of sentences. When people ask if I speak Spanish I still have to say “solamente un poco” or only a little. I haven’t ever had the formal foundation so kids’ Spanish books and texts have helped. Like the Perico book I worked with this winter.
Cassie tries to help me learn these things at home but it’s different when you are held more accountable in a formal classroom setting. Plus work does education reimbursement so I should take advantage while I can. It’s a win-win! I already feel like I am getting a better grasp on the language and I am excited to use what I learn in “real-life”!
Wish me “buena suerte”! 🙂
I have heard in the past this statement as come around goes around.I guess life going in circles, base on history Hispancs have been on American Southwestn before the Mayflower arrive in original 13 colonies.By middle of 1800 european settlers were arriving in big masses and English language took over.Now spanish is comming back in a way that the nation has become almost bilingual.Is Cassie ahead of their time so everybody become bilingual or learn another language