Diving Into Spanish
by Phil Crossley

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There is only one way to learn Spanish well enough to converse comfortably - study where you are immersed in the language and culture for several weeks at a time.

I began learning Spanish at the Instituto Bilingue in Cuernavaca, just 80 km or so south of Mexico City. We had 7 hours of class daily and from the first minute (after the registration formalities, anyway) heard and spoke only Spanish.

After starting the day with a high intensity grammar class, we split into smaller groups for conversation geared to our own particular levels. Afternoons were spent reviewing modern Mexican art, classic literature and contemporary political issues. Each weekend there were field trips or festivals to attend with knowledgeable guides and friends.

Living with a local family was crucial in the development of my Spanish skills. The home environment, so different than the classroom, solidified my vocabulary and boosted my confidence. Playing with children, setting the table, watching television provided familiar settings for natural conversations.

Over meals I'd occasionally toss in some expression I'd learned that morning and learn that there were more appropriate settings for such comments! And then there were the cultural revelations found anywhere from early Mass to street soccer. Being served sliced bull testicles was a meal I would never have experienced if I had stayed in a hotel, rather than with a family.

I have since taken "normal" university Spanish classes which have also been important in my education, but these have been nothing like the experience of immersing myself into a new world. In Cuernavaca I had the feeling of becoming a new person every day in this second language.

At first I could only talk in the present tense and felt uncomfortable and boring, especially during meal times ("Yes, I like the soup. Yes, I like the tortillas"). Within days past and future-tense worlds spilled open.

If you're traveling in Latin America this summer, slow down and don't spend all of your time in buses, hammocks and hotels. Settle down for a while at a school and don't miss out on the opportunity to live with a family.

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