What’s your barrier to learning Spanish?
Are you short of money and can’t afford to pay for lessons?
Do you think you are too old to learn?
Do you believe you have some “blockage” that stops you from learning?
Whatever you may believe is stopping you; I am here to tell you the reason can be blasted away.
I too once had a terrible day when the thought kept rolling around in my head that I couldn’t learn Spanish. I’d been trying to learn for a long time and couldn’t even hold a basic conversation.
Suddenly it dawned on me that every English speaker I knew that had learned Spanish successfully, learned Spanish as a child
I felt totally dejected, and all sorts of doubts crept in. I started thinking maybe all my efforts were a waste of time.
I wondered, is it even possible to learn to speak fluent Spanish as an adult?
You see at the time I didn’t know a single person who learned later in life.
Now I know that those thoughts were completely wrong..
In fact, since then I have taught people of all ages. I know that age is one of the easiest learning barriers to blast away. So far the record for my oldest student is a 96 year old Texan.
Maybe you think you have a “blockage” when it comes to learning languages.
Let me just ask you, you learned your first language didn’t you?
Maybe rather than a “blockage” in you, it’s the approach to learning that is letting you down.
In fact most teaching methods are based on systems never designed to be used to actually speak to anyone.
Sounds crazy, but it’s true.
You see most courses are based on methods to learn Latin.
Not a lot of native Latin speakers around these days…
Think about that.
Have you actually been trying to learn Spanish with methods based on a system that was never meant for use in speaking to a living person?
Is it any wonder you have experienced a “blockage”.
The method itself was your barrier to learning.
But what if we could remove the barriers to learning?
What if there was a way to learn that assured your success?
What if we changed the approach and every barrier to learning suddenly vanished — right now, today — what would your life be like in a month? In two months, on New Year’s Day, 2011?
How many new friends would you have?
How many more places would you go?
Would you go to places that most people find intimidating, remote, or too far off the beaten track?
Would you enjoying being daring and move around freely?
Or would you go to places less remote but no less invigorating, and enjoy mixing with the locals?
How much more would you enjoy travel?
“What would you do?
Where would you go to practice your new Spanish?
Would you go and live in a different country?
Which one would you choose?
Would you live on the beach or in the mountains?
How would it feel to see and be part of a completely different way of life?
How much more fun would it be to travel when you can go anywhere you want and know that you can communicate easily and confidently with the locals?
Isn’t that what the art of living is all about, great relationships with people?
How would you be able to help others with Spanish under your belt?
So many of my students have discovered my methods dissolve any learning barriers. Now they experience Spanish in a whole new way.
For 2 lucky people I am removing every possible barrier
You see, I am reopening the Synergy Spanish Scholarship. Last time I offered this was two years ago in 2009.
In Mexico they use the term refried to talk about releases and reruns. So, I am calling the new version the Synergy Spanish Scholarship Refrito.
So here’s a new chance for you to blast away any learning barriers including financial ones. Let’s make 2011 the year you learn Spanish.
Here’s what the winners of Synergy Spanish Scholarship Refrito 2011 Version get…
Component 1 – The original Synergy Spanish course
– value $67.00
This is your foundation to speaking Spanish freely. Amazingly in this course all you need is 138 words to get by in Spanish. Isn’t that so do-able, just 138 words???? You see, the magic isn’t so much in the words but rather in you learning the easy patterns that let you combine a few words to say a whole lot. Once you learn to combine Synergy Verbs, Brick Verbs and Mortar Words you’ll be able to make thousands of sentences in Spanish. Anyone can learn to communicate in Spanish with this course.
Component 2 – Synergy Spanish informal conversation
– value $27.00
This course has previously only been available to members of my Bola de Nieve program. It takes everything you learned in Synergy Spanish and makes it a piece of cake for you to start speaking informally and conversationally with relatives, children and amigos. Now you have a great foundation it’s time to step up your Spanish fluency level.
Component 3 – Synergy Spanish level 2 – Bola de Nieve
– value $420
This course follows on sequentially from Synergy Spanish. We called it Bola de Nieve because it’s Spanish for snowball. You just take the momentum from Synergy Spanish, and like rolling a snowball down hill, your fluency grows and grows. You’ll easily speak Spanish in flowing sentences, and truly express yourself in your new language. The winner’s membership will be set at module 3 of the 14 modules in the course. That way by New Year’s Eve 2009 you have had the chance to finish the course and start talking up a storm in Spanish. Who knows maybe you’ll celebrate the New Year in a Spanish speaking country filled with new possibilities as you make the most of your new talent. There’s more!
