My Spanish Immersion Journey: From Fumbling to Fumbling Less

Let me take you back to high school for a moment. I took Spanish 1 in my sophomore year and, well, let's just say I failed spectacularly. Fast forward to the summer of 2022 when I accepted my current job as an ESOL teacher. I knew most of my students spoke Spanish, and I figured knowing some Spanish would be helpful. Spoiler alert: It was.

I started my journey with the free version of Duolingo and managed to keep a 373-day streak before breaking it. During my first year of teaching, I picked up some Spanish vocabulary thanks to a student who had just arrived from abroad with zero English. She taught me tricks for learning languages and how to make English work accessible in Spanish.

In my second year, I had five more students from other countries. This really solidified what worked and what didn't in language learning. And let me tell you, immersion works. In my classroom, students could communicate in their first language, and I did everything I could to build bridges. This motivated me to take my Spanish learning seriously to help them better.

Around December, my husband and I decided to travel abroad in the summer of 2024 for a Spanish immersion experience. We initially thought of Ecuador, but due to some civil unrest, we chose Mexico. Honestly, it was a better choice because most of my students are Mexican. Plus, who doesn't love a good beach?

We landed in Puerto Vallarta, planning to stay for almost five weeks. It's the perfect mix of learning and vacation. My husband, a stay-at-home dad who also dabbles in stock trading and writing (@HuntGatherTrade), can work from anywhere with good internet. And let's be real, traveling with a toddler to a foreign country for the first time is scary enough.

How I'm Learning Spanish

Now, let's get into the nitty-gritty of how I'm actually learning Spanish. The secret sauce is using multiple modes of learning. There are four domains: reading (input), listening (input), speaking (output), and writing (output). Input is taking in information and making sense of it; output is using that information to express yourself.

Here's what I'm doing:

1. Workbooks: I started with "Spanish Verb Tenses" and "Basic Spanish". Both come with apps for practicing vocabulary and listening to audio. The "Spanish Verb Tenses" book was my jam before coming to Mexico, and I've been diving into "Basic Spanish" while here. It's packed with useful vocabulary like places in a home, clothing, animals, and common verbs.
2. Pocket Guide: I have a pocket guide with practice conversations in both Spanish and English. It covers basics like going to the store, navigation, using a phone, and getting sick. I review this every other day. There is not a link for a specific pocket guide. I have a resource that someone gave me. If you're interested let me know, and I'll send it to you.
3. Speaking Aloud: I'm much better at reading and writing than speaking and listening. My brain tends to "go blank" when I need to speak. So, I started saying everything I see or think aloud. Whether I'm sitting at the table or walking around town, I'm reading aloud in Spanish.
4. AI Tutor: I pay for ChatGPT Premium and use it as my tutor. It's been great for writing practice and vocabulary. I do need to get better at remembering all the keys on a Latin American keyboard, but that's a work in progress.
   

1. Lingopie: I found Lingopie, a site where you can watch TV shows in different languages with subtitles in both your first and second languages. It's been helpful for expanding my listening skills. I like adding vocabulary cards from shows to practice later and the AI tool that checks my pronunciation. It's a paid service, but worth it for polyglots.
2. 123TeachMe.com: This is a free option for listening practice with questions. The quality of the audio varies, but it's been a great resource for beginner to advanced levels.

Learning a language is a marathon, not a sprint. It's about using all four domains and finding what works best for you. So, if you're on a similar journey, keep at it and enjoy the ride!