Is it Hola or Adios?

I bounded up the stairs happily to my Spanish lesson. I'm 6 weeks into classes with my friend and today I am really going to make an effort to communicate in Spanish how my morning went. This morning was the Royal Wedding which I got up at 4 a.m. to watch. Following the "balcony kiss" I rushed over to my friend's house to enjoy breakfast together while continuing to watch the blessed event. Two women chatting happily about the dress and hats. Surely I could come up with something to say in Spanish about my morning.

With a big smile on my face I threw my arms around Berthica and said "Adios!". I was pleased as pie but as I opened my mouth to tell her that I "vistos" the Royal Wedding she patted my hand and said "Kris, you do not want 'goodbye' you want 'hello, Hola'.". I felt the pride slowly ooze out of me. Deflated I stumbled through trying to not speak English with many more mistakes.

4 months of studying and I still get confused over the most simple greetings.

Singing in the Rain

I begin each class with the belief that today will be the day that I will master this language or at least have the feeling that I have grasped what I have been taught and am ready to move on to deeper Spanish. By mid-class my eyes begin to glaze over and I can sense my mind floating off to a happy place. It takes a lot of will power to pull myself back into active concentration and participation.

I think Orlando has begun to recognize when I am getting "the look". I'm sure he feels that he is loosing me and has no power to reign me in. Today as I began to feel "the look" coming over me, Orlando jumped to his feet and said "Kris, I have a surprise for you!". He walked over to the t.v., turned it on and pushed the play button on the VCR. Black and white figures appeared on the screen, smiling and singing a song. In our last class he had used the example of "Singing in the Rain" to emphasize the purity of the vowel sounds in Spanish. We watched the scene where Lina Lamont, played by Jean Hagen, visits the Diction Coach to improve her tinny accent that will now be heard in films with sound. The dialogue bounces back and forth in the pronunciation of the word "can't".

"Rrround tones,

Rrround tones."

"Cahn't."

"Cayn't."

"Caaaaahn'.t"

"Caaaayn't."

I sat back and giggled. We finished the scene, I pulled my mind in to focus on the rest of today's lesson. Maybe next time will be the day I master Spanish.

First Lesson

I had my first lesson with Orlando today. The main goal was to devise a plan. We have decided on 2 hour lessons, 3 times a week. For me this is a huge commitment. Right now my life consists of being a maid, cook, chauffeur, gardner, mother and wife. In addition I need to keep the house ready to show at a moment's notice. I feel like I am standing at a cross roads and must choose which path to follow. I am overwhelmed. If I am not willing to commit, I am choosing to live in ignorance and solitude for the next 2 years. If I take the plunge and give this opportunity everything I've got I am cracking the door open for relationships and the possibility of actually communicating in a foreign language.

Actually, this choice goes deep to the core of my belief about relationships. Over and over in the New Testament I see Jesus teaching the concept of love and humility.

"If you've gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spirit means anything to you, if you have a heart, if you care - then do me a favor: Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spiritied friends. Don't push your way to the front; don't sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don't be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand." Philippians 2:1-4 The Message