Component 4 – All levels of my Shortcut to Spanish courses
– value $109.00
These courses build your vocabulary fast, plus get you using Spanish right away, and learn thousand of words that you can add to your Synergy Spanish patterns for maximum communication in minimum time.
Component 5 Synergy Spanish – Spanish Ear Training – lifetime membership
– conservative estimate $420
Spanish Ear Training – for many people this is the final hurdle, once you can speak and say just a bout anything you want to say, you’ll want to strengthen your ear for Spanish. That way, you’ll keep up with the rapid pace of Spanish, training your ears to tune in and handle anything that’s thrown at you. The scholarship winners will get access to all the Spanish Ear Training monthly lessons for as long as the programs runs.
Component 6 Synergy Spanish – Advanced Concepts Intensive – lifetime membership
– conservative estimate $980
This is my highest-level training. So far it has only been available to graduates of Bola de Nieve or Spanish Ear Training programs. The program is for people who can speak Spanish but want to dominate the language. The scholarships winners will get access Advanced Concepts Intensive for as long as the programs runs.
Total Value of the scholarship – $1823.00
How to enter Synergy Spanish Scholarship Refrito 2011
There are two categories
Category 1 – Synergy Spanish to make your life better
Category 2 – Synergy Spanish to improve the lives of others
Here’s all you a have to do to win, just answer one of these two questions: –
1) How will learning Synergy Spanish change your life?
or
2) How will your learning Synergy Spanish help others?
Please answer in less than 200 words.
The answers I judge to be best in my opinion will receive complete access to all my Synergy Spanish lessons and all the items listed above.
Just answer right here on the blog and make 2011 your breakthrough year…
Entries that I am reviewing for this “refrito” version of the Synergy Spanish Scholarship must be received between January 10, 2011 and January 18, 2011. So get your entry in now by using the “leave a comment” section below.
Two years ago I went back to school to learn to do income taxes. At the time I did not realize how many spanish speaking clients did not understand the complexity of doing a tax return.
I feel so helpless because I am unable to convey to these clients all the ins and outs of the tax systems. As a result I feel I cannot give the best solutions and in the process maybe they are not getting the most compensation they should be receiving.
I am 76 years young and my mind is still clear and sharp.
After this tax season is over I intend to learn Spanish so I can help my clients. I feel they deserve the best I can give them/
I like the the way your course is presented.
So sorry I opened this email late,but I’m still interested in learning spanish because I know that with your method,I believe it would remove any barrier.I need to learn spanish to communicate with people on vacation plus I really love the language
I have been trying to learn Spanish for about ten years. I was able to communicate with my friends and coworkers through use of Spanglish. I have wanted to learn this language but continue to find it nearly impossible. I am fifty eight years old and unemployed for nearly twenty months after working since I was twelve. My company, where I worked for eleven years closed the California facility and moved back to Georgia. I have never been out of work for more than a few weeks in the past. I feel that learning Spanish would help me by giving me an additional skill. The demographics in California show the poplulation is over sixty percent hispanic. A lot of my former co-workers and friends speak Spanish but not much English. They have also been unemployed for the same length of time as me. I was their Supervisor and started at the bottom working my way up to that position. I think I could help them by teaching them English so they would be more marketable and could get back to work, too. I have enjoyed the lessons that were free and appreciate your assistance in the past. I am concerned about losing our home. We rent and I have my youngest daughter, granddaughter and son-in-law living with us. My daughter is currently on disability due to having problems with her pregnancy and my son-in-law was just laid off. I don’t know why but I feel learning Spanish might restore some of the self confidence this experience has taken from me. I at one time hoped I would be travelling the world by this time, visiting and making new friends. My daughters first abusive marriage (My granddaughter’s father) resulted in a nasty court affair which cost me most of my savings and then this……..I could use a little good luck……
Learning Spanish will help me better my life and especially the lives of others because it will definitely make me a better member of any Spanish speaking community. By being able to contribute meaningfully and understandably in spanish I will be happy and my sorroundings will be happy too. I have so much bottled up inside that I can’t wait to explode in Spanish.
