Hi All (even those who can't stand me)
I started learning Spanish about 20 years ago (through my own method as per many posts on this forum). I'm pretty good at the spoken word and can hold a decent conversation with any Spanish national eg on Sport, Politics etc.
My written Spanish is not great (but passable).
On a fleeting visit to Mojacar some weeks ago along with our camper van where we parked on Mojacar Playa. I exchanged English lessons with a rather austere Spanish lady who spoke Spanish like she had a gattling gun in her mouth shooting forth worse than bullets. She's originally from Vera. The deal was one-for-one lesson and I noticed her English was improving at a rate much faster than my Spanish. I must admit my Spanish improved immensely though - no question about that.
We've returned to RoI since and although I can understand the slow speaking female DJ's on Radio Clásica during late night programmes I can't understand a full sentence on RNE 1 (mainly 24 hours news) spoken faster and louder than Concorde. Since returning to Waterford I devote at least an hour per day to improving my Spanish grammar (another area where I was found wanting).
I can nearly hear Airtaine, Devo or Dario asking:- Hey Matt, where is all this going? - I'm beyond Beginners Spanish and probably ahead of most Improvers but, will I ever see the day when I can understand the loud and hard Spanish "comin'atcha" on Spanish News Radio Channels or even fast talking middle aged women from Vera?
You may answer in Spanish or English or Irish, but your opinion will be appreciated by me.