An Update

Before I came to Spain I assumed that being immersed in a Spanish speaking culture would easily facilitate my Spanish skills.  I assumed that I would just naturally pick things up and improve through my daily experiences.  To begin and lay some groundwork I took language classes for the first 2 months, finishing in October when the school closed for the winter.  Since then I have hoped to slowly but surely improve my language skills.  What I have found though is that I am not as immersed as I would like to think.  Jonathan and I speak Spanish together in the mornings before lunch, but then after lunch we speak English together and generally we go places and do things together.  So really my only real immersion experiences are when I run an errand by myself or when we go to have lunch with family (about once or twice a week).  I found that the exposure to the language is much less than I would have anticipated.  To me this was concerning as I then started to think about where my language will be when we go back to the US in August.  Will my language be enough to make myself a better candidate for employment, or will employers just think I went on vacation for a year?  I am absolutely open to continuing with some sort of Spanish instruction once we return to the US to further my skill, but I want to at least be able to function as a bilingual caseworker or something similar.  I do not expect to be able to complete bilingual clinical work upon returning, which is much more dependent on the mastery of the language (i.e. explaining to sex offenders the difference between saying I had sex with a minor and saying I raped a 16 year old girl). 

So this discovery, my perceived lack of progress, was very discouraging. In early November I applied to be a volunteer at the Red Cross in Pontevedra, which by the way, needs a new volunteer coordinator.  From what I understand the organization keeps a folder at the front information desk where they file volunteer applications.  From there the volunteer coordinator reviews the applications and contacts the volunteers to set up an interview to discuss their skills, what they are interested in, etc.  When I completed my application I was told that people are usually contacted between 1-2 weeks.  So in two weeks, after hearing nothing, I returned to the Red Cross to inquire about the status of my application (you've got to love the initiative).  A worker at the front desk found my application in "the folder", which was now one of 3 (when I initially completed it I was the only one).  I was told that she should be calling me any day now.  So I left the Red Cross satisfied and excited to start.  About 2 weeks later I returned to the Red Cross to inquire again.  The worker at the front desk then located my application, which was now one of like 30!  I explained that I had completed it over a month ago and still had not heard anything.  The worker then explained that the applications are responded to as they are received, and that mine is in the middle of the stack so it should probably still be a while.  What?!?!  I explained that when I completed my application I was the only application in the folder (it seems as though there is a flaw in their hi-tech folder system) and asked if there was someone I could call.  I was told that there wasn't (horseshit!) and I needed to wait.  So either the Red Cross is the most unorganized organization ever (which I can't believe as they have some incredible leaders, like my daddy <3) or they don't want me :(.  In an attempt to keep my self esteem in tact I am going to assume that they are unorganized. 

The news about the Red Cross was discouraging.  I took a week off from being motivated and decided that I didn't want to learn Spanish anyways, so who cares.  I am now back on the wagon and feeling motivated.  I have written to the language school inquiring about continuing with Spanish classes twice a week (when the school is closed they offer individual lessons).  I will also stress the importance of not mastering more advanced grammar, but rather mastering more conversational and every day skills.  I have also enrolled in painting classes, which I'm pretty excited about.  The classes are taught in groups of 4-5 for 2 hours twice a week.  So during that time I will be able to use my Spanish while learning a new skill (now that I'm done with my Masters, I need some new hobbies).  Lastly, there is a local restaurant here, where Jonathan and I have become friendly with the manager.  I am considering asking if they need help; I could clean stuff or cut onions or something.  I'm not looking to be paid, but would just love to be able to hang out there, listen to Spanish and be able to learn some good Gallego cooking. 

I am excited about my new plan.  I have found it very difficult to spend a lot of time here in the apartment.  Sometimes when we get several rainy days in a row and I choose not to go out, not even for a walk, I get stir crazy.  I think that having something more of a schedule, events in my week that make me leave the house, will be good for me.  I also find that without some sort of organization to my day, needing to be somewhere at a certain time, I find it difficult yo be productive.  When I have all day to study verb conjugations, I much less likely to do it than when I have 3 hours in between class and bed, which is actually quite interesting.  I don't know.  For me, something about being on a schedule makes me be more in a working groove.  So hopefully these new developments will get me on track.  Wish me luck and patience!!