PROGRESS ON SPANISH GOING ON WELL

MY progress on learning Spanish is going well.

This afternoon, while waiting for tasks to be completed by others before I did my part (in the chain of the process), I learned the Spanish names of a person’s family members.

I also learned and copied the prepositions – with examples of those words in sentences.

For the last few nights, it was interesting that I was watching two movies and heard characters use Spanish. I recognized many terms and phrases used, thanks to my lessons from past weeks.

PS. I know of three people from years past who said they would like to learn Spanish. I do not know how far up they road they have gone. But I am sure, if I continue at the rate I am going, I may know more than them in the two months of this year (May/June) that I have marked for learning Spanish.

This may sound egotistic but the sad thing is many people have that desire to learn foreign languages but do not make any effort to learn – either from buying resources, researching online or getting views from others who may know a little about their language of interest.   

And they keep on wishing. 

HAVE A PLAN ON HOW YOU CAN LEARN A LANGUAGE ON YOUR OWN

IN mid-April, I decided to learn Spanish on my own – retuning to a wish I first had when I was a teenager.

After learning French for more than four years, I am sure I can manage Spanish.

I said to others who are interested in learning languages on their own that they must have a plan or strategy.

If they do not – they will be all over the place.

My strategy comes from learning French.

I said that students must have some plan on how they will learn their language of interest- then look for resources online.

My plan to learn Spanish will be to learn:

1. Greeting phrases

2. The alphabet and sounds (blends, diagraphs, etc)

3. Conjugating verbs in simple present tense (including verbs like ser - to be, estar – to be, ir - to go, tengo – to have, etc)

4. Nouns and their gender – as well as the articles

5. Prepositions and pronouns

6. The numbers

7. Telling time

8. Simple past tense

9. Future tense

10. The past imperfect

11. And so on

I will try to spend 3-4 hours each week on each topic. Because of my busy schedule, I will do my studies on weekends.  

WHICH LANGUAGE CAN I LEARN FOR FUN?

THE question in the title was asked be someone.

This is my answer.

I speak and write English and Tok Pisin (a creole) – languages I grew up learning.

I learned French and enjoyed the experience and know a few words/phrases in a number of local dialects in my country.

With that experience, I say learn Spanish. I think everyone who has watched Hollywood movies over the years would have learned a handful of phrases – even though they may not know exactly what they mean.

(The same could be said of Spanish songs too – some are popular.)

Some examples of common Spanish words/phrases that we hear all the time include:

Por favor – please

Hombre – man

Adios – good bye

Amigo – friend

Gracias – thank you

Hola – hellow

Si – yes

No – no

Por qué – Why?

Comprende? Understand?

So, I say, learn Spanish. It will be fun.

TAKING THE GREASY STUFF OUT: WATCH YOUR HEART

ON Saturday night, I noticed the sink in the kitchen having trouble. The water took too long to drain out.

I knew what to do. I unscrewed the elbow joint under the sink, took the pipe out and went outside and cleaned it up.

I saw the hole through one end was so tiny. When I pushed my finger into the pipe, the hardened grease/stuff coating the pipe crumbled. 

So for the next few minutes, I cleaned the pipe, scooping the grease and stuff out – the things that were blocking the pipe - and washing it out.

When I was done, I refitted the pipe and turned on the tap of the sink and scrubbed the sink. Water flowed smoothly.

I was then remembered of something – something that we are always reminded of from time to time. Our blood vessels (arteries and vines) are like the pipes that carry blood to the organs (stomach, kidneys, eyes, etc) of our bodies.

For those of us who are not physically active, our blood vessels are clogging up – with fats and stuff.

When the vessels clog up, the heart (the pump) has to work harder to push the needed blood to all parts of the body – as in the water in the pipe finding it hard to flow. As a result of that, we get high blood pressure and all sorts of things related to that.

Please, take care of your body and heart.

Walk, garden, run, jog, play a game, etc from time to time to make it easy for the pump to do its work. Have a regular exercise routine – every other afternoon or so.

Go slow on soft drinks and fast foods. Eat healthy foods – fresh fruits and vegetables and drink water, not soft drinks (or hard stuff). (I am forgoing soft drinks and Big Rooster for some time after I felt my body telling me so. I have my routine of exercise too – despite not slimming as fast as I would like to.)