Learning Spanish will enhance my life and communication skills with the non English speaking community (Latinos).
and I can offer them free services like translation and getting involved in the Latino community and guide them in the right direction not for a fee service , I personally think it I could be a greater asset for the Latino community
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I am Secretary of a newly formed organization, Orphanage Steps of Love. We just turned in our 501(c)3 paperwork. Most of the other board members and committee members speak Spanish. When we visit the children, the little ones get frustrated because I do not understand them. I have been listening to Pimsleur in my car for a few months, getting nowhere fast. (Oh, I do understand a word here and there, but I need the written prompts, etc.) I will be 69 in September but I am always mistaken for anywhere from 45 to 55. I intend to be of use to the world for a very long time. I live in Phoenix and we go to Mexico to work with Steps of Love at least every month. Please look at the website. Thank you!
~Carol Maurer
Marcus: I have taken all your courses and paid for each one. I am now taking Advanced Concepts and want to keep on taking it. I am going to be 78 years old in February and I would like to get a scholarship to keep on taking Advanced Concepts and perhaps any future courses you might offer. I noticed that my emails in response to previous contests you have offered is posted.
I hope you will consider my request.
Best regards and happy New year to you and your family.
Jerry hayes
Hi Marcus: I entered this contest in January, but was not selected. Now, I would like to inform you that I am 76 years old, a retired U.S. Marine and a substitute teacher in Northern Virginia. I am working on Module 12 of Bola de Nieve and have just started working on Spanish Ear Training. I have taken Spanish courses before, but withl little success or satisfaction. I am very conforrtable with your courses and method of teaching.
I hope you will consder me if you decide to renew your contest.
Best Regqrds,
Jerry Hayes
Hi Marcus,I know I missed the closing date but still felt I should write to you.I love the mail you send to me,even the short learning programs are great(i have learnt a lot).A friend and I started learning Spanish together but after a few short months he was much more advanced than me.I had gone with a on line course which as you say I was learning verbs and so on,my friend had gone with your course and can now speak Spanish to a high degree(a year and a half on).We both take in Spanish students every year for no money and I think it would greatly help them if I could talk in Spanish.I have been unemployed for two years and cant afford your program yet(I will one day).Again thank you for the e-mails ,keep them coming!
I moved to Spain to care for my parents and for this reason haven’t spent much time out in the community nor had the time nor money to learn the language – I love the language and so want to perfect it so I can interact and be able to fully enjoy all the country has to offer now that I have decided to remain here. What a wonderful gift this course would be! Thanks for all the helpful tips so far
Heddi
I live in Spain with my husband and my three children and I hope that perfected my Spanish so that I can work here and help my husband
Hola Marcus:
Tengo ochenta y cies anos de edad.
Cuando estuve dos anos de edad mis padres me trajieron de la cuidad de Louisville,Kentucky. compraon una casa en San Antonio, Texas. En esa tiempo el lugar era en el parte de San Antonio a donde muchos familias mejicanos estavan comprando residencias tambien. Los chamaquitos no habladon ingles. Bueno, yo jugava con ellos y aprendi espanol. Los familiias mejicanos eran muy amables.Pero, cuando los chamacos cresieron a dies. once, o doce ya no quicieron hablar espaniol, porque ya podieron hablar ingles y mis padres compraron ortro casa en otro lugar. no estaban familias mejicanas. Desde es tiempo asta hoy no he hablado mucho la idioma, pero me justa hablar espaniol. Ya no me recuerdo mucho del idioma.
Por favor ayudame.
Muchisimas Grande,
Jorge Bennett
Dear Marcus,
I am finding your pointers to be most helpful and I save all of the information for re-reading. Your methodology is unique and very different for my high school Spanish. I have been teaching English to Spanish speakers and your information has helped to bridge the communication gap. I deal with occupational health and safety and would like to improve my Spanish in order to deal with issues affecting persons in the workplace. Thank you for your continued assistance.
I fly to England from Spain for three days every week for my job as a jounalist on a national newspaper. My wife, an outstanding chef, runs our cookery school near Ronda in Andalucia. I have been away on business and picked up your scholarship offer late and missed the closing date. Great pity. I wasted five years at grammar school not learning Spanish and felt that your approach to teaching language would work for me. Michel Thomas, who modestly claimed to be the best language teach in the world, could not achieve it for me. I would love to be able to speak fluently to the people I live among and to later write newspaper articles in Spanish. I shall carry on studying all the material you send me.
How would I use Spanish to better the lives of others? I am a lawyer in the process of retirement. The question always comes up, “What are you going to do with your time?” I have noticed that a larger and larger percentage of clients seeking help are Hispanic immigrants who have difficulty with the English language. I have had to rely on their relatives or professional translators to help with communication. The other two lawyers in my group are in a similar situation, so we cannot help each other. I would like to devote much of my remaining time on earth to helping these Spanish-speakers with their law problems, either for free or at a reduced rate, and the only way I can see doing this is by being fluent in their language. I could also assist my colleagues with their Spanish clients.
