Lacklustre intro

Lacklustre intro
 

Hi, folks.

I'm standing on the edge of jumping into learning Spanish with both feet. Problem is, I'm not sure that I'll jump, I have so many other things to do, and I'm very much a todo/nada kind of person.

I want to walk the Camino to Compostela.
I need to shed lots of fat and do some exercise so I don't succumb to type 2 diabetes.
I love languages.
I believe in respecting the natives by trying to speak their language (however abysmally) on the rare occasions I leave Ireland to travel abroad.

Ergo...
...learning Spanish looks like a good prospect right now if I can overcome my usual inertia and reluctance to walk the length of myself.

I studied Spanish for a whole fortnight about thirteen years ago before grabbing a backpack and heading off to Spain on a trip which turned out to be a disaster (dehydration - nobody told me you had to drink more than the odd cup of tea over there! ;) ).

I have wanted to walk the Camino to Santiago de Compostela since first hearing about it in 1995, and have accumulated a huge collection of unread/unused learning resources aimed at helping me on my way. I also have the opportunity of attending four hours of Spanish classes a week alongside the students in the college where I work when the new academic year starts. It's really too good an opportunity to miss. but there are other things in life too, competing for my time... :(

I'd guess I have (over)shared enough about myself by now. :lol:

Mira antes de saltar pero si te sientes como una ranita entonces salta.:lol:
Hola/Hello Starfield. Bienvendido al foro. Welcome to the forum.
Sounds like a wonderful opportunity getting to take those Spanish classes gratis.
There are people on this forum that would matar for a chance like that. Buena suerte
amigo. ¿Dónde esta Eire?

Thanks for the bienvenido, Villa.

Google translate really is a godsend. I'm not feeling particularly ranicular (is that a real word?) at the moment. But I do wish I had less going on so I could take up those classes (available at the advanced level for up to eight progressive semesters...).

Éire = Irlanda

My game plan, should I accept this mission, is to get through the free lessons at 'Say Something in Spanish' first of all, next tackle Michel Thomas (lying unused since they were bought), and work through the grammar of 'Living Spanish' by RP Littlewood. Any thoughts on that? Advice much appreciated! I usually learn best by tackling grammar first, but as an experiment, and since I don't know any Spanish, I want to do lots of aural work before the grammar in the hope that I pick up the pronunciation correctly without my eyes interfering in the process.

Welcome! Your willingness to learn is the most important step. Listening to spoken Spanish will certainly help you with your pronunciation, but you also have to have the written counterpart. The combination will make you an able reader of the language in no time flat.

Grammar is important. Learning Spanish grammar will also help you learn English grammar at the same time. You can't go wrong with that plan!

¡Buena suerte! Estamos para ayudarte.

Thanks, Rusty.

I'm aiming at about three weeks of listening and then a month of grammar before the courses begin. That should put me well past Beginners 1, but I doubt if it will get me into Advanced 1, by a long shot. At least I'm under no pressure and don't need to acquire any academic credit, although I would like to sit the CEFRL exams at the appropriate stages.

"¡Buena suerte! Estamos para ayudarte."

That's just what I need! :)

¡Buena suerte! Hombre. :)
¡Bienvenido a los foros!

Bienvenido a los foros. :)

Bienvenido Starfield! :)
It seems that it's time for you to do all that things, as you said. Actually I also have never walked the Camino de Santiago but I guess it has to be an exciting experience :D
Cheer up with your learning and see you around! :)