How Learning Spanish Changed My Destiny

Learning Spanish Audio courses like the sophisticated ones available today did not exist when I began my Spanish learning journey. Due to a love affair gone horribly wrong, I stumbled into learning Spanish.

I had been studying language (German) at the Goethe Institute in Bavaria in a small, pretty town called Murnau and had a huge crush on a tall, devastatingly handsome German who was an expert at skiing and ice-skating. We spent many days traveling to thrilling ski resorts and, being a typical Pisces, I was soon swept off my feet. My boyfriend was attractive and popular with the girls. It took me some months to discover that his feelings for me did not run deep. I’d fallen for a complete love rat! With a broken heart, all I wanted to do was to leave Germany as soon as possible.

My best friend at the Goethe Institute was a Spanish girl named Maria. As our German course was over, she told me, “Come to Spain. You’ll love the people there!” I had no idea of the adventure about to unfold.

Spain captured my heart and soul – beginning with Spanish classes

Now I even speak Spanish with my dog!

I enrolled with a language teaching school in Valencia. Before I knew it, I was knee deep in verbs and foreign expressions. Learning Spanish was a big accident for me due to a love affair gone wrong in Germany, but it wasn’t long before I was swept up in the romance of the language and of the people themselves.

Learning the language was not without its frustrations! I would mix with Spanish friends and concentrate like mad on what they were saying until I got the gist of it. Then, if they asked me a question, I would wrack my brain trying to put the answer into the correct words. By the time I was ready, the conversation would invariably have moved on – leaving me looking stupid and feeling pretty frustrated! This happened time and time again, but this initial frustration was a great motivator for me to absorb and practice the language at every possible instant so I would stop feeling like a complete moron.

If you decide to take the plunge and learn Spanish, please don’t be put off by short periods of frustration. It’s perfectly normal. Just keep moving forward, day by day, and it will pay off. The main thing is persistence.

One of my favorite ways to really grasp and understand the language was to go to movies. In Spain, I didn’t have the benefit of English subtitles, so I didn’t understand a great deal of the movies I saw at first. But little by little I began to pick up the context and the words, and soon I was understanding 50%, then 75%, until I was able to follow most of the plot. This was thrilling and fun!

I can’t tell you the satisfaction I began to feel as I was able to actually participate in conversations with my Spanish friends. The frustration you feel when you learn a new language is experienced by EVERYBODY. It means you’re expanding your horizons and challenging your mind – which is a good thing. You just have to persevere and you will soon push past the awkward stage. It is so worth it.

Valencia was not a sophisticated place when I was there, but it was bursting with life, music and passion! It sounds like a cliche, but just about every second person I met danced Flamenco or played Flamenco guitar, and overwhelmingly, everyone I met was quick to laugh and smile. I learned to drink wine and eat tapas, and everywhere I turned I ran into new and exciting elements of the Spanish culture. Whenever I traveled on the bus or train, strangers would comfortably talk to me and I loved not feeling lonely or odd, being a foreigner. In fact, I felt quite special most of the time. I quickly fell in love with this amazing country and its language, with all its nuances and beauty.

Learning Spanish Audio and Spanish Language Software

Spanish language software did not exist, and learning Spanish audio courses meant using clumsy cassette tapes, yet I persevered with learning Spanish because by now I was deeply in love with the Spanish culture. I was asked to teach English and soon became a qualified English teacher. I learned so much by teaching, and quickly discovered that what worked for my students was simple repetition.

There are many more language learning options now for students of language. If you have a DVD or an ipod to listen to – at home, in the car, on the train or anywhere you like – by simply listening and repeating words and phrases over and over, you will find that the language will soon come out of your mouth spontaneously without the need to think about it. Learning Spanish is really so much easier than it used to be.

After just over two years in Valencia I moved to Madrid, where thanks to my Spanish speaking skills, I quickly found a job as a bilingual Account Executive with a multinational advertising agency. My life there was glamorous and well paid, due to the many perks of advertising and the great people I met and worked with.

I ended up staying in Madrid, a city oozing culture and fine food and art and design, for nearly six years!

Learning Spanish Is the Best Thing You Can Do for Yourself

I returned to Australia to become an artist, but to this day, I miss Spain with all my heart. The best thing, however, is that I now have another language to enjoy. That gives me confidence. I love being able to communicate with people from Spain, Argentina, Peru, Mexico and all the other Spanish speaking countries. I love going to see a film in Spanish and not having to rely on subtitles. I love reading books written in the Spanish language, because Spanish is not a mean, thin, harsh language. It is voluptuous, generous, romantic, subtle, passionate and highly expressive. I fell in love with Spain and I fell in love with the language.