Marcus, I am married to a spanish man and he feels I don’t tried hard enough to learn spanish but I do. I have tried your first course and it has helped me alot, but I don’t have the money to get your whole course. If I could win this contest you will make me the happiest women in the world and my husband will be so proud of me when I am speaking to him and his family that don’t speak english in spanish.
Janice
Marcus I have dabbled in the Synergy Spanish and find it diffuicult retaining I suspect mostly from infrequent usage. My young grandchildren now learn a little Spanish on The Dora and Diego shows and I would love to learn more and share it with them. I have travelled to Guatemala, Columbia, Mexico, Costa Rico , Panama, Honduras and Ba leis. I love the Spanish language. I must say though that there are so many others that should be considered for this opportunity as I have read their comments. My desire is mostly selfish for I want it to better communicate with the people and friends I have made abroad. I am grateful for the want I have learned so far and I will continue to practice with the programs I have purchased already.
Gracias,
Carol
I’m probablly to late to participate in the contest but I’ll give it a try anyway. Question #1 was”How will learning Spanish change my life? Answer: I will be able to communicate better with the man I love and hope to marry one day. He is Orlando and he is from Veracruz, Mexico. Long before I met Orlando I was trying to teach myself Spanish and getting nowhere. I believe speaking Spanish and living around Hispanic people is my destiny. My best friend is Juanita and she has been trying to teach me Spanish. The church I attend is totally Hispanic and Spanish is the only language spoken during the entire service. My whole world is Hispanic and it is like I am blind or deaf; I feel so loss. Learning Spanish will allow me to begin to live the life God has choosen for me. Help me Marcus!!!
Hola! Marcus,
Como estas. I am one of the bible worker in our church and we go out into the community to spread the gospel and to witness to others about what the bible says about Christ and salvation. I would like to invite them to come and listen to the sermons at the church, but they would be unable to understand. I would love to receive this scholarship, but after reading some of the other comments; I feel that there are others who have very good reasons for wanting it also, so I wish that God will bless them.
Thanks,
Edith Nolan
Hello Marcus Santamaria:
I am a 48 year-old male living in downtown Los Angeles, CA. English is taught as a second language at adults schools, Churches, and local gatherings. Spanish is only taught at the College level and private institutions. This means that the Spanish to English speaking people have more opportunity to become bilingual. It also means that I have to depend on the love of a Spanish speaking person to want to go to school to learn English if we are to become friends. You cannot get a job at a local supermarket unless you are Spanish English bilingual. When an English speaking person such as myself tries to become English Spanish bilingual, there is nothing but road blocks and not to mention all of the friendships I am missing out on. I have ordered your 138 brick verb course and it is doing wonders for my hope of becoming bilingual someday. I need more of your type of teaching, but my funds are limited. Can you please Help?……………Jerry
need to speak spainish to let people know That God is alives , is real. see alll God has done in my lives which need other to be a partaker also, so my God will carry the glory, Peoprl sick i pray for them the get well, people are forstrated i told them about God their ways change for better , more to say .my reason. thanks
My ex girlfriend is from Slovakia and has an amazing ability to speak different languages. She speaks fluent Spanish, Italian , French , English , Portugese as well as her own language and can get by in Polish, Russian, hungarian etc. Amazing. I on the other hand speak only English and a little Spanish (i have lived in Spain for many years and i am ashamed of myself) My ex left to go to South America and work with deprived children and because i wouldn’t go due to my lack of languages, she ended it.
I feel that if i improve my Spanish, i can go to work with her and renew our relationship. Thank you for your help to date
Toni
I am a pastor of a inner city ministry that houses men who have become homeless due to addition issues. My desire is to learn spanish so I can help the hispanic community. A scholar ship would be very helpful in acheiving this goal. Thank you for your program.
