Reflection

Learning in a classroom is extremely beneficial, but it is nothing compared to real-life experiences. I first learned this as a missionary. My first 6 weeks were spent in classes for 8 hours a day, which was great, but I don’t think I really started learning Spanish until I was thrown into the field. When I was forced to speak no matter how scared I felt because that was the only option I had. There were many mistakes and hard days, but it was exactly what helped me to learn that much quicker. As I have continued to learn Spanish in college classes I have learned a lot more, and it has given me the opportunity to practice it in my own life which has made my abilities that much stronger.

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In my personal life, I have tried to keep up with my Spanish practice by speaking it with friends and consuming media in Spanish, and I have also been able to write some poetry in Spanish. For years, I have written poetry on my own time as a way to express myself and to talk about my experiences. When learning a new language, one of the things I noticed is that when I spoke in that new language, I felt like I was more honest. I didn’t have the most sophisticated vocabulary when speaking in Spanish so I had no choice but to be straightforward. I decided to start writing more of my poetry in Spanish to see if I could utilize this to create something very honest. I have really enjoyed doing this and I plan to keep writing in Spanish. It helps me be creative and I think it has also helped me expand my language abilities.

 

Professionally, I have also been able to speak Spanish and help with interpretation. For a few months, I volunteered at the MTC (Missionary Training Center) where I interpreted Sunday church meetings that were in English for native Spanish-speaking missionaries who couldn’t understand English yet. When I got there, they gave me a headset- in one ear I could hear the meeting in English, and in the other ear I heard myself when I spoke Spanish into a microphone. I remember the first couple of times I did it, how challenging it was for me. I felt so nervous but I did my best to keep talking so everyone in the meeting could understand. I also had the opportunity to translate some of the talks before the meeting, which I also learned a lot from. I worked with a native Spanish-speaker from the MTC who gave me a lot of good tools and tips that I would be able to utilize when translating and interpreting, which I hope to continue using in my life and career.

 

As much as I have benefited from the many teachers that I have had and how patient they have been in teaching me, some of the greatest learning experiences I have had has been connecting this learning to my own life. Writing poetry in Spanish and having some experience interpreting and translating have both been valuable tools that I can use in the future.