Span-English

The New Year has arrived and with it the sunshine so I feel a little more antipodean this January than those few just past. Yesterday I took my first swim in the ocean and I swear I’m at least two shades more tanned than when we arrived on the island three weeks ago. My husband disagrees. Okay so I’m still a little fluorescent but getting there. London squeezes all the tan out of you. You might remember I have given myself three challenges this year; to be the best mum I can to my sweet little first born, to lose 10kg that I gained in pregnancy (this one doesn’t start until the 7^th Jan when all the Spanish celebrations are over – hooray!) and to learn Spanish. Since my last blog I’ve had two classes with my father –in –law and they are proving helpful but what I really want to talk about is my own efforts to spark up a conversation in Span-English.

Unfortunately a lot of the shops near where I live are touristy ones run by foreigners to Lanzarote and Spanish isn’t their native tongue anyway but there are a number of cute café’s and other more functionary stores where I’ve been honing my skills with the locals. I’ve struck up a deal with the local salon owner Ester whereby she will only allow me to speak Spanish in her store. She even caught me reading Time magazine and quickly switched it for Hola! I think I read that Prince Harry has a new girlfriend. Anyway with a full head of highlights only costing 11 Euros you can bet Ester and I will be spending a lot of time together. I’m to say “Por favor, Ester, cobréme!” when I want to pay and we have managed an awkward conversation about how bad my hair needs doing right now. I pointed at the baby and hoped she would accept my pleas that I was busy giving birth and what not. Ester is one of those remarkably happy people that has seemed to adapt to the changing environment of Lanzarote over the years. She warmly embraced my desire to learn Spanish just as much as the next customers need to speak in English and then the next who only wanted to converse in German!

The waiter in what has quickly become our go-to café seems a little hesitant to assist me in my venture. Not too many smiles from him but he’s nice enough and if I keep going back I’m sure I’ll win him over eventually. He has taught me ‘para llevar’ which means I want my coffee to takeaway and which I confidently blurted out earlier today. He seemed unimpressed with his student’s progress. Perhaps he is yet to realize he is my teacher for the next 7 months?

Last night I watched Toy Story 2 in Spanish and particularly enjoyed watching Buzz do a Spanish character, in Spanish.  I can’t really say if I’ve improved my speaking too much just yet but let’s give it some more time and hope the Span-English eventually drops the latter half. Oh and a note to those that want to embarrass themselves by showing their lack of ability to remember even the basics like numbers; play Bingo with your in-laws and be the one that calls the numbers…