Sincerly Pastor Phil
Hello Marcus, this will be a short message my purpose for learning spanish at this time is to stay in God’s will and that is to spread the gospel to all the world. I am not a minister just a christian who want to searve God’ purpose. There are various nationalality im and around my area and the Mexician Americian are the mamority close to my church which is non domination. I would dearly love to be able to witiness to those in there language. In fact have voluntaried to do sunrise service this Easter. Also, I have a training program that is am working on to teach what I feel is an expectation of God for his people and that IS THE Quest for Character (To BE Like HIS Son. It would be an wonderful thing to be able to present iit in both English and Spanish. Thanks very much for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
William G. McCall
I was planning on composing something so fabulous it would be difficult not to choose me, but I think putting it as plainly and simple as possible is the way to go. So… I am 62, of pretty good health, and have a desire to learn Spanish better than what is necessary at the airports, markets and restaurants. I am applying under category 2. A friend of mine has worked for years to organize a Foundation in La Paz, BCS to help students by providing meals as well as tuition, uniform allowance, transportation allowance to benefit those individuals with a desire to continue their education, but that do not have the means of support in order to do so. Their efforts have also built a library and a lunch room where full time help prepare meals daily. There is always a need for teachers at the library and it is a bonus when there are volunteers! I propose to volunteer my time teaching and assisting with their computer learning at the library if I would be able to be one of the very lucky recipients of the “refried” scholarship program. I can’t think of a better way to pay it forward. Thank you for your consideration.
As a 60 something American I came here to Venezuela almost four years ago to write about the political and social reality of Chavez’s Bolivarian revolution to let my fellow Americans know what it is like to live in a country with free universal health care, student loanless free education to the university level, low cost home mortgages and small businesses, and participating in real participatory democracy at every level. The things the American media doesn’t want Americans to know about because they might demand them for themselves. I’ve written a lot of articles for U.S. blogs, but my survival level Spanish, which gets me through daily life here is insufficient to carry me through the in-depth interviews I’d like to do with the people who are actually participating in these programs.
Synergy Spanish was terrific, but I need more. I need all your courses, but living on a modest local English teacher’s salary doesn’t allow for hundreds of dollars in coursework. If I won your scholarship, I could educate Americans about not only Venezuela, but also Colombia, Bolivia, and perhaps Ecuador and Argentina too. North Americans need the real facts about events in these countries, just as they need health care, cheap educational costs and real participatory democracy at home. I would be forever grateful if you would help me to carry out my mission!
Thank you Marcus,
Thank you for the opportunity to be considered for a Synergy Spanish Scholarship Refrito Scholarship. I am unable to remember any other opportunity I have had, which is as good as what you have put forth. Please consider this letter a request that you choose me to be one of the scholars.
In February 2010, my wife and I participated in a church mission to Oaxaca, Mexico. We assisted in a medical screening for elementary school-age students in the Tehuantepec region. This experience ranks up at the top, as one of the best experiences with students I have ever had. The only way I can think to top it is to be able to speak Spanish with them. Our job was to remove the students shoes and weigh them – then direct them to the next station where they were to have their blood drawn. Shortly after we started the process, I began removing their shoes, then after being weighed I would put their shoes back on and tie them. The children loved the attention and began lining-up to be have their shoes removed and put back on by me, even though the next station was the dreaded needle-prick for blood. Recieving their hugs, and enthusiasm, and yes playing games with them was a reward which definetly has happened few times in my lifetime and one I want to repeat.
After returning from the travel, I bought a RosettaStone program and was unable to make very much headway with learning to speak the language. I have seen in your promotional material where you state that your program doesn’t use and out-dated Latin approach to learning, and I definetly agree that your method squares with the way in which I learn.
Currently, I am attending a Spanish church in addition to the church I regularly attend. I enjoy worshiping and interacting with my friends. I am slowly learning, but I would definetly like to speed the learning process so our relationship could be deepened. As it is right now, high school age youth interpret for me. I believe this to be a win-win because these young interpreters get the opportunity to teach a 57 year old man.
James Richards
i know a few poeple that have spannish speaking relatives and when they come down i always feel bad because i cant communicate with them. if i learn spanish i will be able to talk with them and also i plan to travel to south america and mabe even live over there.
Winning this scholarship would change my life. I have wanted to learn Spanish ever since I met my fiancée who moved here from Colombia. I think Spanish is such a beautiful language and I have been trying to learn it ever since I met him. The program that I am using just doesn’t work (after 3 years!). I try practicing with my fiancée and his family but they never seem to know what I am talking about! The most progress I make comes from the weekly newsletters that Marcus sends. I share his tips with my fiancée like changing “ity” words to “edad” which actually helped him with his English! He was really impressed. This scholarship would change my life because all of the hours I already put into learning Spanish would actually be successful. If I learned Spanish I would be able to communicate with my fiancées family and someday be able to teach our children. We would also like to teach together in Colombia but the only thing holding me back is the language barrier…how can I expect to teach them if I can’t even learn myself! Thank you for giving all of us this wonderful opportunity!
