Mm, my thoughts on having [Spanish] subtitles, was simply to begin attaching sounds to the words, which I haven't done before - also in that if they aren't there, I catch tantalizingly little of what is being said. It just seemed more viable a route to grow with the subtitles, because if I know what I'm looking for, I hear everything just fine - but it's also a big crutch. I just wasn't sure.
I am also a tad embarrassed in regards to the speaking - I chat relatively frequently in Spanish, but I worry that it would be annoying to the native speakers if I always began speaking to them in Spanish, without prompt.
There is definitely much more content available without subtitles, though, so I will keep trying
Do you have suggestions for breaking the ice, in that regard?