One Step Forward Two Steps Back...

That's the way I felt a couple of days last week...  about classes and learning Spanish...

Enforex.... The school we attend.

Our classroom is the upper left window.

It's been a long time since I attended classes on a regular basis for any length of time.  It's been a long time since I actually THOUGHT about subjective verbs, or irregular verbs, or infinitives, or for heavens sakes... diphthongs!

At this school there is a morning session and an afternoon session.  Each session has a different teacher.  AND...  each week that teacher is likely to be different.

Students come and go....  some are here for classes for as little as one week...  some two or three...  some a month or more.

The school gives you a test upon entry and places you in the class at your ability level....  Basic 1, Basic 2; Intermediate 1, and 2, and Advanced 1 and 2.  Bill & I are in the Basic 1 level class.  There have been as few as 4 of us (students), and today there were 7.

Sometimes, after a day or so, a student will re-test and move into a higher level (there are no lower levels ;-)  

Spanish is the only language we are supposed to speak.  Some of the instructors are very strict about this, some will bail us out (in English) if we're desperate.  Today we students consisted of 3 Americans, 1 English, 1 Holland, 1 Japanese and 1 Austrian (who lives in Istanbul most of the time).  

We have workbooks to use and sometimes CDs are played for audio instruction.  I'll tell you right now that I've never understood one thing on those CDs.  

Each instructor we have had teaches a little bit differently.  Some are quite patient and speak slow enough we beginners can catch the words.  The morning instructor we have now doesn't speak English and doesn't speak very slow.  There have been times I've been completely lost.  (the two steps back part)

But you know something?

I AM learning...  not quickly, not easily, and certainly not smoothly. Today we conjugated some irregular verbs and I (pretty much) understood what I was doing.

Major breakthrough!

It's not just about learning Spanish, it's about learning ABOUT the customs of other people and trying the foods and seeing the city streets and buildings.  And I've learned some about the countries my fellow classmates are from.

And something else...

I'm having fun.  Okay... being totally frustrated about not understanding what's going in one class isn't fun...  but I like the challenge of learning.  I'll get over the frustration...  and in the process I'll have learned at least a little.

You know, I think I should have titled this...

Two steps forward, One Step back

That's All For Today!