I belong to a few Expat groups on Facebook. One of the most popular topics discussed is how to learn Spanish. Depending on where you live, the resources may vary. While small towns do not have language institutes, it has been my experience that they are beneficial in learning Spanish. They provide opportunities to use your Spanish that the larger cities do not. And even in a larger city the opportunity to practice speaking the language varies.

When my son was a baby, my mother and I took a beginner Spanish course in an adult education program. With no opportunity to use what I had learned it was quickly forgotten. Flash ahead almost thirty years when David and I were in Cuba staying at a resort that offered a variety of activities. We opted for the Spanish course but there really was just some basic vocabulary and a couple of idioms.

When I arrived in Mexico City and had to clear customs a few months later, there was only one expression I remembered and it was of no use once I got to Immigration. “Cerveza fria por favor.” The one English speaking Immigration officer was off sick that day but somehow I made it through and on to my connecting flight to Culiacan.

I was teaching at a private school where the principal didn’t even speak English. The Director of English was fluent in English. The two other Mexican teachers who also taught English in secundaria with me for the most part taught their classes in Spanish rather than in English.

And then I met Juan. He was teaching other subjects but was anxious to improve his English. He was very patient with me as we read children’s books and he taught me basic grammar. I don’t remember how many times we read Chicken Little and The Wax Man but it was dozens. At the time, Juan and his wife had a baby and they were quick to adopt me into their family. That was huge for me. I had left my family behind in Canada and here I was in a foreign country with a completely different culture in addition to a new language to learn. Juan and Lucilla now have five boys who call me abuelita and I call them my nietos.

When I moved to Irapuato the following year, the school where I taught actually attempted to provide us with some help in learning Spanish. The problem was that the teacher spoke Castillian Spanish, not the Spanish that is typically spoken in Mexico. It was also different from the Spanish in Cuba.

Then I moved to Tlaquepaque. Thank you Isaias for making me ask for directions, order food, buy tickets, etc. when we travelled on the weekends. That was such an awesome opportunity for me to actually practice speaking and using the vocabulary I had learned. My grammar was horrible but somehow I made myself understood and usually understood what others said to me.

The years I lived in Mazatlan were very different. That is definitely gringoland. I spent most of my time with gringos and very seldom got to use my Spanish. Quite a few people who worked in the shops and restaurants also spoke English. The church I attended had services in both English and Spanish. I often went to the Spanish service in an attempt to practice speaking.

When I arrived in San Ciro de Acosta, population two hundred, I met exactly three people who spoke English. And in my travels to other small towns in San Luis Potosi and Queretaro, there were few English speakers.

In 2019 I came to Aguascalientes with the idea of spending three weeks checking out museums and art galleries. It’s now 2024 and it’s now become “home” to me. My neighborhood is Las Flores and I’m the sole gringa. Other than my landlord who speaks English, I am completely immersed in Spanish. I do most of my shopping at the corner tienda. I frequent several mom and pop shops in my neighborhood. Walmart and HEB are distant memories although I occasionally venture into the northern part of the city (gringoland) to buy cheddar cheese at Costco. The other night I was on the phone with a friend in Canada at around 8 pm and I remarked to her that it was the first time I’d spoken English all day.

I go online every day and spend time with Duolingo. I also encourage my students to use this program when they are learning English. I also know people learning other languages on Duolingo.

Music is another good option, although I must admit I’m still struggling with Vamos A La Playa. Parts of that song are very fast with a zillion words. I’ve also gone to concerts and other theater performances in Spanish. And yes I even text in Spanish.

I watch TV in Spanish without subtitles. My goal is to watch at least two movies a week. Today I watched The Great Gatsby. Last week I watched The Butler and Forrest Gump. Kids’ TV shows are also a great resource. Others have recommended soap operas. I was never really into those in English so I’ve never gotten into those in Spanish either.

But what has really worked best for me is living in a Mexican neighborhood where I must use my Spanish daily. It’s great to learn online but it’s even better to be able to practice what you learn. While my grammar still needs work, I now have a much better understanding of the challenges that my students face when learning English. But I am nothing if not persistent in my attempt to improve my Spanish.