| The first thing I discovered upon my arrival in Caracas | | | | when you are unable to decipher exactly where one |
| was that I remembered much less Spanish than I | | | | word ends and another begins. This process is made |
| thought I did. As it had been over five years since I had | | | | even harder by the fact that most people here fail to |
| taken a Spanish course I guess I really shouldn't have | | | | pronounce the whole word anyway. There were |
| been surprised right? Who can really expect to | | | | many words that I was convinced I knew and was |
| remember much from a high school course that was | | | | using quite frequently. Imagine my dismay when I found |
| mediocre at best? As I tried desperately to order a | | | | out they had whole other syllables on the end of the |
| simple sandwich and something to drink, I realized that | | | | word. No wonder I had been getting funny looks from |
| if I didn't at least attempt to learn Spanish I would most | | | | people on the street and in restaurants. |
| likely starve after a week or so. | | | | I eventually came to the conclusion that an actual |
| How exactly does one go about learning Spanish in a | | | | course was needed or even better, a private tutor of |
| Latin American country? Seems pretty easy right? | | | | some sort. The only way I was ever going to learn |
| Well I assure you it is not, especially when your entire | | | | Spanish was by actually sitting down and studying with |
| day is spent speaking English. Another obstacle that I | | | | someone who could answer the myriad of questions |
| quickly encountered was the very rapid way in which | | | | that arose everyday. Sad isn't it? Here I sit, living in a |
| everyone speaks in this city. It is amazing how a | | | | Latin American country and I am unable to pick up the |
| sentence containing 10 words or so can come out | | | | language without resorting to private lessons. Some |
| sounding almost like one long word. Is that what English | | | | people seem to have an ear for languages and can |
| sounds like to people who don't speak English? It is | | | | pick them up simply by listening, too bad I will never be |
| exceedingly difficult to learn words in another language | | | | one of those people. |