| Ok, let's face it I know three languages, English, | | | | added bonus for me to find out that these good |
| German and bad! What's more I admit, I'm better | | | | folks also like to give stuff away. I signed up for |
| at bad language than any of the other 2. So, with | | | | the free 6 day e-course on the website - this |
| the summer holidays to Espana bearing down on | | | | was better than some commercial packages I |
| me I decided to up the ante and learn the local | | | | have tried in the past - and contains selected |
| lingo - at least if the natives were slagging me off | | | | lessons from the full series to give you a flavour |
| I was determined to know what they were | | | | of what to expect. Well, I was sold. |
| saying. As I only had 3 weeks to learn the basics | | | | When I signed up for the full package I had |
| I had no time to enroll in night school or hire a | | | | access to a wide range of material including a |
| tutor, so I was basically left with a book, or audio | | | | series of downloadable audio lessons, great for |
| courses. My other criteria was that, being a tight | | | | listening to on the bus, or in the car. (note to self |
| wad, I didn't want to spend a fortune - hey I | | | | - don't repeat the phrases out loud on the bus). I |
| need some money for a Cervesa or five! | | | | got 31 audio lessons of about 20 minutes each, |
| Anyway, after looking around it soon became | | | | which amounts to 12 hours continuous listening. I |
| clear that there were three main contenders, | | | | also got a 210 page document on formal |
| Pimsleur, Rosetta Stone and the new boy on the | | | | grammar (maybe I'll read that on the plane), a |
| block - Rocket Spanish. My choice was quickly | | | | word building game (the kids loved that one), and |
| made for me when I read some reviews and | | | | full e-mail backup and support from the courses |
| saw the price - Rocket Spanish is almost a | | | | creator, Mauricio Evlampieff. Mauricio also informs |
| quarter of the other competitors price! At $99 it | | | | me that he consulted a university psychologist |
| was a great bargain! It wasn't purely price that | | | | whose techniques are claimed to help people |
| drew me in though, I had heard of the other two | | | | absorb this type of information faster. Using this |
| courses, and in fact have used the German | | | | expertise, the time required to learn a foreign |
| version of Pimsleur in the past to brush up on my | | | | language can be reduced by up to two thirds! The |
| skills. Their quality was never in question. No, the | | | | final clincher was the money back guarantee. |
| other thing that made Rocket Spanish stand out | | | | Mauricio offers a full 60 day money-back |
| was that it is aimed at duffers like me who really | | | | guarantee, which I'm happy to say I definitely |
| need a quick grounding in the basics and, more | | | | didn't need. |
| importantly , offers a range of lessons that deals | | | | Anyway, as I write this, the cases are packed, |
| with real life situations (like how to order a beer!). | | | | and bits of flesh that haven't seen sunlight in a |
| The other two were definitely more industrial | | | | very long time are getting ready for a roasting, |
| grade products that could probably have me | | | | and I've been using the course daily. I may not be |
| ordering a beer while asking the way to the | | | | as fluent as Ruben Dario (hes a poet apparently) |
| museum and having a casual conversation about | | | | but I certainly feel more confident speaking to the |
| the works of Dali with a native speaker in some | | | | locals this year as we head off. Now, donde |
| obscure Catalonian dialect, but let's face it - that | | | | está la barra por favour - as they say in |
| would just be showing off. | | | | Spain! |
| As I said, I'm a bit of a tight wad so it was an | | | | |