la plumafuente azul es atascada en el pollo asado

Getting back to Mexico topics on this blog reminds me how much I need to get done before I make the trip south. But first on my list is to set up a regular schedule to practice my spanish. I have two computer programs to assist me. The best one -- from The Learnables -- is fun. It literally attempts to teach in the same manner a child learns -- hearing, looking, listening.


My problem is exactly the same as anyone's who tries to learn anything new: applying enough discipline to keep the learning consistent. I have now completed lesson one on 20 separate sessions. I get doing fine and allow myself to be distracted.


Here is what I hope to do between now and next April.

1. Each evening I will spend at least one hour reviewing the Learnable lessons.

2. I will read at least one Psalm in spanish each evening.

3. If I watch one of the movies in my DVD collection, I will turn on the spanish translation along with the spanish subtitles.

4. I will set aside my pride and attempt to converse with my spanish-speaking friends at every opportunity.


I know I need to do other thing to get ready for the move, but I have read enough blogs and heard enough from many readers to know that the best possession I can take to Mexico is a working knowledge of spanish.


And like every American, I will be looking for the shortcut -- knowing that it does not exist. It did not exist when I learned german or russian or greek. I don't need to learn that lesson again.