language learning.

so one of my main goals coming to Sevilla included becoming fluent in Spanish, other goals included traveling parts of Europe I haven’t seen before, meeting other study abroad students from all over the US, and learning about and embracing Spanish culture. I feel like I’m doing really really well in all areas. BUT the fluency in Spanish is coming along a lot slower than I thought it would. I’m learning so so so so much from my classes with Ana Claudio and Penelope and it’s definitely being reinforced and ingrained into my mind because I get to use the language everyday. I try to learn something new everyday. And grammar points/new words that I learn I try to use them right away whether its en los calles o cuando estoy hablando con Manoli (in the streets or when I am talking with Manoli). But the problem is that it is such a slow process. I thought I would be fluent faster I guess. And it’s hard not to compare myself to other people whose Spanish is much better than mine. It definitely gives me new insight as an SLP on learning language and how frustrating it can be to not be able to communicate everything that you want to say. Also, it has taught me a thing or two about learning language and being on the other side of the therapy table, I guess. But more and more it is becoming more difficult to have the motivation to really struggle through with Spanish and keep going with it, just because it is hard when I have English to fall back on and it makes my life a lot easier to just speak in English (now, don’t I feel like a deaf child that knows sign and is trying to learn to listen and acquire spoken language – Elizabeth will totally get this). Also, the fact that there are so many American study abroad students in Sevilla doesn’t help when my language goal gets rough. It is also really hard for me because I’ve always done well in school because I work hard, I just want this to come easy with hard work too. But really it’s more than that, it’s not just memorizing and knowing information but it’s about incorporating it into my life and using it. I was talking to Amir about it yesterday and I think it’s really about having the motivation and proactive-ness to keep going with it. Amir has like 4 intercambios. I have one, I need to step up my game on this Spanish language learning business. In a few weeks, we decided that between our friends that we are all going to speak only in Spanish all the time. We’ll see about that, I don’t know. Anyways, I had coffee with Clara (my intercambio) today, which was really good. We talked for a while and the time went by really fast and I had to run home for dinner. I see myself slowly progressing and learning, we help each other a lot so it’s really really good to meet with Clara. But sometimes I wish it was just a faster process and that it would come a lot easier.