I would advise anyone who loves travel or who loves words and language to take advantage of the variety of classes that are on offer now, made so much easier by computers and ipods or mp3s. I have researched the courses available and I personally recommend learning Spanish using the finely tuned Spanish language software or DVDs offered by Rocket Spanish. They offer a FREE SIX DAY TRIAL so you can get a taste of the language before committing and I urge you to give it a try. (Just click on any of the Rocket Spanish links on this page for more info.) You can also shop around and compare courses, which is a good idea – but do give Rocket Spanish a look-in, as they are truly excellent.

Spanish is spoken by over 400 million people today – and you could be opening yourself up to a whole new exciting world of possibilities if you commit to learning this beautiful language like I did. I hope it will change your destiny, too…

(c) Margot Wiburd 2010

What you probably didn’t know about learning Spanish, is that your life will never be the same – especially if you have a poetic soul.

When you begin to learn Spanish you will find it is one of the most romantic languages that exists – reflecting the passionate nature of every native Hispanic I have met. I speak from experience. Learning Spanish opened doors to my heart and mind that I never imagined but have valued deeply from the moment I took the plunge and embraced the language.

The truth is, Spanish is not simply a language. When spoken softly, it can caress the ears and heart like no other. When spoken with passion, it can ignite a cause with ferocity and fervor. When spoken earnestly, it can infuse the speaker with dignity and strength.

And Spanish is addictive…
Pablo Neruda and other Spanish speaking poets can transport you in a heartbeat with their melodic words and before you know it, you will be seeking out poetry by Antonio Machado or Gustavo Becquer, and reading timeless books like “El amor en los tiempos del cólera” (Love in the Time of Cholera) by nobel prize winner Gabriel García Márquez. In fact, the deeper you immerse yourself in the Spanish language, the more you will find yourself seduced by its rhythms and nuances.

Many many years ago I traveled to Spain to mend a broken heart. I planned to be there for just two sad weeks – and stayed for eight mesmerizing years. The Spanish were welcoming from the moment I set foot in Valencia to the moment I left my much loved home and job in Madrid.

One of the big surprises about learning to speak Spanish is the way the language is pronounced. French pronunciation has always remained a bit of a stumbling block for me, to my great chagrin, because it is easy to swoon at the way it flows from the tongue of a native French speaker. For non-English speakers, English is also a minefield when it comes to the rules of pronunciation. Think of the words “though”, “tough”, and “through” – each with a completely different pronunciation of the “ough” element. On the other hand, Spanish is pronounced exactly the way it is written – and it couldn’t be simpler! This was one of my favorite discoveries when I began my Spanish studies.

When I first started speaking Spanish – very clumsily, I might add – I was surprised and grateful when no one turned their nose up at me for my less than perfect attempts. Instead, universally, the Spanish applauded and encouraged me for making the effort to speak with them. It was a far cry from my experiences in Australia when I was a young girl, when it was usual to look down on the Greeks and Italians when they spoke English poorly. We were such snobs in those days! That unfortunate attitude has totally changed now, and we now thoroughly respect our Greek and Italian compatriots and their rich culture – and rightly so!

Living in Valencia for over two years then Madrid for nearly six years, I left my heart in Spain. Learning the language opened the doors to so many rich experiences and wonderful acquaintances. Back in Australia all these years later, I still experience immense pleasure when I speak Spanish to my special Spanish-speaking friends, read Spanish literature, watch the news in Spanish on television and watch Spanish movies – without having to read the subtitles!

And if you want an even more compelling reason to learn Spanish – especially if you are in business – you might be interested to know that as of 2010, between 329 and 358 million people speak Spanish (native speakers), and a mind-blowing 417 million people speak it around the world!

For me, learning to speak Spanish began as a casual pastime that quickly became a fascinating love affair and ultimately, an addiction – one for which there is happily no cure.

© Margot Wiburd 2010

Learn conversational Spanish and you will soon begin to understand another beautiful facet of the Spanish language:  its poetry.  Here is a poem by the Spanish poet Gustavo Adolfo Becquer, entitled:  PASABA AROLLADORA…

Pasaba arrolladora en su hermosura
y el paso le dejé,
ni aun a mirarla me volví, y no obstante
algo en mi oído murmuró “Esa es”.
¿Quién reunió la tarde a la mañana?
Lo ignoro; sólo sé
que en una breve noche de verano
se unieron los crepúsculos y … “fue”.

An approximate translation is:
She passed by…

She passed by, overwhelming in her beauty
and I ceded her the way,
I didn’t turn, not even to look at her, and yet
something murmured  in my ear, “she’s the one”.
Who united the afternoon with the morning?
I have no idea; I only know
that in a brief autumn night
the twilights came together and … “she was”.

