Language S-c-h-o-o-l is Stretching
If you’ve been checking our blog regularly, you know that it has been a while since I posted anything new. I’m sorry, I have many ideas for things to write, but I am stretched and my time is squeezed!
Please do keep checking because I have some exciting news to tell you from El Monte and I also want to share with you who our classmates are--in future posts.
This last week or so has gone by very fast! We had a phonetics lab test on Thursday, a phonetics test on Monday, and our third dialog had to be memorized and presented yesterday. Last night we enjoyed a visit from Gary and Pat Fruit who are some of our WEC Mexico team members. We enjoyed good fellowship over venison steaks cooked on the grill.
In addition to the tests and memorization, we’ve been trying to grasp a new and difficult concept in grammar--the direct and indirect object pronouns. You may know exactly what that is, but it has really taken me some time to begin to “get it” in the Spanish sentence structure. I am asking the Lord to help me and I’m asking our teacher and my tutor to help me with more practice. I feel like this is an important building block for effective communication.
Speaking of tutors...all language students spend an hour a day, four days each week, one-on-one with a Spanish speaking national. We work on all kinds of things and do our best to converse all in Spanish. If they know any English, they are not allowed to use it--we are required to use only Spanish. It’s very good because we are forced to “speak it” and I’m convinced that “speaking it” is the only way to actually learn a language.
Every two weeks, we change tutors and my current tutor is a Bible student from Spain. His name is Alex Oller Rodriguez.
The fun part is, Alex knows a family that is currently in the LTD program at Camp Forest Springs in Wisconsin. Pedro and Vicki Adrover from Spain are studying Christian camping ministry at CFS in order to work at L’Arcada, a Christian camp in Spain. In addition, Roxanne and I know David and Debbie Frank, American missionaries who work with GEM in Spain and who founded L’Arcada. My tutor Alex, goes to church with David and Debbie.
It’s a small world!
Posted by on 02/13
(6) Comments • Permalink
Recent Responses:
Says:
02/14 at 07:40 PM
Indeed, very small world… “el mundo es un pa
Says:
02/15 at 05:04 PM
Well its Friday and this is the day that I pray for you guys. Thanks for the update. I can only imagine how your brain must feel after the week of intensity that you guys are going through. Don’t forget that every muscle that grows stronger needs some rest.
Have a great weekend. Only two more weeks of cold weather and then we can enjoy some of your warmth.
Says:
02/16 at 12:16 AM
Thanks for another great post- Praise the Lord!
Says:
03/01 at 06:39 PM
You guys are really making progress if you are conversing with your tutors only in Spanish! That’s doing some fast work! it may not seem like it, but compared to my year of German, it sounds to me like all your work is paying off.
Says:
03/03 at 02:14 PM
It is good to hear how you are progressing in Spanish and the news of the camp is exciting. Hope to someday visit you there! God’s blessings on you and your family.
How is Aunt Pauline?
Say hello to Harrimans in the bookstore for us.
Says:
02/13 at 05:54 PM
I am finding out that in missions especially, one is not far from knowing many people through many different connections.
As for learning Spanish, I am not going to say I am enjoying the tests and trials, but I am enjoying going through the process with you (and our other classmates). Press On brother! “Keep your stick on the ice” as Red Green would say.
As for effective communication...I am reminded of the quote by Robert Frost that says,
“Half the world is composed of people who have something to say and can’t - and the other half who have nothing to say and keep on saying it.”
We have something to say and that is the Gospel and biblical truth!