This is from the category “Learn Spanish for yourself”. This one was really hard to pick.
In the end I found one couple that summed up the experience of so many. It’s going to be great to see them turn their lives around.
Here’s the winning entry.
I am 71 years old and I came to live in Spain two years ago. I had been coming down for several years in a RV just to spend the winters away from the cold UK. I really had no need to speak Spanish as everyone I met spoke English.
Now my wife and I are living here and find it totally frustrating not being able to Speak the language. We have tried going to classes but neither my wife nor I are up on or English grammar, so when it came to learning all the different parts of Spanish speech our minds just went blank. What we need is a simple uncomplicated way of learning the language; the way children learn, once we have the basics the rest I feel will follow.
It would give us great pleasure in been able to talk to our neighbours to feel confident when going to the doctor and not having to search for someone who can speak for us, in short just to live the life enjoy our new home and socialize with the local people. The joy of shopping and knowing what was in the tins instead of all the guess work. To think that we could read our mail that comes from the Spanish authorities.
I could go on to a thousand reasons for wanting this course, but in short it would turn our life around and give us the ability to stay in our new country and enjoy it to the full.
Felicidades Bill
I wish you all the best and I look forward to hearing how things change for you in your new country.
Saludos
Marcus
Hellomi name is jay or at lease that’s what my mama calls me
Hello.
I just want to thank you, I have tried to learn spanish since I moved to spain about two years ago, but have not learned much. But your course finally gave me that “aha” experience, and I am filled with a kind of reliefe because I finally think I understand the grammar now, and that make me feel more secure and not so affraid for speaking spanish. Both me and my son are sure that this will make our new life in Spain much better and easier for us. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
TMo
Congratulations to the second refrito winners and I wish you great success. Thanks to Marcus’ efforts again!
I agree with Bill, we moved here 3 years ago, and at our age the spanish grammar is baffling to say the least, we try and speak with our spanish neighbours, some of it is understood and some of it goes over our heads but hopefully we will get there in the end.
I congratulate the couple who won fair and square as Marcus didn’t place any restrictions on the applicants. However, it does appear to me that this couple can probably afford to pay for the courses on their own without any hardship, while several people who entered the contest needed the language to help people in other countries or for jobs and did not seem to have a lot of extra money available to them. Just my opinion for what it’s worth.
I admire you for learning the language, you will enjoy life here so much more. There are so many ex pats who do not bother and just make friends with other ex pats. Your life will be enriched, so enjoy
Congratulations to Winner # 2. Retired persons have all the time in the world to dedicate themselves to learn a language. I truly envy a person who live or visit “un pais donde se habla espanol”. People are surprised to hear that older people are trying to learn a new language. I am also 71 yrs old and I have enrolled to Bola de Nieve, 7 months ago and now, I can read, write and talk in Spanish. I have learned English at 33, German at 62 and Spanish at 70. Besides having an excellent teacher like Marcus, one has to have the will to succeed. I agree with Aldith..age is no barrier. Best of luck to the winners . Enjoy your new beautiful country.
Daniella
Thanks Marcus for your efforts at dispensing with the old methods of teaching Spanish.
I have found that the age factor is no barrier to learning another language. One of the best tools you have given is listening to you and repeating back. I do not suscribe to the thought that children are further ahead than Geezers in the learning process. I am “over the hill” at 82. but a little bit of passion and a love for the language as well as hard work is my formula. Thanks for all you try to do. Keep it up.
Tom R.
our congratulations bill my wife beryl and i understand just were your’e coming from wer’e in our mid sixties and the refinments of english are alien to us and living in spain as we do that makes learning spanish all the more a trial
71 years old? Are you kidding me? Did you use a dart board Marcus for this pick?
I feel exacly the same
muchas felicidades!
Congratulations!!!!!!!!!!!
Listening spanish being spoken is welcoming to my ear and to be able to speak it fluently would be my greatest accomplishment. Age is not a barrier.
Go for it winners!
Aldith
I am absolutely gob smacked at winning! We are so pleased that this will give us the opportunity to turn our lives around. We can’t wait to get started. Thank you so much.
Congrats #2 winner, I`m sure you can do it. Stay warm!!!!!!
The story tells exactly how I feel about the Spanish language. I want to be able to speak simple Spanish and to be understood the way many foreigners speak broken English here. That is all I want and as long as I get the correct verb I am sure I will be understood. I have spent many hours trying to conjugate verbs etc. and I still cannot put my sentences together. Good luck and I think living in the country will make a big difference.
That is a wonderful story and good luck to them both.
Martha