Marcus,
I am 55 years old and have been trying to learn Spanish for 34 of those years. I am married to a Spanish literature professor, and despite his coaching and many college classes, I am still struggling. I have until now felt like a total failure. I was convinced that the part of my brain capable of learning language has atrophied into a microscopic speck, I was ready to give up, but as a last attempt I decided to give Synergy Spanish a try. I have been pleased with the results and my husband has been surprised at my progress. I have learned and retained in the past couple of months more than in the past 34 years. The method seems to work for me, and it has given me the incentive and confidence to keep trying. Who knows, maybe some day I will be able to carry on a conversation in Spanish with my husband, and when we do the entire Camino de Santiago as we plan in a couple of years (we did a week’s worth last summer), I’ll be able to understand what’s being said around me and be able to join in on the conversation.
Nancy
By me learning Spanish I can help many people in my area that can’t speak English. At least I will know what they are saying as to help them with their English and lives.
My father is from Mexico. as a child growing up my father was learning English the same time I was so me and my brother never got the oppurtunity to learn to speak Spanish. I am a single mother of three girls and would like to learn spanish to understand my heritage more and to teach my children about theirs also. Thank you so much for all the information you have given me so far.
When I first visited Spain and its islands I considered that it was rude and ignorant to visit a country without at least trying to speak their language.
I resolved to learn to speak, read, write and understand Spanish.
I wanted to be able to immerse myself into the culture of the country.
In short I wanted, during my visit, to be Spanish.
My ulimate aim being to pass this knowledge onto my children and grandchildren enabling us to be not only fluent in Spanish but able to help non English speakers with our language.
What a legacy this would be.
I realise this is a small ambition but from little acorns great oak trees grow.
Unfortunately my aims were shattered by my apparent inability to master the Spanish language. There are no Spanish speakers where I live so I’m attempting to teach myself the language.
I will never give up my efforts to learn the language and have since studied from books, tapes etc. with little concrete advancement.
I’m sure I have the intelligence, desire and determination to master the language, however I need a method where the principle aim is to teach Spanish, not make money.
Marcus, I do not want sympathy, freebies or charity, just some affordable help.
Hello Marcus,
I teach spanish as a foreign language at an elementary school in the Caribbean. I have over 500 hundred students. There are few opportunities to practice with native speakers so I have been using all the available resources on the internet to improve my spanish. I signed up for your free lessons sometime ago and I have found them to be most helpful.
Studying a second language, spanish in particular will soon become mandatory in my country. Any knowledge that I gain will be used to improve my teaching skills and ultimately benefit my students. I think your offer is a most thoughtful one and hope that I will be considered.
Thank you.
Spanish would improve my life and also help other people. I sponsor 6 Spanish-speaking children in five Latin American countries. Our letters come with translations, but many nuances are lost.
I also want to visit. A tour would not allow me freedom, but to travel alone I need Spanish. I would like to volunteer to help teach English. This would allow me to learn about the countries, while allowing me time with my children. I think that I would also like to stay to fight poverty.
I also sponsor children in Brazil. Since Spanish and Portuguese have similarities, my communication would be improved with them. I visited these children on a tour. I loved it, but speaking through a translator was a handicap.
I retired early in a downsizing. I love my sponsorships, but they do consume much of my extra cash.
One night a week, I help to teach English as a second language here. I lead English discussion groups and help students with writing and computer skills. Spanish would improve my communication and rapport with the students.
I took Spanish in college and flunked the fourth semester twice. My language requirement was waved.
I started Spanish lessons and became overwhelmed by grammar..result I am afraid to speak to the neighbours etc in case the grammar is wrong. I am very embarrassed by the fact that I do not join in conversations with my Spanish friends as I would love to be able to chat. My friends
all make mock of me and the general feeling is that I am stupid and not capable of conversing.
I enjoy your free lessons and feel I learned a lot from them I would like to have more but
as I am a pensioner and, therefore, money can be tight at times I cannot take up your lessons
I am involved with animal rescue so it would be to my advantage to be able to communicate in
a proper way rather than depend on friends to help me out with Spanish.
Thank you for your site it is wonderful and much appreciated.
Hi Marcus!
I have been trying to learn Spanish! My concentration is not what it ought to be! I have not been to school for years and I need a new challenge, new career! I definitely would like to learn because I will be living in a new country shortly and I have to learn this language in order to get employment! I need your help! I also, have a bet with my daughter so I would like to win and be able to communicate with her via this language!
