After finishing a one-week intensive Spanish course in Medellin, Colombia, I headed to volunteer at a hostel and bar in the center of a tiny town outside of Cali in the region called Valle de Cauca in Colombia. As I stepped off the bus into the center of the town of Buga, I knew my Spanish skills would be challenged way past “hola” and “gracias”. I walked down the bustling avenue filled with booths selling religious tokens and souvenirs towards the hostel and bar. (I would later learn that Buga was a popular location for religious tourists coming to see a legendary cross.) I finally reached the entrance to my new workplace and rang the buzzer. I felt my stomach drop as someone answered in muffled, unrecognizable Spanish and I couldn’t find the words to answer. I managed to state my name and “neuva voluntaria” (or new volunteer) and was buzzed into the building. I checked into the bar and was met by Anna, one of the many bartenders I would work with over the next month. Anna spoke absolutely no English and so we communicated slowly with my butchered version of Spanish. I tried asking for the manager that I had been emailing with (a German who spoke/wrote English), but was told that he had left the country. Eventually a French woman, another volunteer named Madeline, emerged from the hostel room and served as my translator. I came to learn that the manager had left for the United States, nobody but Madeline could speak English and Spanish, and that the hostel rarely had guests so most of my work would be at the bar with local customers who typically did not speak any English. After hearing me slaughter every Spanish word and phrase possible for five minutes, Madeline told me that I probably didn’t have enough Spanish to work there. However, I was determined and told her that’s why I was in Colombia – to learn Spanish so I would at least try. She eyed me doubtfully, wished me luck, and offered her assistance if I really needed it. It was difficult. I picked up food and drink lingo quickly, but if customers had more in-depth questions I would have to ask for help. I spent all my spare time studying my notes from my class in Medellin. I also tried to engage the local workers of the bar in conversation, but could rarely talk about more than myself and my family (Soy de estados unidos. Tengo un hermano, una madre, y un padre...). I’d like to say that I left Buga with a higher level of Spanish, but that was not the case. I think that my actual level (amount of vocabulary and grammar) didn’t change much at all. (I might have learned a few more restaurant specific words and phrases.) However, my confidence level changed drastically in Buga because speaking in Spanish became a necessity. I had to communicate with my limited grasp of the language whether I wanted to or not. While I didn’t necessarily learn more from my time in Buga, I did recognize what I needed to get to the level of Spanish I wanted. Personally, I realized that I needed a classroom environment to learn the grammar and structure of the language. Others I met have learned solely through traveling and immersing themselves in the language. Others have used apps like Duolingo. Others have just read books, watched movies, or listened to music or podcasts. I found I had to try out all the different options until I found the ones that fit me for where I was in my language development journey. This has changed depending on my current level. After Buga, I required classes to develop my general speaking and comprehension while right now I need a conversation partner to continue developing my speaking level. Are you learning a new language? What works best for you?Comments are closed.
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