Learning Spanish

Learning a second language is no small task at any age, let alone as a retiree. Once we decided the move to Panamá was imminent, I did an on-line search for lessons that would fit into our lifestyle.

Some years back we bought a Rocket Languages Spanish course. At that time, we thought it would be helpful for vacation travel. It was our first foray into learning another language. You were taught common useful phrases. I found it was good for our purposes at the time, but moving to Panamá necessitated another way of learning Spanish. Spanish has many different versions and dialects. We thought learning ideally from a Panamanian would be the best way. I also wanted to learn about verb conjugations. There are 18 Spanish verb tenses and moods, oh my!

I happened upon a blog from an expat living in Panama, Kris Cunningham. She has a great blog called “The Panamá Adventure“. She has lived in Panamá since 2012. I found a post on her blog about how she learned Spanish. Her teacher, Yaira, is now our teacher as well. We started classes with her on-line by video chat months before our move, and we continue to do so. She is a very patient and lovely woman who will go at your own pace based on your needs. We have grown to love her like family and highly recommend her.

We also supplement our Spanish lessons by doing Duolingo daily. Our Spanish is, and will continue to be, a work in progress. We feel we have come a long way and are proud of our accomplishments.

Often times we put our Spanish into practice on the streets of town, at the fruit and vegetable market, and running daily errands. I try to not let any embarrassment get the better of me. I find that our hosts in this beautiful country appreciate that you are trying. And a lot of the time, they are trying to learn English as well.