This Whole Learning Spanish Thing

Studying abroad has been something that I have wanted to do for a long time. Being able to speak Spanish has been something I've wanted to do for just as long. Naturally, these goals combined and I ended up in South America for six months. Both to experience new cultures and come away with better Spanish skills.

Twice in the last two days I have realized that my Spanish has markedly improved. I am still not good at it. I make mistakes ALL of the time. But I am getting better. On my very first night with my host family in Ecuador, my host mother and I went to eat dinner with her friends from college. I understood very little and could say even less. For the last hour, I sat there so overwhelmed that I could feel the tears getting ready to fall. I could not wait to leave, so that they could. Today I spent the morning at a party celebrating the baptism of a cousin. Once again I found myself seated at a table for hours with people that I didn't know at all in a new place. This time, however, I could follow the conversation and participate in it. And instead of wanting to leave so I could cry, I was excited to go to a different cousin's eighth birthday party this afternoon and do the whole thing again. I'll write another post in the next few days about the birthday party.

Last night was the other example. My first time taking a taxi anywhere ever was in Ecuador. I have never lived anywhere big enough for taxis to be necessary. Lindsey and I took the taxi together, because we lived close to each other and I had no clue what I was doing (not that it's hard, but I was nervous). Thank goodness we did. The driver had no idea where I lived. And I had no idea how to tell him. Lindsey figured it all out. Last night I got in to my taxi home and told the driver my address. He very clearly did not have any idea where my street was. This time, I could tell him.

These things may not seem like they're a big deal, but I am so happy to have these parallel experiences to show me that my ability to communicate is, in fact, improving.