Hola

[ZeroTX]

Hi all,

I just want to briefly introduce myself. I am learning Spanish for a variety of reasons that originally began with work and later it became a hobby that I enjoy immensely. I live in Texas and work in a public high school. I speak Spanish on a daily basis, but I'm still nowhere near fluent. I consider myself "intermediate" after 2 years of study (with some off and on periods as well). I hope to be near-fluent after 5 years of total study (3 more years) and fully fluent in 10, where I can be as-comfortable in either language. I hope these are reasonable goals for an adult learner.

I also hope to become an Intermediate speaker of Italian and perhaps German, but those are currently on hold until I achieve my objectives in Spanish.

I hope to learn a lot from each of you!

-Michael (a.k.a. ZeroTX)

[bmarquis124]

Hi, it's good to meet you. I'm also from Texas and I think it's important to learn since there are so many Spanish speaking people here!

[ZeroTX]

Originally Posted by bmarquis124

Hi, it's good to meet you. I'm also from Texas and I think it's important to learn since there are so many Spanish speaking people here!

Oh, I agree. We have a large chunk of those 20 million Spanish-speakers right here in Texas, and especially concentrated in the big cities.

What are of the state are you from? I work in a school that is 78% Hispanic and 52% ESL (English learners), most of which speak Spanish as their first language. Some of which speak no English at all! I have no choice but to speak Spanish at work if I want to be able to effectively communicate with everyone.

But, after I got into learning it out of a need, I began to really get into the culture and that made me want to learn more of the language. I spent a couple of summer trips in Mexico learning Spanish at a school there and that made me love the culture even more!! I do have Mexican heritage (1/4th Hispanic) and a Spanish name (Spain-derived, by way of Mexico), so now I feel even more connected to my ancestors

Learning a second language has really opened doors for me. Having the ability to communicate with more people and get a look into their culture is something that cannot be understood by people who speak only one language! I was one of those people for 31 years of my life.

Now at age 33, I can hold a conversation in Spanish with adults and teens. I can order dinner or negotiate a cab ride in Spanish. I can have a phone conversation about a student's grades, etc, in two languages. Knowledge is power! Once you start you can't stop! I wish I had more time to study languages so that I could learn 3 or 4 others (Italian, German, Arabic, Mandarin).

Perhaps those shall be life goals I may move Arabic up on that list, since another life goal is to visit Egypt.

-Michael

[CrOtALiTo]

I bid you welcome.

[bmarquis124]

Well I'm from Austin, which is not as big as Houston, but I still hear Spanish every time I go to the grocery store or to get gas or to the hospital or anywhere else. 52% ESL...wow that's a lot, a lot higher than at my high school...I'm at university now, and I hear a ton of different languages in addition to Spanish while sitting in class. It's overwhelming sometimes and I feel so behind by only knowing one. So I'm a little jelous of you . I'm going to Mexico City this Summer for a week, which won't be enough time for me to learn a whole lot, but I'm excited anyway.

[Jessica]

welcome!!
I can help you with Mandarin...

[ZeroTX]

Originally Posted by bmarquis124

Well I'm from Austin, which is not as big as Houston, but I still hear Spanish every time I go to the grocery store or to get gas or to the hospital or anywhere else. 52% ESL...wow that's a lot, a lot higher than at my high school...I'm at university now, and I hear a ton of different languages in addition to Spanish while sitting in class. It's overwhelming sometimes and I feel so behind by only knowing one. So I'm a little jelous of you . I'm going to Mexico City this Summer for a week, which won't be enough time for me to learn a whole lot, but I'm excited anyway.

Do you have plans in Mexico City? Ignore any naysayers, it's a cool city! I have a couple of recommendations if you are interested. There's at least a week's worth of things to see there, though. High on your list should be spending a full day in the Zocalo area (maybe 2) as well as some time at Bellas Artes, Xochimilco, Museo Dolores Olmeido, Museo Frida Kahlo, Museo Nacional de Antropología (this is in the Zocalo area), and DO NOT leave without taking a bus out to Teotihuacan to see the huge pyramids!

We stayed in a hotel in the Zocalo called "hotel catedral" and it was affordable and a great central location. It would be about a 3.5 star here, with bell boys and such for around 50 bucks a night.

I am kinda stoked about maybe going to Mex City again soon

P.S. the taxi drivers in Mexico City will rip you off. Get a subway map and use it.

[bmarquis124]

thanks for your suggestions. it sounds like you had a wonderful time there. I'm going with a church group and we'll be working, but I'm hoping that we'll have some free time to explore the city. what i would really like is to visit some of the beaches, so i guess i'll have to schedule a 2nd trip. although, i would probably come back home spoiled, with less appreciation for our humble texas beaches lol.

[Tomisimo]

Hi Michael nice to meet you. In answer to one of your questions, being fluent after 10 years is a very reasonable goal. You can achieve fluency in much less if you have the time and motivation necessary to dedicate to it.

I agree with you the metro is a good way to get around in Mexico City.

[ZeroTX]

Originally Posted by Tomisimo

Hi Michael nice to meet you. In answer to one of your questions, being fluent after 10 years is a very reasonable goal. You can achieve fluency in much less if you have the time and motivation necessary to dedicate to it.

