It's time to start digging up those Squirrelled Nuts!!!!

tiddles

There is a very good course on FutureLearn: Spanish for beginners 1 to 6, which is offered for free a couple of times a year, and you can ask to be emailed when the next free course is due to start. This is also available for Italian, and both courses are interactive and very accessible - I have studied both, and can highly recommend them.

shinytop

I've been trying to learn Spanish for 5 or 6 years and have tried lots of different approaches - adult learning classes, audio, computer based, youtube, one-to-one lessons, free stuff and paid for.  I also watch Spanish movies (subtitled) and try and read simple books. I'm at an intermediate level - I can easily get by in Spanish speaking countries and can also have simple discussions.  We go to Spain every year and have also been to some other Spanish speaking countries; the great thing about speaking a bit of Spanish is that you can talk to people who don't normally talk to tourists - it's a lot of fun. 

If I were doing it again I'd start with one of the structured programs like Pimsleur or Rosatta - they are deadly dull and repetitive but very effective - along with some of the huge amount of content you can find on Youtube.  I  try and do around an hour a day now; I've just started a new course called Spanish Obsessed (it's podcast based) and I'm thinking about skype/zoom one to one lessons.    As Anonymous101 says, these are very good value, especially from countries like Mexico or even Venezuela, where £10-15 an hour is the going rate.  Also on the list is more travelling and longer stays in Spain but that's on hold for the time being.

MallyGirl

Anonymous101 said:

Learning a language (Spanish) has long been an ambition of mine. I studied it at school briefly and do enjoy the odd spree of Duolingo or listening to one of the many podcasts around. Coffee break Spanish is a very good one Sea Shell.
I think I've said on here before that I feel like I don't have the mental capacity to learn this whilst I'm working like I am. Perhaps this is a limiting a belief but its currently at the top of my to do list once I retire. Immersion seems to be the key and for that I feel like I need time. There are lots of good online resources, I've also heard about the rise in services using video calls to teach people. One of the lucky side effects of Covid is this could become more common. They can be surprisingly cheep too when you're speaking with someone perhaps based in a cheaper part of the world.

I feel the same - that immersion would work best for me. French would be my language.
In the meantime, because I am still working full time, I am trying to start piano as I think that little and often would be OK for that. DD is supposed to be teaching me but we have yet to have our first lesson - she has set me some homework first on basic music theory so I have signed up to a free course on the OU.

Sea_Shell

Noticeably busier on this morning's run, despite being out by 8.20am!!  A bit more weaving and road crossing deployed, but still safely negotiated.

Then a dance around the bedroom to "Footloose" on Radio 2.  Set me up for the day now. 

waveydavey48

On the subject of language learning has anyone else tried "languagetransfer.org"? It's similar to Michel Thomas audio only method but totally free. I've done the German one and it's very good. 

westv

I'm learning Spanish using a Linguaphone course - well I am trying to but I'm currently in the "I must get back to it" gap!

shinytop

waveydavey48 said:

On the subject of language learning has anyone else tried "languagetransfer.org"? It's similar to Michel Thomas audio only method but totally free. I've done the German one and it's very good. 

Thanks for this.  I did MT a while ago and found it very good.  This looks like a more modern take on his method. 

[Deleted User]

waveydavey48 said:

On the subject of language learning has anyone else tried "languagetransfer.org"? It's similar to Michel Thomas audio only method but totally free. I've done the German one and it's very good. 

I have just looked up the Spanish version and read the second transcript (even though you are not supposed to) - I love it, thanks

Parking_Trouble

Sea_Shell said:

Noticeably busier on this morning's run, despite being out by 8.20am!!  A bit more weaving and road crossing deployed, but still safely negotiated.

Then a dance around the bedroom to "Footloose" on Radio 2.  Set me up for the day now. 

People are getting up earlier and earlier to avoid each other.
We've been walking the dog at 6.30am for 2 hours+ since lockdown started.
The afternoon walk is suspended because there are so many people out.
I'm seeing more people in the morning and I'm tempted to go out even earlier or find more off-piste routes.
I assume these people used the gym, or walked/cycled to work for exercise. Hopefully they'll disappear after this is over 

On another topic our monthly spending is very much down. I'll have a closer look next month but there must be too much frivolous spending, running into £100's. We're certainly eating and drinking well enough.

bluenose1

We went for a fantastic early 2 hour walk through the wood tracks near our house to the beach today. The sea was blue, the beach remote, the sun hot. it was just like being abroad.  We are very fortunate as lots of different remote tracks to take, although we saw more people about than normal, though the few we went past maintained social distance. Apart from one annoying family as we ended our walk who thought it was OK just to barge past, without giving us the chance to get out of the way. 

I am working from home and despite being even busier than normal the lockdown saves me a  2 hour daily commute so the personal benefits for me outweigh the negatives. i miss not going to the  odd coffee shops, restaurants and going the gym, but not that much, though maybe that’s because the weather is so good. i have also been up cycling some of our old wooden furniture by painting them pastel colours. 
I suppose all we can do is make the best of it. My joys today were seeing a red squirrel In the Pine Woods and loads of butterflies, though I haven’t a clue what species they were. Plus sitting on the top of a sand dune  to drink a bottle of water with the hot sun warming us. Simple pleasures.