Today was my first day of school right along with all of the public school students. I am taking a Spanish class in a short course format this week. It has been enlightening already. I am reminded of how time consuming it is to learn a second language. There really are no shortcuts. It just takes time and patience coupled with lots of practice.

The teacher is exceptional. She is taking a very pragmatic approach that will aid all of the students immediately. I shared the following observation in class today: It has been my experience that if I speak in Spanish to a person who apparently does not know English, they will change to English, if they can speak it. That is indeed an accurate observation.

I always thought that was because they were just trying to hide the fact that they can speak English. My instructor says that is an incorrect conclusion. She pointed out that many native Spanish speakers do not feel very confident in their English. And that is why they are not inclined to speak English when a conversation first begins. If I am willing to go out on a limb, and speak in broken Spanish, they are more inclined to reciprocate and do likewise with their English.

I think there is a learning curve here. When we are willing to make an effort to reach out to a person in a manner that is most comfortable to them, they will do the same with us. Guards come down. We can laugh at ourselves. We can laugh with each other. We stop dwelling on our differences, and find commonality.

Overcoming language barriers is not the only context where such a thing occurs. Age difference can impede meaningful interpersonal communication.
Socioeconomic differences create chasms between people. Someone has to initiate positive communication. Someone has to go out on a limb. It is not easy by any means. It necessitates some vulnerability.

I have made lots of mistakes in my attempts to communicate in Spanish. Years ago I mistakenly asked a teenage girl to go to the hotel with me, because I used the incorrect form of a verb. More recently I said in Spanish: “I have many men.” I intended to say: “I am very hungry.” Tengo mucho hombre is very similar to Tengo mucho hambre. Those silly mistakes led to a few good laughs. The individuals I was addressing still appreciated the effort. I think I had better go back to class early tomorrow morning. I still have a long ways to go in learning a second language…In the meantime, Vaya Con Dios! Go with God!