Round Three with Aitana

Once again, my conversation with Aitana went better than the last! Every time I meet with her, I feel like her English improves immensely. Immersion programs like the one offered at TCU seem to work extremely effectively. I think that’s the best way to learn a language – getting thrown into it and not being able to speak anything else. Constant exposure and practice is the only way to become fluent in a foreign language. It also helps you remember the language for a longer period of time. I may have taken Spanish in high school but it’s difficult for me to recall everything I learned because I don’t speak it everyday. And I wasn’t fully immersed in the language in the first place!

Anyway, back to the conversation. Aitana told me she’s looking for a job. Since she only has class in the morning, the rest of her day is pretty uneventful. I suggested she apply to work at the rec center. They’re always hiring there! She did say that she’s going to start babysitting for a family in the area. I think that would be a great opportunity for her! In addition to killing some of her free time, spending time with young children would help her English skills.

We also discussed the upcoming Thanksgiving Break. I explained to her how we only have school Monday and Tuesday next week and then we have a much-needed five-day weekend! She seemed excited about that. I also explained the significance of Thanksgiving – gathering with your family and loved ones to recognize how much there is to be thankful for in your life. And the food of course. I asked her if she had any plans for the break. Aitana’s stepsister invited her to spend the holiday with her in San Antonio. I told her all about San Antonio – the river walk, Mexican food, and the Alamo. Of course, Aitana had never heard of the Alamo so I gave her a little lesson in Texas history.

I was curious to know if there was a Spanish equivalent to Thanksgiving. Aitana said that there’s no day like Thanksgiving celebrated in Spain. She did tell me about Holy Week, which takes place the week before Easter each year. People gather in the center of the cities and perform processions throughout the city. Aitana told me the people pray and contemplate God while they walk. She said she likes to get away from the city during this time.

“There are way too many people,” Aitana told me. “It’s too crowded.”

Our conversation then shifted away from holidays and onto a much more random subject.

“My friend and I think you look like the girl in Like Crazy!” she exclaimed. “You don’t look like a typical American girl. You look British!”

I was quite flattered. Felicity Jones, the actress in that movie, is gorgeous! And it wasn’t the first time someone had told me I looked British. I actually hear that frequently – maybe that’s why I’ve developed an obsession with England. Aitana mentioned that it’s much harder for her to understand English accents as opposed to American accents. It makes sense. Americans speak with more breaks whereas Brits speak with fluency. Their speech flows more, making it more difficult to catch what they’re saying if you’re learning English. Americans take more pauses, breaking up their sentences, making it easier for those learning English to absorb.

I asked Aitana about her roommate’s learning progress. She is also in TCU’s Intensive Language Program. Her roommate is from China. Aitana complained about how her roommate is so shy. She says she hardly ever talks, which makes it difficult for her to improve her language skills. She also only hangs out with other Chinese people, while Aitana spends time with a diverse group of people. Her roommate probably speaks Chinese with her friends, impeding her English skills. Aitana hangs out with other students in the program – people from Russia, Saudi Arabia, and other countries. They’re getting a lot more practice because they have to talk to each other in English. That’s probably why Aitana already speaks pretty good English!