Week 1 - Passion Project 2017 - Why I Want to Learn Spanish

I have chosen to learn Spanish as my Passion Project this year. I sponsor a child in Ecuador who speaks and writes in Spanish, and I would like to be able to write letters to her in her own language. I would also like to be able to read what she has written, without relying on the translation that is provided for me.

At some point in the future, I would really like to visit Katherin (my sponsored child). I know that the organization through which I sponsor her, Children International will help me to plan a visit, and will provide a translator. However, I think that it would be best if I could communicate directly with Katherin and her family.

Learning a new language is also a way of opening doors to new types of information, and a great method to keep my brain active. I think it could be challenging in some ways to learn Spanish, since I am already fluent in French and they are so similar. When I have traveled to Spanish-speaking countries in the past, I have found myself trying to communicate by speaking French instead of the very small amount of Spanish I already know. I even say "oui" instead of "si"! I have heard that learning a third language (and a fourth, and a fifth...) is easier than learning a second language, and I hope that is true!

This is a photo of Katherin in May 2016

In order to begin work on my Passion Project, I will need to find some resources that will help me. I plan on using the website Duolingo to support my learning. I also plan on finding a variety of television shows and movies that are originally in Spanish, so that I can work on listening to and understanding native speakers.

Duolingo - Turns out knowing French was an asset in the pre-test!