Gracias!
As a single parent living in Spain, despite being a Cambridge Uni. qualified EFL teacher I’m really struggling to survive, working incredibly long hours on minimum wages, as the acedemies here pay peanuts and expect everything for nothing. I have done several Spanish courses, but still I am unable to speak with any fluency, or understand much. If I could become fluent this would be my dream, it would enable me to go Freelance and market myself direct to Spanish companies,and earn a reasonable living teaching English. This would enable me to significantly improve my daughter’s quality of life, as now she has very so little and I feel so bad about not being able to provide adequately for her. Also it would enable me to help with her homework, speak to her teachers,neighbours etc. It would change both our lives significantly for the better.
Hi Marcus
Last year has got to have been one of the worst years in my life!!! 3 failed ivf attempts, redundancy both myself and my husband, many of our friends were in the same situation and had to move back to England. But a year on there was a small light at the end of my tunnel and my husband got a new job as a chef in a non English speaking Spanish restaurant, he loves the job but the communication is a problem, the people that work there try so hard to integrate us into nearly everything they do but my husband and I end up at the end of the bar on our own confused. Also his boss made a comment the other day which really hit home he has a 4 year old daughter and he said” you have lives here in Spain 8 years and no very little Spanish my daughter is 4 and speaks fluent Spanish and very good English”, I felt very ashamed. Learning Spanish would change my and my husband lives in such an amazing way. Just being able to communicate with doctors instead of being embarrassed because you don’t understand them. New friends, New job, happy life living here in beautiful care free Espana. That’s why learning your Spanish would change my life.
Hi Marcus, Thanks for providing learners an opportunity to learn and master Spanish. I would like to tell you that my first foreign language is Russian. English is almost our mother tongue (I’m from South India). I have my Master’s (MA) in Russian lang & lit from Kiev Univ (Ukraine). I learnt Spanish for 1 year (evening classes in Kiev). But I still need constant and proper practice in Spanish. I am a Diploma holder in French (2 years – Niveau 2). Sometimes when I want to say “Oui” in French, the Spanish word comes on my lips “Si” which in French would be wrong usage of “Si”. Since I am keeping in touch with French ( I am taking free classes for small children at home on Sundays) I don’t think I”ll forget French. Russian – I have no problems. I am in touch with it everyday (I am a sciientific & technical translator). But with Spanish – I need your help to be in touch with it. On the whole, I feel that daily practice is only what keeps a language alive in our minds which applies to all foreign languages that we learn.
Hi Marcus: I work for the State of Georgia Dept. of Juvenile Justice. We work with youth who are on probation or who are in state custody and sent to Drug/Alcohol programs, wilderness camps, juv. detention centers, etc. and those who are back home on juvenile parole. The city I work in has a high Latino propulation and the Senergy Package would greatly help me in working with the parents of our Latino clients, many of whom speak little to no English. We have to arrange and pay a person to come in and translate for us during our parent meetings (you cannot trust the child to be honest in translating legal and probation matters) which is sometime difficult to arrange. Thanks!
Hola, Marcus,
I am convinced that using Synergy Spanish method will change the lives of my students
at Emmanuel Baptist Academy in Penn Yan, NY. I have been teaching Spanish (the way I
was taught) for many years. Only because I memorized well, worked hard studying it for
11 yrs (HS, College & Grad. School) and traveled 9 times to hispanic countries; did I finally
become fairly fluent. I want to remove the methodology barrier by winning “Synergy Spanish”
for my students and know that your method will help tham to speak and enjoy doing it. I
am excited to watch and listen to my students being successful in using Spanish in a realistic
learning way. Some of these students may someday become missionaries to Latin American countries or teachers of Spanish. And learning Spanish the “Synergy” Way will certainly change their lives. Someday I will also teach my grandchildren the “Synergy” way.
Hello Marcus, I don’t have enough $. I am not a good learner, thus far. I am trying to translate materials & I cannot speak well to the students at the mission school. I have also read other comments from people who are so much more needy than I .But I am determined not to give up & neither is my God. I do thank you for so many helpful freebies, too.
hi MR Marcus learning Synergy Spanish will change my life by helping me to improve my spanish and increase my vocabulary because i’m student and i do lots of researchs about democracy & conflicts in latin america,i’ve faced so many difficulties because i couldn’t find books in english that could help me with my researchs,therefore i believe that synergy spanish will help me to move farther in my studies and my researchs .
