Or, for my English speaking friends…Learning Spanish with Rosetta Stone.

Last Thursday I secretly kicked of “Thankful Thursdays” with my post about Pinterest.  I won’t promise to post every single Thursday, but it is my goal.  In these posts I want to share thanks that I’m grateful for.

Today…it’s Rosetta Stone Spanish.

I’m embarrassed to say I’ve attempted to learn Spanish many times and in many different ways.  I learned enough years ago to ask for a drink, order some food, and ask for a bathroom.

In May 2011, I signed up for a Spanish class at a local community college thinking that would do the trick.  It didn’t go well.  On one occasion the instructor asked me the word for “book” and I said “libra”.  She basically made fun of me.  Really?  The actual Spanish word for “book” is “libro”.  I was one letter off, but apparently that was a cardinal sin to her.  Shortly after that, I had to take an emergency trip to Colorado because my grandfather became terminally ill.  After missing a few classes I knew I would never catch up and frankly after the whole “book” incident, I didn’t have the desire to go back any way.  So, I dropped it.

Fast forward to right before Christmas 2012.  Groupon was offering a huge discount on Rosetta Stone.  I jumped on it.  I wondered if maybe it would be an abbreviated version of their courses, but near as I can tell it’s the full version.

I’ve been using Rosetta Stone for about two week, but it wasn’t until January 1st that I made a goal of practicing ever day.  Since then, I have only missed one day and I gave myself a break because it was my birthday.

I love the techniques Rosetta Stone uses:

• There is absolutely no English.  They use photos and repeated use of the words.  After a few uses, it becomes easy to deduce the meaning of the new word(s).
• Lessons include listening, grammar, pronunciation, reading, and writing.
• Every so often it throws in a review of previously lessons.
• It scores each lesson and if your score falls below a certain level, it offers the chance to re-do the lesson.  I think the minimum score is 75%, but I haven’t paid a lot of attention.  If it suggests re-doing the lesson I do it.
• There are 4 CDs packed full of lessons.  I’m not even through CD 1.

Here is the GREAT news…

Last night I was watching a show in which a couple of characters spoke some Spanish.  I actually knew what they were saying without looking at the captions.  I was THRILLED!

I have a very long way to go (especially when it comes to the grammar), but I’m feeling motivated.  For the first time, I think I actually might learn Spanish and that’s a great thing since I love Latin America.