One of the most significantly contrasting factors about our "lives" here in España as opposed to those in the EEUU, is our daily struggle to communicate. While I can assure you that every single one of us is significantly improving in our Spanish vocabulary and pronunciation, we still have a long way to go before we are truely comfortable with it. We devote two hours daily to studying the (very complicated) grammar and some vocabulary. Rosa, our teacher, is extremely energetic (and almost 9 months pregnant!!), and also very "typical Spanish" in her attitudes about time and the importance of relationships. We end up talking and telling stories for at least the first half hour of class before we actually "start." She lived in Miami for 2 years, and has a fairly good grasp of English. Every now and then we have trouble trying to understand some of the more complicated rules of grammar because we are so used to the English grammar terms, and she soely uses the Spanish terms.

Most of our language learning, though, comes from outside the classroom. From the checkout process at a store to trying (unsuccessfully) to get the bus to stop at the right place, we are perpetually gaining vocabulary! We read everything -- political posters, advertisements, graffiti -- and try to identify words or figure them out from the context. We´ve even started a game of sorts, where any one of us can indiscriminately give out an unidentified number of points, stars, credits, kudos, thumbs up, etc. to any person in our group that correctly identifies or translates a word/phrase first. So, it´s not the most sophisticated game, but it keeps us entertained.

As we are learning, everything comes "poco a poco," little by little. Last week, I felt so accomplished to have a conversation with someone at the bus stop! (okay, so it doesn´t really count as a conversation if she asked what time the bus typically comes, and I responded with one sentence, but still! i knew what she asked!) This week, I told my host parents about our time in Morocoo and they understood me. Next week, I´ll be giving dissertations on the key concepts of metaphysics at the university in Córdoba. (okay, maybe not.)

A frustration for me right now is that I want to be able to talk at an adult level, but am still babytalking my way through life. I have the vocabulary of a 3 or 4 year old, and the grammatical prowess of a first grader, but my mind is still thinking like it always does! Now I know what it would feel like to be a child genius :)

Here are a few funny mistakes or, what I choose to call "alternative linguistic choices" that have been said in this learning process:

Estamos bicicletas. - Morgan
We are bikes.

Cuantos años tiene tu abuelo? - Rosa
How old is your grandpa?
El tiene setenta y Dios. - Rachel
He is 70 and God.

(Las ventanas abrierto o cerrado?) Are the windows opened or closed? - Rosa
(Si.) Yes. - Morgan

(Como se llama tu abuelo?) What's your grandpa's name?" - Rosa
"Rosemary." -Morgan

(Nosotros somos mujeres.) We are women. - Mark

Even though there are still many times when we have no idea what is being said, we take encouragement that the times when we DO know are becoming more and more frequent!

- Elizabeth (para todos)