Recently I met my wife’s father and his wife (both native Spanish speakers with very little english). This reunion was some 20 years in the making, I sat saddly by as my wife tried to recall her spanish and remembered that shehad lamented to me how she lost it as a young girl attending school in the states.
This was a very sobering experience for me as I realized that my son would only stare at his grandfather having never learned a word of spanish. Additionally I realized that many spanish speakers here (cerca de la frontera) are not passing the language along. I t seem painfully clear to me that a language is being lost here.
I have come to the conclusion that in my own life I am indirectly contributing to all of this, and have made the commitment to speak and teach spanish to my son and others out respect for a culture rich in flavor and tradition.
Estoy aprendiendo un poco mas cada dia si, pero necesito mas to be effective, I don’t have alot of money but I am rich in desire, and your samples have been quite helpful thus far.
Thank you for your’ consideration, and have a wonderful day.
Best regards,
MarkA. Carrick.
Hola Marcus – I would LOVE to get fluent so that I could help people in two ways:
1.Being able to speak to people in my everyday goings -on around town (Houston) would help me to hire them, to befriend them, and to learn from and teach them. I got pretty proficient in a spanish speaking course here a few years ago (even though I thought I was too old then) – but I lost it after the course completed. Need to refresh!
2. As an attorney, I could expand my practice to represent Spanish speakers who are being held and need assistance to retain their liberty and assure their rights. There are not enough of us.
Hope you pick me! Carla
Dear Marcus,
I would love something like this and have been waiting for something like this for a very long time. I would really like something like this not to help just myself, but many others.
If I had the opportunity to become so fluent in Spanish, I would use it to teach others the beautiful language of español. But not just for fun. Learning Spanish is becoming less of a hobby now-a-days and is becoming more of a necessity. As the number of Spanish-speaking people in the United States increases, English speakers can’t understand them. The Spanish speakers are getting cut off from a lot of the world around them because nobody knows what they’re saying.
If I became fluent in Spanish, I could teach basics to my family and my friends so they can get at least an understanding of Spanish. This would benefit everyone not only now, but human geographers predict that by 2030, there will be more Spanish speakers in the United States than English speakers. Just imagine what good a head start on Spanish would do!
I believe this program is the best one out there.
Abby
Hola Marcus,
I have taken two of your courses, Synergy Spanish & Shortcut to Spanish. It is really exciting as I seem to catch up instantly. However, when it comes to speaking with the Panamanians, I am stuck as they just seem to rattle on and it is really difficult to keep up with their pace of speaking. I am 61 years and speak two other languages – KiSwahili and German – so I do not believe that I am too old or unable to learn Spanish!
I have made a few Spanish-speaking friends here and would love to get involved in conversations but am always disappointed at the speed in which they speak and consequently I just end up not listening!
I really want to be able to communicate and take part in the local happenings which I get invited to, but most of the time regret the invitations because of not being able to communicate effectively.
I do not want the people to take me for a snob thinking that I am not interested to speak their language, I would really love to be part of their culture.
Yes, thanks so much for your time and help.
Synergy Spanish to make my life better.
I first heard about synergy spanish through a link on the amazon site. I clicked on, signed up for the free lessons, but rejected the course BECAUSE of its advertising points: 1) mnemonics – for me that means learning two words instead of one. I can only remember a word when I see it written, when I know how to spell it. 2) No grammer. I love grammar. I have a gift for understanding how to conjugate verbs. However, I must admit that – with all my thrill of conjugation- it has never helped me actually SPEAK a language. Conversation is rather stilted when I have to think – ah, first person, plural, past tense – before each verb. I live in a small village in Costa Rica. They are a wonderfully warm people but they are not used to having foreigners among them. So they speak a mile a minute, and when I say Que? -I get another blast at exactly the same speed. When I try to say something in Spanish they burst out laughing. Of course, I have no idea what I actually said. I do know that once when I was trying to beg off a party by telling them I was tired, what I really said was that I was singing.
So – how will I be helped by Synergy Spanish – well, by actually learning Spanish- which is a great boost for the brain – both in that I’ll be learning something new AND I have already learned that I should have found a different method years ago. I should not have considered myself hopeless – but, oh, so good at those verbs!
The greatest asset though will be my ability to talk to the wonderful people that I live among. The downside is that I will no longer amuse them so much with my Spanish. However, I can continue to fulfill that capacity with my dancing. I grew up in West Virginia and my hips just cannot do those Latin moves. So I entertain them by doing the twist to all their music.
Which just makes me wonder – Marcus Santamaria – any chance for synergy salsa??