Some people learn to speak Spanish best by simply downloading learn to speak Spanish software.  Some people learn Spanish by listening to their ipod or mp3.  Some people learn the language best while they are driving or on the train.  Some people prefer to listen to a DVD player or play DVDs on their laptop.  Rocket Spanish know this, which is why they offer every possible option, making each option affordable and easily accessible.  Best of all, you get the chance to try their famous 6 day course absolutely free. Simply click on this link and let the adventure begin!

YES! I want to claim my free instant access to the Rocket Spanish 6 day Learn Spanish course ($27 value).

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P.s. The most difficult thing about learning any new language is making the decision to start.  Don’t let fear hold you back!  Seize the day and broaden your horizons, job opportunities and appreciation of one of the world’s most spoken and most beautiful languages.

Online Spanish Language Programs: A Price Comparison

Online Spanish Language Programs: A Price Comparison

Author: Ben Matthews

Available today are a range of specialized programs for learning a new language. These programs are highly popular and convenient. Some have a software version that can easily be downloaded for a quick start on your new language education. Aside from English, one North Americas more commonly used languages is Spanish; many people might commonly choose this as their next language.

Spanish might not only come in handy when vacationing in any part of Mexico, it has also become a language of importance to communicate with many that have ventured into North America speaking Spanish as a first language.

The Pimsleur program is very effective at helping its users learn formal Spanish, which is more common when conversing with educated Spanish speakers. If you are going to be visiting somewhere with everyday Spanish speaking people, you will notice a great difference between this and what you have learned in the Pimsleur program and the way in which the people are speaking. If you desire everyday use, the Rocket Spanish system would be a much better choice. You may want to learn both styles.

You might know street Spanish and it will help you speak easier with everyday people, but if you will be in formal settings such as business, education or many other types, you will sound very uneducated to the people around you.

As you may know, there are two forms of common Spanish, street Spanish and the more formal Spanish; being able to switch your style of speaking you would need to know how to speak both forms.

The Rosetta Stone program is said to teach a language of similarity to the Pimsleur teaching program, this is a more formal Spanish.

Each of these products discussed are popular products and are good quality products that are recommended for learning Spanish. You may have different reasons for wanting to learn Spanish and it might be better to begin with a program like the digital version of Rocket Spanish, then later on if you need to choose to learn a more formal Spanish you could expand to another version specializing in formal Spanish.

The statistics are amazing, with nearly 41 million Hispanic people in the U.S., that speak Spanish and 17 million of those who are speaking exclusively Spanish either because they do not speak any English or don’t speak it very well.

If you have decided to learn Spanish, whatever the reason may be, you will be interested to look at different ways to help you learn right from your computer or audio device. You will also be interested in the price ranges and of course the effectiveness and usability of the program.

Looking at the popular choices

Pimsleur (starting at $169.00 per level)

This program has three different levels to choose from depending on your ability to understand and speak the Spanish language. You may buy each level on either a CD or a cassette tape and will include the use of reading material for study. The audio format that you choose will have a total of fifteen hours of lessons; it will be 30 lessons on each level that are 30 minutes a lesson.

If you buy each level of this Pimsleur program at $169 a piece then, for the whole package it will end up being about $507. Pimsleur also offers another choice for $572, this is a package with other options included. This program will teach you spoken Spanish, which is including formal Spanish and street Spanish. Formal Spanish would be more common in education, politics or other more appropriate environments. Street Spanish is the more commonly spoken, everyday type of speaking.

Rosetta Stone Spanish (starting at $195.00 individually per level)

The Rosetta Stone is available as individual levels or as a package, all on CD’s. When buying Level 1 by itself it will cost $195 and buying Level 2 individually will be $225, however, buying both levels 1 and 2 together it will be $91 dollars cheaper at $329. You may also want to buy Level 3, this level alone will cost about $245.

If you are sure that you will want all levels from the beginning it will have a package price of $439.

Rocket Spanish (different pricing for formats)

The Rocket Spanish program will be similar to the methods used by the Pimsleur program and will all use conversational methods to effectively teach you Spanish. This program has a way of teaching its user’s street Spanish in a way that can be both fun and interesting.

This program is available teaching any level of speaker, beginner or advanced for a total of $300. This price is for the program in physical form including books and CD’s with a $50 dollar shipping charge. You may want the digital version that is available for download; this version will cost you a price of $100.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/education-articles/online-spanish-language-programs-a-price-comparison-346564.html

About the Author

Did you know it doesn’t have to be difficult to learn Spanish? There’s a way to learn how to speak Spanish fluently in less than 3 months. You want to find out how?

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