Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Discouragement

Although it was a rather boring Halloween weekend, today started out pretty good. The Japanese Student Organization hosted "Little Japan" today and I was finally able to attend one of their events. Before going to my class I got to watch a Japanese dance, try some Japanese food and learn to fold a throwing star from one of my Japanese friends.

Then came class which brought with it discouragement. I love to speak in Spanish and I have been practicing, trying to read Spanish short stories. In order of proficiency, I am probably: Speaking, Writing, Reading, and listening isn't even on the chart. When it comes to the last two, I am not always exactly sure what I am reading. It doesn't always make since and what I think is happening isn't necessarily happening.

I said the character dies in the end of the story. The teacher shakes his head no and asks the class, "What do you think, does he die or not?" No one can answer and he says to have an answer for the next class. He speaks slow and I get the gist of it, he speeds up and I don't even try to take notes. He says this is how they actually speak in Spain. I believe him.

It isn't uncommon for me to ask my friends to repeat themselves when speaking Spanish. Or other times I just make up an answer and hope I understood correctly. I began asking myself, should I apply for this job in Spain that I want to get so badly? If I get there and I can't understand the majority of what they tell me it is going to be very difficult.

If English is the hardest language to learn, I hate to imagine what so many of our international students must feel like every day!

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