I go back to Chile in about 13 days. Yes, I started counting down weeks ago. There's just one little thing that worries me. My Spanish has been sucking something fierce. I was thinking yesterday, that I probably haven't spoken so little Spanish in a two month period since I started learning it, or at least since I've become more fluent. The only time I've been speaking-speaking is when I talk on Skype with L. He doesn't correct me much when I speak, but I notice the little errors as soon as they're out of my mouth. Then, in emails he sends me back the corrections.
It's not such a big deal, except that I am going to get SCREWED OVER by the taxi drivers. Especially because a typical response to "Take me to X place" is "Como? No te entiendo." (What? I don't understand you. To which I most always reply "Of course you understand me. I'm speaking to you in Spanish. Let me out!"
I just know that when I get to the airport I might have to haggle for a ride. I've had then down to 9,000 pesos before, which I think is good, but with this gringa accent thing I have going on now it's going to be 15,000.
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8 comments:
Don't worry; surely there is someone here you can talk to in Spanish for the next 13 days to get you back into the swing of things.
Hah! Not likely in Plymouth, but I had a skype chat tonight and felt a little better.
Hi there how are you? I was looking through your blog and found it interesting and wanted to leave you a comment.
I have an invitation for you to come and visit my art blog here in San Diego Southern California. I started this blog in an attempt at finding a creative way to find new friends, and explore my artistic skills through bloging. I have since found many new friends from an international audience. I hope you will stop by and enjoy the various labels and music videos I design for my art blog.
I hope to see you soon :)
Sara, I say take it where you can find it. Skype works just fine, if the alternative is nothing. How much Spanish does your brother know?
My brother is pretty fluent. The difference between us is that when I don't know something I sort of freeze up while I think of a way to say it. He doesn't. He just keeps talking and doesn't care if he makes mistakes. Oh, I get it. You are saying I should practice with my brother. Right on!
Yes. I know speaking with your brother isn't the same as speaking with a native Spanish speaker, but if your goal is to get back into the Spanish frame of mind, it's better than nothing.
Have you ever tried TransVip? Whenever I fly in or out of SCL I always use them. Last time I came back into the city it cost a little under 5 mil to take me from the airport to Providencia. I NEVER use the cabs.
Yeah, I second Renee's comment. Nice blog, by the by.
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