Speaking Spanish!

Learning Spanish is going to my biggest challenge, no doubt about it! I like to communicate, I love getting to know people and immersing myself in a community, harder to do when you lack the language! I have been in this situation before, (I lived and worked in Greece in another life), but I was young, winged it and got by, as you do in your 20’s! VERY different when you have the responsibly of a child, and want to settle into family life in a small town….

It is not absolutely necessary when moving to Costa Rica to know Spanish, but highly recommended. I however speak none!

Rich, has taken Spanish lessons before, and though he will deny it, he knows more than he says he does. I know this, because in our travels to other Spanish speaking countries, he always manages to find us bus schedules, food and places to stay etc, very successfully by speaking what Spanish he does know. He is using the duolingo app and being really vigilant at learning as much as he can before we go. I know we will all be HIGHLY grateful for this upon arrival. Rich and I do plan on taking Spanish classes down there and volunteering at the school will help too.

Anyone who knows us will find it ironic that Rich is the nominated initial communicator, because in our English speaking lives he is not the communicator, I am. It will be interesting to see how this role reversal works, I am choosing to think it will be good for us, make us appreciate each other more 🙂 !

Luca of course will be immersed in Spanish at school, he does not seem at all phased by the prospect of this, time will tell. I am reassured by what I am hearing from the other expats in the school and how their kids initially coped. Luca has no fear when speaking Spanish, he just goes with it. When we were in Costa Rica last time he spent time with a local Tico man that tended the garden of where we were staying, he spoke no English. Luca would go off with him chatting away and helping him in the garden, they became fast friends.

I think Luca has the right attitude, just throw yourself in there and try it, between you, you’ll make it work!

We have chosen to live in a Tico part of town as opposed to the expat area (where English is mostly spoken). There numerous reasons for this, but foremost, being surrounded by Spanish speakers will force us to communicate in Spanish and we hope this will help us learn it faster!

Watch this space…..

PS duolingo app link:

https://www.duolingo.com/