Instant Friends: Intercambio Party

     The best way to learn Spanish is to speak Spanish.  As much as possible, as often as possible.  To help us utilize the grammar, vocabulary, and colloquial terms that we learn in the classroom outside the classroom, Maica and Carlos set up an Intercambio party at the Emory Center.  Six native Spaniards came (although we were supposed to have 13,) and we had the opportunity to speed date with them in 2 languages for 15 minutes each.  At the end of every conversation, I took down their contact info so that we can talk again.  I've actually had my first intercambio date with a discoteca promoter named Luis.  Every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 10pm-4am he stands on the street and tries to get people to go to his discoteca.  In simpler terms, he gets paid 5 euros an hour to get snubbed by drunk people.  However, club promoters are great people to practice your speaking with because they are lonely and desperate for positive human interaction.  So whenever someone approaches me asking if I'm going out tonight and I don't have anywhere to be, I will stop and chat.

      Thus far, I have not had a fully immersive experience.  There are two American girls also staying in my apartment (until tomorrow,) my Spanish classes are with other international students (from America, Japan, China, Korea, Brazil, Canada, etc.,) I have planned trips with other Emory students, and a lot of people really do speak English.  I have not been fully challenged to adapt to something completely new and different, and quite frankly I'm slightly disappointed.

     Instead of my environment challenging me, it is up to me to challenge myself.  In the next week, things will drastically change.  The American girls will be gone.  No more English at home.  I will stop speaking English with my Emory friends.  I will schedule regular intercambios with university students to improve conversational skills and build a friend network to hang out with.  To all the Spanish people reading my blog (and aren't just trying to find a recipe for paella... hit me up and lets talk ESPANOL!)  Maybe I can even find a boyfriend (I doubt any Spanish boy can handle this jersey girl.) WHO KNOWS.  All I'm saying is the adjustment period has come and gone, and now I need to overwhelm myself by trying to tackle Spain head on.