| Even though my father was Costa Rican and I | | | | Frequently spending time in Spanish-speaking |
| was born there, I was brought to the USA when | | | | areas, I tried learning from people around me. |
| I was 1 year old and grew up with my mother's | | | | Found out later that I had picked up some bad |
| family in Virginia, USA. So of course I am a | | | | habits and accents! Also it seemed that people |
| product of the U.S. educational system. Three | | | | were too polite to correct me and let me |
| university degrees and I only spoke one language. | | | | continue with bad grammar, etc. Oh where was |
| Any high school graduate in Europe would speak | | | | Rocket Spanish when I needed it!? |
| at least two languages, probably four. But it's | | | | Without the guidance that Rocket Spanish could |
| easier for them. You travel a hundred or two | | | | have provided, it took me 12 years of off-and-on |
| miles there and the people around you will likely | | | | learning before I finally passed a Spanish |
| be speaking another language. In the U.S. and | | | | competence exam! |
| Canada you can go 3,000+ miles and never need | | | | So what did I learn from that process? |
| more than English (unless you go to Miami!) | | | | 1. It's like learning to swim; you've got to immerse |
| So I was internationally impaired but happy as a | | | | yourself in the water until it buoys you up! Take |
| clam in my ignorance. | | | | the time to get intense about it for a while, then |
| Then when I was 31 the company I worked for | | | | visit where Spanish is spoken and you use it all |
| sent me on a sales mission to South America, | | | | the time. Note your weaknesses and study again. |
| and I passed by Costa Rica and Argentina to | | | | 2. Traditional methods work, but they are very |
| meet some of my relatives on my father's side. | | | | slow, and boring. You need innovative |
| Talk about culture shock! Suddenly everyone | | | | Adult-education methods like those used by |
| around me was speaking in Spanish and I needed | | | | Rocket Spanish. |
| desperately to catch up, NOW! | | | | 3. You need to learn another language the same |
| A little research taught me that the absolute Best | | | | way you learned English - spoken first, then |
| way to learn Spanish was to attend the | | | | written. Work on understanding and making |
| Missionary School in San José, Costa Rica. | | | | yourself understood first. Sort out the deeper |
| Costs about $700 for a 4 month trimester and | | | | niceties of grammar later. |
| it's full time. They can take someone who doesn't | | | | 4. Don't let yourself just think in English and |
| speak a word of Spanish (like me!) and in a year | | | | translate. You have to get into Spanish to the |
| have him able to read, write and preach the | | | | point where you begin to think in the language. |
| Gospel in Spanish, and be eloquent and convincing! | | | | Good programs like Rocket Spanish will help you |
| Wow! The school is only for aspiring missionaries, | | | | do that. |
| but if they have any classes not full, they will | | | | 5. Practice. Don't be afraid to make mistakes! |
| take anyone for the tuition plus $100. I know | | | | 6. Review and work at it. Stay with it, and |
| people who have gone through one trimester | | | | progress, clarity and fluency will come. |
| there and they could speak Spanish pretty well | | | | 7. Use it. Involve yourself in activities in which you |
| afterward! | | | | MUST use Spanish to do something, on a regular |
| But I didn't have four months to spare. And | | | | basis. Teach something you know, get into |
| Rocket Spanish was not yet available at that time. | | | | debates, watch the news, and do it in Spanish! |
| So I had to cobble together my own system of | | | | Today, the ideal way to learn is to get a good |
| learning. The process itself was educational. | | | | adult-education program that has audio visual and |
| I tried taking classroom courses. They helped, but | | | | interactive game aspects. The best out there is |
| I was traveling a lot and never could seem to get | | | | Rocket Spanish, especially for the money. You |
| continuity in what I was learning. | | | | can pay 2 or 3 times as much but you won't get |
| I tried books. Learned a lot from books (I'm a | | | | more than 5-10% more depth, if that. |
| visual learner) but that meant that I could read | | | | The advantage is that with Rocket Spanish you |
| Spanish, even write a bit, but I couldn't talk so | | | | can control the hours and the intensity. You can |
| anyone could understand me. And when I heard | | | | fit it around your work schedule, go fast or slow, |
| people talking in earnest, they went so fast I | | | | review or skip ahead. With Rocket Spanish you |
| couldn't understand. "Disculpeme por favor | | | | choose the pace and the next lesson, according |
| Señor, pero usted está hablando | | | | to your needs. Also, Rocket Spanish will make it |
| 20% mas rápido que yo puedo | | | | fun, interesting and exciting. Makes it much easier |
| oír!" ('Scuse me Sir, but you're talking 20% | | | | to stick with your learning program. |
| faster than I can hear!) | | | | |