Moving to Veracruz
¡Hola a todos!
In a few months I will be moving to Veracruz, Mexico, and will be staying there for two years. I have traveled a little before, but not for anything more than an extended vacation, and never to a Spanish-speaking country. I searched and saw a couple of similar threads that I looked through on the forums, but if anyone has anything to add, I'd be really grateful. I don't even know exactly what I'm looking for. Personal experiences, advice, anecdotes, cultural wisdom, common faux pas to avoid... it doesn't even have to be Veracruz-specific, although that would be extremely helpful. Even any experiences about moving to a new country would be appreciated. I don't really know what to expect! Some background: I took five years of Spanish in high school and then an intensive semester of upper-level Spanish in college, but I have limited "real world" speaking experience. I'm taking a break from college to serve a mission for my church for two years, and I've been called to Veracruz, Mexico. It will be an extreme immersion experience, with a lot of outside-my-comfort-zone communication, but I'm sure it'll be great for my Spanish. I'm just wondering if anyone has any wisdom they could impart. Thanks!
En unos meses me mudo a Veracruz, México, por dos años. He viajado un poco, pero no mucho, y nunca he visitado un país hispanohablante. Buscaba en el foro y encontré algunas preguntas relacionadas, pero si alguien tiene algo para añadir estaré muy agradecido. No estoy seguro exactamente de lo que busco, jaja. Experiencias personales, consejos, anécdotas, conocimiento de cultura, errores comunes... a mí me faltan todos. No hay que tener nada que ver con Veracruz--cualquier cosa me ayudaría, aun historias sencillas de mudarse a otro país. Un poco acerca de mí: Estudiaba español por cinco años en la escuela secundaria y luego lo estudié por un semestre en la universidad a un nivel avanzado, pero no tengo mucha experiencia con hablar con nativos. Voy a postponer mi educación para servir una misión para mi iglesia por dos años, y me llamaron a prestar servicio en Veracruz, México. Será muy difícil para mí, con mucho hablar (algo que me hace incómodo, desafortunadamente), pero sé que será muy bueno para mi español. ¿Habrá consejos que se me pueden dar?
Y también, como siempre, favor de corregirme los errores. ¡Muchas gracias!
3 Answers
First of all, when you get over there try to listen to the new comers convertations and find out how they greet each other, then try to make a friend who can speak both languages.....................and you'll figure out the rest
My best advice is this: First, don't be afraid to make lots of mistakes and be willing to laugh at yourself when you do. Second, concentrate on building vocabulary almost to the exclusion of grammar. Without the proper words correct grammar is useless. And vocabulary helps you break what sounds like a very fast stream of sounds into individual words. This is absolutely essential when listening to other speak.
My only advice to you my friend is to enjoy every moment that you are there .
Try to observe the local customs and appreciate their differences , be as excited
and interested in everything as a child , and learn the language as a child would .
Good luck to you , I am green with envy.
