repita, por favor

Although I have studied Spanish for years, I am nowhere near fluent. No matter how many vocabulary words you memorize or how many verbs you learn to conjugate, fluency is elusive unless you practice speaking the language a lot. 

Since graduating from college, the only true practice I’ve had were my two previous trips to El Salvador, so when I arrived in June I found my listening and speaking skills to be sorely inadequate. Everyone seemed to speak too fast and used colloquial and regional phrases and vocabulary that weren’t in my textbooks. I can’t count the number of times I’ve has to say, “Más lento, por favor (Slower, please),” or “No entiendo. Repita, por favor (I don’t understand. Repeat that, please).” 

A few months ago, when I was alone in the office, I answered the Home’s phone twice in a row and failed to understand the callers or make myself understood. After this frustration, I developed a plan, so when the phone rang again I led off with, “Buenos días. Amor y Esperanza. Habla lenta, por favor, porque soy gringa (Good morning. Love and Hope. Speak slowly, please, because I am a gringa).” Although I thought I was clever and funny, the caller didn’t seem amused, and my preemptive request didn’t help because I still had to ask her to repeat herself and speak slower. 

Little by little, though, I am improving. Every day it is easier to hold conversations, express what I want and understand what others are saying.

In July, I called our contact at AFP Confia, one of the national pension plan providers, to discuss the changes to our plan. Within the first thirty seconds of our conversation I had to ask Jorge to repeat himself and speak slower. Then when I answered, I thought I was clearly expressing myself, but he said, “Un momento, por favor (one moment, please),” and I soon found myself speaking to his supervisor: “Jorge asked me to speak with you because I speak English.” Ouch. That severely bruised my confidence.

In August, I had Gloria speak to Jorge because, although I had another month of practice under my belt, I dreaded a repeat failure. 

This past month, however, I hurdled this roadblock and made the call, determined to redeem myself. To my utter delight, Jorge understood me, I understood him, and we made it through an easy, painless (though certainly not flawless, on my part) conversation. I hung up the phone, chest puffed out and feeling accomplished. 

It’s the little things, like this successful conversation, that makes all the trials and tribulations of learning a foreign language worthwhile.