(I almost didn’t go today because of how I was feeling. I slept very little due to a sharp pain in my stomach. With the way I was feeling, it was difficult to think about doing any presentation. Around 7:30 a.m. I called Mrs. Nemer’s house to ask her forgiveness and see if I could go in another day and if she could come up with a last minute lesson plan. However, she had left already and I was unable to reach her. I didn’t want to leave her and the class hanging, so I got ready and headed toward the school.)

The motivation for doing such a presentation was multifaceted. To be fair, my reasons were not altogether altruistic. First, doing the presentation entirely in Spanish had seemed impossible before I began the language school. Being able to come back to the U.S. and do it comfortably would be extremely gratifying. After this, I wanted to thank Mrs. Nemer publicly  for what she had given us and to affirm her as a teacher. Additionally, I wished to inform younger students about the option of a language school. It had been a good fit for me, and because not everyone needs or wants to study at the university level, it could be a good fit for some of them as well. Finally, I wanted to provide a quick overview of Argentina since most people default to studying either in Spain or Mexico.

I walked into classroom 32C and was almost overwhelmed by all the signs on the walls and the materials crowding every corner of the room. There were fewer students in these classes and it was a good thing with all that stuff! Mrs. Nemer greeted me with a smile and a hug and we talked briefly about their class format. We tried out my few PowerPoint slides and then it was time to start. The first senior class worked its way in and one of the especially friendly girls even said hi and asked who I was. That helped take the pressure off since I knew at least a few of them would be paying attention. Both the senior level classes went very well and I used every one of the 40 minutes made available to me. There was too much to say and not enough time to say it, but I believe I condensed it fairly well. Since I wanted to keep their attention and raise expectations, after quickly explaining the slightly different Argentine pronunciation, I started off with photos of places to see in Argentina. I covered Iguazú, Buenos Aires, Puerto Madryn, El Calafate, El Chaltén, Bariloche, Mendoza, and Salta. I kept it brief and gave them a taste of what was available. After this, my rough outline covered: Why I went to study, why a language school, reasons for selecting Argentina, how a language school & homestay works, pros and cons of my experience, and an encouragement to go abroad, regardless of where it might be.

Mrs. Nemer took me to the cafeteria, where the food was much worse than I remembered it being. She bought me lunch and we headed back to the teachers’ area to eat. There I met an older German teacher as well as a woman my age who taught Spanish and a man in his 30s who taught French. Our break for lunch was over an hour, but passed quickly. Now it was back to class for 3 afternoon presentations to the junior classes.

I kept the material the same for the juniors and was pleasantly surprised at their attention. The only adjustment I made was to translate a few more of the words after having said them in Spanish. Since they had one less year of study and slightly less comprehension, I tried to help them understand.  I chuckled as one guy, before I got up front, couldn’t believe that a male was there to speak. He had become so used to most of his classmates and language teachers being female. It was the afternoon, so there was plenty of nodding off, but I couldn’t complain. There were several “go-to” students who were engaged and upon whom I could depend for eye contact, smiles, and affirmation. The final class of the day was my best presentation, as it should have been. The previous class had been drowsy and this animated me to liven it up and engage them more. They responded and I especially enjoyed that particular class. One redheaded girl in the back right had been paying attention even more than the others. As I talked with her and Mrs. Nemer, she said that she had wanted to do something like what I had done. Her parents were wanting her to stay close to home, but she wanted to study outside of Minnesota or North Dakota. I told her she still had a year to convince her parents and encouraged her to go for it and find a way to work it out with her parents.

Mrs. Nemer and I said goodbye. She thanked me and said this experience had been perfect for her students. She didn’t know much about Argentina or language schools and would keep them in mind for her students’ futures. Her face lit up as she talked and I hope it did her heart good to see the affect she had had on a former student. I thanked her for allowing me to fulfill my goal and help others at the same time. On the way out, I stopped by the business department and chatted briefly with Mr. Engen and caught Mr. Marsh as he returned. We talked for about 15 minutes and he mentioned he had a son in Bozeman, MT and that I could stay with him on my way to Missoula if I wished. He also recounted how his youngest son had his colon removed and would soon have another surgery at Mayo that would allow his intestine to do the work of the colon. He told me to give him a call and let him know how I was doing and I promised to do so.

The classes cost 50% less than at the school and Maria earns 300% more. It’s a win-win situation. I pay her directly, she’s always in a good mood, and we have class wherever and whenever we want. Right now, I’m taking classes for 3 hours a day, 4 days a week. The time flies by because she’s an excellent, well-qualified teacher with a likable personality. We’ve been meeting in various cafes in Recoleta. She can go to her other job after classes and I can stroll to my classes is about 25 minutes. It feels more like meeting and learning with a friend than having a class.

It feel like a different life right now. I’m living in my own place, with complete freedom, and taking classes in the aforementioned manner. Before, relatively speaking, I was paying a lot for a homestay program with a tiny room, capricious old woman, and an inability to cook. At the same time, I was enrolled in a school that allowed me to make new friends but also frustrated me to no end. If anyone wants to learn Spanish, let me know and I’ll hook you up with accommodations that will allow you to bypass all this! Even if it’s only for a short time, I guarantee you’d enjoy it.

I still can´t believe I spent 12 weeks and over 200 hours learning the language with the school! I´ve progressed a lot, but still have a long way to go. I´m not sure if this gives you any idea of the enormity of learning a language, but it can be quite overwhelming. I completed Avanzado Superior and feel superior and inadequate at the same time. Everyone keeps telling me that I speak very well for having lived her only 3 months. This really helps keep me going.

My teacher Adrian told me he had a similar experience studying English. He would look up the same words 5, 10, 15 times and just couldn´t seem to remember them. But then one day, everything just started to click and he was able to retain and recall more knowledge than ever before. He has studied English, French, and Italian as well. His theory is that with one´s first foreign language, there is a great deal more work involved because the brain functions like that of a child. Much energy is expended in order to build new synapses. As a result, subsequent languages are often much easier.

I don´t have slightest clue if this is true, but it sounds good to me. Either way, I hope to regain some form of intelligence next week. I´m definitely feeling like a mental midget right now.

I can´t explain it, but I have a passion to learn the language. I knew it was in me before I came here, but I was scared to take the leap of faith to travel to a foreign country. Practicing speaking Spanish is my favorite thing in the whole world right now. My frustration is that I am not able to spend more time doing it. I look for every opportunity possible, but learning a language just takes time. There´s no way around it. No amount of money can buy it. You can´t force or will yourself to understand better instantly. Eventually, this is what makes fluency in a language so rewarding.

The other people in my class (from left to right) are: Roger (California), Lucas (Argentine, our teacher), Isabella (Germany), Maria (Austria), Oli (Switzerland), Me, and Niko (Switzerland). Roger lives on a bluff overlooking the ocean in Pacific Palisades, CA. He appears to be loaded and his profession is world traveler. Lucas is our teacher and a very nice, patient guy. Isabella is quiet and speaks German, and little English and French. Maria is coming off a breakup with her Italian boyfriend and traveling the world. She speaks German and Italian. Niko and Oli are from Switzerland and each speak 4 or 5 languages.