I am super excited!!!

[caliber1]

So I was listening to our local spanish radio station, 93.1 El Rey. In the morning there is a show called Piolin por la mañana. Anyway's there were two segments. The first he was talking to a young wife about some personal issues at home with her husband's addiction to drugs. Then he talked to the husband and offered to help out with rehabilitation costs. Then they took a break because the Mexican president (Caldaron???) was talking about the drug cartel issues.

So I'm noticing that I am picking up more and more stuff which is really good. There are still a few things here and there that are unclear to me, but the more I read and listen the more I am learning. I guess this is just an update. I thouh some of you would think it was cool

[wrholt]

Excellent! Progress is good, regardless of whether it's incremental or by big steps.

Originally Posted by caliber1

...Then they took a break because the Mexican president (Caldaron??? Felipe Calderón) was talking about the drug cartel issues.
...

[caliber1]

I thought I might have spelled it wrong.

When you were learning Spanish did you notice that there were some people that you just for the life of you could not understand? There are some people that i swear don't speak Spanish and others that it is so smoothe and clear it is like listening to English

[Rusty]

The lesser educated (hope I don't get in trouble) will sound much more garbled when speaking. You'll need to strain to detect that they've elided consonants/syllables and blurred one word with another, to say nothing about the slang they might be using. Your persistence in listening to all types of people will pay off.

[caliber1]

I too hope I don't get in trouble, but there is one guy on the radio who talks frequently and it honestly sounds like he is drunk. I know some people transition from one word to the next so fast and with little clarity and it becomes difficult to understand. I will keep trying. Right now that is all I listen too.

[Rusty]

Congrats on 100 posts!

You'll find all kinds. The key is to try to understand, no matter how slurred, no matter how fast.

[caliber1]

Gracias amigo

[Rusty]

¡No hay de qué!

[CrOtALiTo]

That's good for you

Congratulations

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

@Caliber: It's indeed cool! When you start picking up general ideas from people who aren't in your usual environment is a real proof that you're understanding more. Way to go!

@Rusty: I think you're right about diction and slang.

[poli]

I find that when the subject interests me, my understanding increases no matter what the accent of the speaker is.

[aleCcowaN]

My best understanding of a foreign language -even one not learned- was when I was interrogated by the police while crossing borders in Europe.

[CrOtALiTo]

Yes that indeed is cool for him, already he has the motivation for learn anything he wants.

[Don José]

Originally Posted by caliber1

When you were learning Spanish did you notice that there were some people that you just for the life of you could not understand? There are some people that i swear don't speak Spanish and others that it is so smoothe and clear it is like listening to English

I happened to have the same feelings when staying in English speaking countries.

[caliber1]

See, and that's why I want to do things like spend the evening at some of the familie's houses of the guys at work. They have bilingual kids so I would have someone to help me if I get stuck. My problem is that I can get my point across no problem. But I don't want to be simply understood, I want to speak correctly. If I can get past the different speech styles of different people, I will be able to pick up more stuff and make corrections based on what I hear.

Today, a Mexican guy let me and my partner Jesús into a house for some warranty stuff. When we were leaving he called his boss and I heard him say, "Ya acabaron". It was cool cause I just learned that word and the conjugation was already working in my head.