Many locals in Guatemala don't ask me if I speak Spanish rather they just start speaking and I respond. Of course, many think that I am from a Spanish speaking country and usually I don't contradict this by saying, "I speak English" rather I just go with it and see how far my Spanish will take me. This is a great language learning method as you are encouraged to practice the language.
While my Spanish has it's good days and bad, a majority of locals tell me my Spanish is good. Each and every time I smile at them and say, "Thank You" along with a question mark. While my Spanish is pretty good, I believe they comment on it being good because the ease of the conversation. With locals, I can talk and talk and talk. I just feel so comfortable and I am connected with their expressions, gestures, and specific pronunciation of specific phrases and words. This may possibly make me sound better than I actually am, but I do appreciate the positive feedback.
When compared to the Spanish expat experts at work, I would not say I'm quite up to their fluent level. My Spanish seems to get scared in front of them rather than rise to the challenge. While I do have conversations with them, they are usually in English and again I speak with the teachers and local staff in Spanish-more comfortable. With locals outside, I can just be myself and act funny occasionally mess up a tense and they don't have a care in the world about it. If I do this with an expat, I will feel self-conscious about it and try to correct myself.
While I talk positively about the locals, there are a few who look at me with a big question mark. For instance, One day I was having a conversation in Spanish for about 5 minutes with the guy working in security near the bank. We were talking about the ATMs and how some only accept Visa and I need to go to another ATM at the end of the mall. He was nice and seemed like he understood my Spanish as he was responding to my questions, but he clearly needed additional clarity as he said at the end,
"Do you speak Spanish?" What language was I just speaking? It definitely was not English. Sometimes it depends on the age or generation of the person you are talking with as older people can have more difficulty with things. There was another bus driver who completely disregarded my Spanish and turned his head in the opposite direction and said, "No Speak English." This is a rare occurrence as people are rarely so rude, but this occurrence was in Guatemala City.
While my Spanish has it's good days and bad, a majority of locals tell me my Spanish is good. Each and every time I smile at them and say, "Thank You" along with a question mark. While my Spanish is pretty good, I believe they comment on it being good because the ease of the conversation. With locals, I can talk and talk and talk. I just feel so comfortable and I am connected with their expressions, gestures, and specific pronunciation of specific phrases and words. This may possibly make me sound better than I actually am, but I do appreciate the positive feedback.
When compared to the Spanish expat experts at work, I would not say I'm quite up to their fluent level. My Spanish seems to get scared in front of them rather than rise to the challenge. While I do have conversations with them, they are usually in English and again I speak with the teachers and local staff in Spanish-more comfortable. With locals outside, I can just be myself and act funny occasionally mess up a tense and they don't have a care in the world about it. If I do this with an expat, I will feel self-conscious about it and try to correct myself.
While I talk positively about the locals, there are a few who look at me with a big question mark. For instance, One day I was having a conversation in Spanish for about 5 minutes with the guy working in security near the bank. We were talking about the ATMs and how some only accept Visa and I need to go to another ATM at the end of the mall. He was nice and seemed like he understood my Spanish as he was responding to my questions, but he clearly needed additional clarity as he said at the end,
"Do you speak Spanish?" What language was I just speaking? It definitely was not English. Sometimes it depends on the age or generation of the person you are talking with as older people can have more difficulty with things. There was another bus driver who completely disregarded my Spanish and turned his head in the opposite direction and said, "No Speak English." This is a rare occurrence as people are rarely so rude, but this occurrence was in Guatemala City.
Oh well, keep speaking, keep practicing and keep shining
PRIS
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