Living abroad tips and hints for money savers

binnie

Ah yes thats it Sue, Gonzales.

bobito

If you can get a leaflet with english and spanish on it (try tourist information) carry it around with you. Next time you meet Speedy Gonzalez get him/her to read the spanish to you. It helps with understanding how it's spoken and pronounciation, and you can do the same for señor/señora Gonzales!
bob

Savvy_Sue

bobito wrote: »

If you can get a leaflet with english and spanish on it (try tourist information) carry it around with you. Next time you meet Speedy Gonzalez get him/her to read the spanish to you. It helps with understanding how it's spoken and pronounciation, and you can do the same for señor/señora Gonzales!
bob

It certainly is worth being aware of your 'learning styles' here - if I can see what is being said, I can 'hear' it much much better. Even if I don't understand a word of it, if I can relate the sound to how it looks, it helps me enormously. Not everyone's brain works like that, however!

droopsnout

Not living in Spain, I'm unfamiliar with the TV service, but if there are teletext subtitles with some programmes, it may help some people to see the written word as it is said. But this won't work well with live programmes, where the subtitles are generally a few seconds behind the audio.

bobito

Films on DVD are good. With language and subtitle options you can watch it in english with spanish subtitles, spanish with english subtitles, etc. Hmm .... might go off to rent a video soon ...... bob

Chollita

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

One of the things you will find out about Spain is that laws are always changing and no-one, including the people who are supposed to be enforcing it, ever knows what it is.

Ain't that just the case!

Chollita

I'm more of a Bronze Surfer (ie still under 40 ... just ...) but as a Spanish resident I thought I'd give my tuppence worth on language learning.

I've been living in Spain for almost 18 months, and although I already knew some Spanish before I came here, I've improved a lot through more or less total immersion. My boyfriend, friends and flatmates are Spanish-speaking. Of course, not all of you are f/t residents, but I really think the best way to learn is to live in a country.

My tips for language learning before arrival:

- Borrow a course from the library and learn the basics. Don't worry about becoming fluent, you won't at first. Just make a start.
- Listen to radio and songs in your target language (plenty available on the net). It doesn't matter if you don't understand, just have it on in the background to get used to the sound of the language.
- If you can find one, join a language group.
- Bobo's tip on DVDs and subtitles is a useful one, I've picked up a lot of vocabulary that way.

Once you arrive:

- Try to make friends with locals (not just other English people), and speak in their language, even if you can only manage simple sentences.
- Don't worry about making mistakes. We all do.
- If you have local TV, have it on as background noise.
- Practice every day. Speak to neighbours, shop staff etc.
- Persist with the language; if people try to switch to English, explain that you're learning and want to practice.

Savvy_Sue

droopsnout wrote: »

Not living in Spain, I'm unfamiliar with the TV service, but if there are teletext subtitles with some programmes, it may help some people to see the written word as it is said. But this won't work well with live programmes, where the subtitles are generally a few seconds behind the audio.

And if they're anything like English sub-titles, don't necessarily bear much relationship to what's actually being said live! If it's something that's being repeated, they sometimes improve as the day goes on.

binnie

Thanks all for the tips. I've been on the BBC website and listened to a few words and how they are pronounced.
Sometimes I find it easier to see the words written down than hearing them, I was always like that at French in my school days.

LesD

A couple of essential books to read before buying property in Spain are 'You and the Law in Spain' and 'You and Your Property in Spain' by David Searl.

The first one is revised annually and usually comes out in June.