I landed in Valparaiso which as you can see is a very beautiful city. The town itself is home to naval ships which are the life-sized version of my battleship game still collecting dust somewhere.
Tourists are shuffled off to one section of this town which is indeed beautiful in its own right. Brightly coloured houses and murials next to dilapidated buildings and run down roads not used. Outside of this are much more run down areas.
I stayed at a place called Hostal Sonrisa which was awesome and where I had my first conversation in English in a little over a week (yep big stretch) with a Dutch girl. We swapped stories about learning Spanish. Most people learning languages will start off by translating back to their first language – well so I thought. This was a lesson for me how influential the language of English is. It is common when learning Spanish here to speak in English when required ie to make sure a concept is understood. This girl purchased a Spanish dictionary for classes in Buenos Aires, and she could only find a Spanish to English dictionary. She spoke fluent English so this was not a problem for her. So I asked when she was learning a new concept would she relate this to English or Dutch, and she replied both. Due to the dictionary to look up a new word would be in English but she would think of most concepts in both Dutch and English.
Tourists are shuffled off to one section of this town which is indeed beautiful in its own right. Brightly coloured houses and murials next to dilapidated buildings and run down roads not used. Outside of this are much more run down areas.
I stayed at a place called Hostal Sonrisa which was awesome and where I had my first conversation in English in a little over a week (yep big stretch) with a Dutch girl. We swapped stories about learning Spanish. Most people learning languages will start off by translating back to their first language – well so I thought. This was a lesson for me how influential the language of English is. It is common when learning Spanish here to speak in English when required ie to make sure a concept is understood. This girl purchased a Spanish dictionary for classes in Buenos Aires, and she could only find a Spanish to English dictionary. She spoke fluent English so this was not a problem for her. So I asked when she was learning a new concept would she relate this to English or Dutch, and she replied both. Due to the dictionary to look up a new word would be in English but she would think of most concepts in both Dutch and English.
For example I want to say “I am hungry”. So you would use the verb "to be". However in Spanish you use the verb "to have" which is “Tengo hambre” (I have hunger). When the girl learnt this concept she first said “Yo estoy hambre” (I am hungry). Her teacher told her no you use I have not I am. What was weird is that in Dutch you use the verb "to have" but at the time she related back to English instead of Dutch….confusing yes!!! I found it quiet profound but this is common for learners of Spanish where English is their second language.
Important note try not to say "Tengo hombre" - which is I have men, pronounciation can make a big difference.
So after this interesting conversation I spent my second day in Valparaiso strolling around cobbled stone roads, taking in the views of the ocean, coloured filled houses and art stores.
The course is a lot harder and I am learning not only present tense, but two versions of past tense, different things to do with verbs, definitives, irregulars and new vocab. Por ejemplo “derecho” which has the dual meaning of straight ahead and politics, in particular right wing. It is a complicated business.
I have found a way to break the ice with the Chileans. The accent is probably the most difficult to understand in Spanish. Making note of this together with that you are learning is bound to get a laugh or smile from a local and the times I have tested it, it usually results in a brief conversation and they start to speak a lot slower!
So after this interesting conversation I spent my second day in Valparaiso strolling around cobbled stone roads, taking in the views of the ocean, coloured filled houses and art stores.
The course is a lot harder and I am learning not only present tense, but two versions of past tense, different things to do with verbs, definitives, irregulars and new vocab. Por ejemplo “derecho” which has the dual meaning of straight ahead and politics, in particular right wing. It is a complicated business.
I have found a way to break the ice with the Chileans. The accent is probably the most difficult to understand in Spanish. Making note of this together with that you are learning is bound to get a laugh or smile from a local and the times I have tested it, it usually results in a brief conversation and they start to speak a lot slower!
If you find yourself in Santiago head across to Pueblito de Los Dominicos which is an arts market. One guy made figurines of people and objects from matches. Sounds odd but looked pretty cool. I got talking to another guy who explained a typical Chilean game of 21. Two cups and a dice and the rules of the game are similar to the card game with one difference being that you gamble your clothes not money. Raised eyebrow!!! I loved this stall called Patsali which was full of very unusual scultures which were all recycled and ecological artwork. I would have purcahsed in a big way given that I only have a small backpack was enough to deter me, so I settled for a baggy green cap as you can see above!!
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