Countdown to Ecuador

In exactly 3 weeks I, along with 5 others from my church, leave on a Mission trip to Ecuador.
While I'm excited, I'm also scared, nervous and everything else.

As I mentioned before, I speak Spanish. But around here, no one does. The only words my friends know are my slang Spanish words I use. That and food items.

My Spanish has not been the best. So, in order to brush up on my Spanish, I turn the TV on to the Spanish stations.

The only problem with that is that they mostly show Spanish soap operas on them. So there I sit while folding laundry, watching these soaps and listening to the big words they use.

I have heard most of them, but some of them to me are Tex-Mex words that are different. My boys walk in and ask in a confused voice, "What are you listening to mom?"

Sometimes, the boys will sit there and just listen, but then they get up grumbling, "I don't understand what they are saying. That's a weird show."

And still, there I sit while I watch these programs. I did tell the group yesterday that we were going to have to look for a TV during my soap times so that I could not miss anything. Maybe someone in Ecuador will be watching the 'novellas' that I watch , I mean listen to here. Ha Ha

I know, I'm weird, but hey, it sure has helped my Spanish.

Habla Espanol?

When I was growing up, we mostly spoke Spanish in our house. We spoke English at school, but at home, we broke out the Spanish baby. That's all that my grandparents knew, so if we wanted to converse, we'd better learn how.

It was Tex-Mex Spanish, but still, we all understood each other.

While in High School, I took at easy elective. Spanish. My good friend wanted to take it together and we sat with me in front of her. This worked out well, since she wasn't fluent in Spanish, she would copy off of my test. I'm not sure what she ended up with, but I ended up with an A. I learned how to read and write and speak Spanish correctly.

While in College, I still spoke Spanish because the University I went to had lots of International students. Some of my good friends were from Venezuela and Puerto Rico. Yes, the dialect is different, but we still understood each other. I learned some of their words, and they learned some of mine. Some not so good ones.

Then I started working for Wal-Mart and traveling. I used Spanish to my advantage. I'd speak English and then if someone said something about me in Spanish, I'd start speaking it as well. Pretty sneaky huh? Hey, whatever works.

Then I got married to a Gringo (white boy). I worked at a Wal-Mart that had some Spanish speaking associates, so I still spoke it. Hubster even started learning some words. He understands a lot more that what he lets on.

But lately, I haven't been speaking Spanish. I have no friends who know how to speak it. But this past weekend, I was able to refresh my Spanish. I was a little rusty, but I jumped right in.

My sister-in-law's family speaks only Spanish, so that is the dominant language in that household. I learned some new words and it did feel good to speak it again.

My sil had lots of family there this past weekend. UB and AB made friends with some little boys that were there. When Hubster asked UB what the little boy's name was, UB replied "I don't know. He doesn't speak any English, only Spanish." The language barrier didn't stop them from playing together.

Then Saturday and Sunday night, AB told me that he wants me to teach him Spanish, so that next time he sees his cousins, he can speak Spanish to them.

I guess this summer, we'll be doing lots of Spanish lessons.

But first, I need to continue brushing up on my Spanish because in July, I am going on a mission trip to Ecuador.