(no subject)

[arisha]

So I have noticed something in this house that I think is very odd. I'm apparently the only person in recent memory whose Spanish has been good enough to go right into volunteering - most people arrive with no knowledge of Spanish, which is absurd to me because I mean, you're going to be living and working for two months in a Spanish-speaking country, and you didn't bother to learn anything before leaving home?? Anyway, so as a result of my skipping a grade, everyone praises my Spanish all the time. :| If they're talking about my reading/writing/listening, then I appreciate the compliment; if they're talking about my speaking, I disagree quite strongly!

To me, the weirdest thing about all this is that I get praised for my Spanish level, and then asked confused questions any time I am seen to be studying. I can be sitting at the dining room table writing out verb conjugations and everyone who lives here will walk by and say, "I don't know why you're studying, you already know everything!" One, I don't know everything; two, how do you think one comes to know everything? Once I was sitting there studying and one of my housemates, who is constantly frustrated with her Spanish, sat down with her textbook, flipped through it a bit, and then went off to do something else. Um, kay.

ALSO! Last night my coordinator and I decided to go to the movies. I said I wanted to see How to Train Your Dragon, and she replied with, "They're only showing it dubbed here," in a tone that implied I wouldn't want to see it if it wasn't in English. What the heck! Watching dubbed movies is my favourite way to study, and why would I come to a Spanish-speaking country if I only wanted to watch movies in English, and-- and-- I don't understand you people. :|

Comments

[athena-crikey.livejournal.com]

I love how even in Peru you still know way more about what movies are coming out than I do. (So, what movie did you see?)

It's awesome that you get to start your volunteering early! Cool that your program is loose enough to adapt like that.

How good is your roommates' Spanish? Have they learned a lot being there?

[frauleinfrog.livejournal.com]

I totally understand how you feel- I was totally confused by all the ALTs who came to Japan without knowing any Japanese, many of whom never learn any (past basic greetings). Astonishing! But I also know what it's like to hang out with people who know waaaay more of a language than you do and to feel like they must know everything because they know so much more than you.

Also, I totally want to see that movie! Was it any good?

[the-wykydtron.livejournal.com]

There are other reasons to go to Peru than a love of Spanish, I guess. (lol, I am speaking up for those for whom learning another language is merely necessary.)

[the-wykydtron.livejournal.com]

*RETURNS FROM INTERNET AWOL*

I can see how you'd think that it's weird for people with no Spanish to come to a Spanish-speaking country and engage in a Spanish-speaking program, but I think for a lot of people that might be the appeal - a chance to do something totally out of the ordinary for them?

[the-wykydtron.livejournal.com]

Wow. I already replied to this one.

THE BALL: I AM NOT ON IT.