I agree with you the metro is a good way to get around in Mexico City.

I'm excited about the possibility of true fluency in two languages. I work hard for a while, then get tired or too busy and have periods of non-study, so I hope to beat my 10 year objective if at all possible. I intend to do more travel in Latin America, perhaps on volunteer trips and such, so that might help.

The metro (subway system) in Mexico City is indeed good. You can take a taxi if necessary, but make sure you call them on the phone, don't pick one off the street if at all possible. There are taxi services with English-speaking operators if that makes you nervous. I, for one, probably could not explain my location in Spanish at this point. Ordering a pizza on the phone in Mexico City was difficult actually I nearly hung up out of frustration. They heard my difficulty with the language, but refused to slow down even in the slightest to help. heh.

If you are too busy to see the sights in Mexico City, at the very least take a day to go to Teotihuacan to see the pyramids. It might well be a life-changing event. It's an awesome thing to behold, IMO.

-Michael (ZeroTX)

[Tomisimo]

Originally Posted by ZeroTX

The metro (subway system) in Mexico City is indeed good. You can take a taxi if necessary, but make sure you call them on the phone, don't pick one off the street if at all possible. There are taxi services with English-speaking operators if that makes you nervous. I, for one, probably could not explain my location in Spanish at this point.

Nah, I take the green VW bugs-- they are the cheapest. But you are taking your life in your hands if you go that route.

[CrOtALiTo]

Yes, as you say Zero TX, there are people who knows English but other not, then if you know the necessary language Spanish, you would improve your own language with the people, I don't know anything about the taxis operators who speaks at English, and as you have said before, you call for phone before to ask a taxi, but you need to be very careful with the people at Mexico, because there are much sequestrations inside of the city besides, if you planning to go to place for to see ruins at my country, I hint you, you only go with certificate people who only then dedicate to takes people to places to visit.

Then when you need to ask food for example for phone, I don't believe that the people speaks you tongue native, because the English almost not is very studied for the Mexicans, I studying the English, because I love the language, but returning to the previous, the hotels has restaurants, and there are people working who knows to speak English, if you wanna come to place very special of my country, I would recommend you visit Merida, Chetumal, Campeche, Cacun, all this places has great and wonderful Mayan culture, I have gone to those places, really I wanna come back soon.

[Tomisimo]

Originally Posted by CrOtALiTo

sequestrations

secuestro = kidnapping.

[chileno]

Hi ZeroTX,

Originally Posted by ZeroTX

Hi all,

I just want to briefly introduce myself. I am learning Spanish for a variety of reasons that originally began with work and later it became a hobby that I enjoy immensely. I live in Texas and work in a public high school. I speak Spanish on a daily basis, but I'm still nowhere near fluent. I consider myself "intermediate" after 2 years of study (with some off and on periods as well). I hope to be near-fluent after 5 years of total study (3 more years) and fully fluent in 10, where I can be as-comfortable in either language. I hope these are reasonable goals for an adult learner.

It looks like you are pretty fluent now. What you can do is to get one of those local Spanish newspapers or even a novel in spanish, and armed with patience go over the paragraphs. Of course, it will help to have a Spanish-Spanish dictionary nearby to look for the occasional word you do not understand, and in the case of not understanding the definition in spanish go to a bilingual dictionary to look for the translation of the offensive word. You'll see that in no time you'll be more fluent. :-)

Hernan

[chileno]

Originally Posted by ZeroTX

I'm excited about the possibility of true fluency in two languages. I work hard for a while, then get tired or too busy and have periods of non-study, so I hope to beat my 10 year objective if at all possible. I intend to do more travel in Latin America, perhaps on volunteer trips and such, so that might help.

Do not think you cannot achieve your goal in less time, and you don't even have to work hard at it! :-)

Please, everybody answer this (if possible), please tell the other users you know, and I'll come up with the answer.

I'll wait until some of you have answered this.


Can you read and write German? If yes, how about Chinese or even Arabic. Russian?


Thanks and cul8r.

Hernan

[Jessica]

I can write in Chinese. but not German, Arabic, or Russian

[CrOtALiTo]

I can write only at Spanish and also English, but we will can help you if you need it.

[chileno]

Originally Posted by chileno

Do not think you cannot achieve your goal in less time, and you don't even have to work hard at it! :-)

Please, everybody answer this (if possible), please tell the other users you know, and I'll come up with the answer.

I'll wait until some of you have answered this.


Can you read and write German? If yes, how about Chinese or even Arabic. Russian?


Thanks and cul8r.

Hernan

It looks like nobody else wanted to venture, and maybe some of you figured it out, without saying.

Let me tell you that I can read and write any language. And I am able to do that, because I know how to read and write in my own. :-)

If you do not believe it, try this.

Descuidado

Without going to the dictionary, write the word you see in spanish.

It wouldn't matter if it is in chinese or arabic. You could still copy the character (by hand) IOW, write it without knowing what it means or how it is pronounced.

So Mr ZeroTX, stop working so hard and utilize what you already know. :-)

You are a bit more than half way to finish, when starting to "learn" another language. :-)


Hernan