Our very first visit to DR begins on April 10/04. I am currently taking Spanish lessons here in Calgary, Canada and I don't want to fall behind. I need to find someone who speaks English and is willing to help me stumble along with my lessons. I have the material, I just need someone to help. I think about an hour a day would be muy bien. We'll be at the Village Caraibe Resort, Playa Dorada, Puerto Plata. Any ideas, willing bodies? Do you think the resort would have anyone? BTW, is this a nice resort?
- Thread starter doodlebug
- Start date
Can I Find A Spanish Tutor For 2 Weeks?
Are you kidding?
Hey! You will be in a Spanish speaking environment! Just practice on the Wait staff, the Housekeepers and the bartenders. Then venture out with one of your new best friends for a few nights on the town where NO English is spoken. Total immersion, Baby!
I am sure that some of the denizens of POP can find a teacher, but what I suggest will be far, far more productive.
Hope you play golf, then you can talk to your caddy in Spanish.
As for Village Caraibe, The last time I stayed there is was quite nice, for an AI.
I think that is the place where a few years ago they were doing some renovations, and had disconnected a gas line, but forgot to turn the valve off.
Late that night a guy in the room above came back at like 3 in the morning, drunk as a skiunk, and lit a cigarette. He was found about 50 meters away and the wife survived after a very long flight through the night!!
HB
Hey! You will be in a Spanish speaking environment! Just practice on the Wait staff, the Housekeepers and the bartenders. Then venture out with one of your new best friends for a few nights on the town where NO English is spoken. Total immersion, Baby!
I am sure that some of the denizens of POP can find a teacher, but what I suggest will be far, far more productive.
Hope you play golf, then you can talk to your caddy in Spanish.
As for Village Caraibe, The last time I stayed there is was quite nice, for an AI.
I think that is the place where a few years ago they were doing some renovations, and had disconnected a gas line, but forgot to turn the valve off.
Late that night a guy in the room above came back at like 3 in the morning, drunk as a skiunk, and lit a cigarette. He was found about 50 meters away and the wife survived after a very long flight through the night!!
HB
O.K. but......
Yo no hablo muy bien. Yo estoy aprendiendo mucho vocabulario y gramatica.
No comprendo bien. Mas despacio, por favor.... is my favorite sentence.
As you can see, I need mucho help ... probably got it all mixed up, although I'm sure you get the idea.
I will miss two structured lessons while gone and I need someone to teach the material to me.
I lilke your idea of the staff at the resort. Maybe someone there will take pitty on an old lady from Canada.
Thanks..
Yo no hablo muy bien. Yo estoy aprendiendo mucho vocabulario y gramatica.
No comprendo bien. Mas despacio, por favor.... is my favorite sentence.
As you can see, I need mucho help ... probably got it all mixed up, although I'm sure you get the idea.
I will miss two structured lessons while gone and I need someone to teach the material to me.
I lilke your idea of the staff at the resort. Maybe someone there will take pitty on an old lady from Canada.
Thanks..
Look, little ol' lady from Canada
It is the ear that is all wrong. You will never get the accent down, but from the little you wrote, you have a pretty good working knowledge. So go with the flow and just try it out on the staff.. I'll bet gazillions you will be learning a lot more than you think..
When I used to go to see Cantinflas movies, I would spent the first 15 minutes getting used to his rapid-fire Spanish and Mexican accent. It was part of his comedy...
Don't sweat "structured lessons";you will find one of the front desk people that will read them to you...
HB
It is the ear that is all wrong. You will never get the accent down, but from the little you wrote, you have a pretty good working knowledge. So go with the flow and just try it out on the staff.. I'll bet gazillions you will be learning a lot more than you think..
When I used to go to see Cantinflas movies, I would spent the first 15 minutes getting used to his rapid-fire Spanish and Mexican accent. It was part of his comedy...
Don't sweat "structured lessons";you will find one of the front desk people that will read them to you...
HB
Thanks, Hillbillly!
I assume that you have lived in DR for quite a long time. I will keep checking in to see if anyone wants to volunteer to be my tutor for a couple of weeks. You are right, my ear does not pick up the words as well as it should... although I would argue about my ability to get the accent correct.
I really am not a little old lady, just knocking on the 50 door. I need to correct that becuase my idea of a little old lady is granny from the Beverly "Hillbillies".
I assume that you have lived in DR for quite a long time. I will keep checking in to see if anyone wants to volunteer to be my tutor for a couple of weeks. You are right, my ear does not pick up the words as well as it should... although I would argue about my ability to get the accent correct.
I really am not a little old lady, just knocking on the 50 door. I need to correct that becuase my idea of a little old lady is granny from the Beverly "Hillbillies".
I think everyone is missing the point here
I spent 10 days in Santo Domingo last November and wish I had known someone who would have been willing to help me with learning conversational Spanish while I was there. As it turned out I spent a lot of time figuring out how to make myself understood just getting around town and ordering food, etc. But what I did not have was someone who speaks both English and Spanish and could understand what I want to say in English and then help me say it in Spanish.
Most people who speak some English preferred to speak English with me because of my poor Spanish skills. English was the best language for them to use with me for mutual understanding. The people who don't speak English were not much useful to helping me improve my Spanish because I could not explain what I was trying to say in English to them.
Maybe I am looking for the impossible dream, but I would have found it very useful to have had someone around who both speaks English and had the time and willingness to allow me to speak only Spanish with him.
Anyway, I guess I have several questions: (1) are such people around in the D/R and available for hire, (2) where would I find them, and (3) how much would I be expected to pay them?
Thanks
I spent 10 days in Santo Domingo last November and wish I had known someone who would have been willing to help me with learning conversational Spanish while I was there. As it turned out I spent a lot of time figuring out how to make myself understood just getting around town and ordering food, etc. But what I did not have was someone who speaks both English and Spanish and could understand what I want to say in English and then help me say it in Spanish.
Most people who speak some English preferred to speak English with me because of my poor Spanish skills. English was the best language for them to use with me for mutual understanding. The people who don't speak English were not much useful to helping me improve my Spanish because I could not explain what I was trying to say in English to them.
Maybe I am looking for the impossible dream, but I would have found it very useful to have had someone around who both speaks English and had the time and willingness to allow me to speak only Spanish with him.
Anyway, I guess I have several questions: (1) are such people around in the D/R and available for hire, (2) where would I find them, and (3) how much would I be expected to pay them?
Thanks
The best teachers I’ve found were kids (10-12y) they never tire to correct you and ask very little. Simply pay them what you think is fair (please be fair). There are a lot of street kids that would love nothing more than to make $20 a day teaching you Spanish.
So simply offer a kid $20 for the day to be your translator.
Cheers!
So simply offer a kid $20 for the day to be your translator.
Cheers!
Interesting idea
What an interesting idea. A child who is learning English that I can teach and who speaks Spanish that can help me.
Seems like it could be a win, win situation. :classic: :classic:
Hillbilly, what do you think of the idea? Where are you located (if I may ask)?
What an interesting idea. A child who is learning English that I can teach and who speaks Spanish that can help me.
Seems like it could be a win, win situation. :classic: :classic:
Hillbilly, what do you think of the idea? Where are you located (if I may ask)?
I am in Santiago, most of the time
If you go to Colegio San Felipe, there in Puerto Plata, and ask the Directora if she has any kids from New York that want to earn some money, I am sure that she can hook you up with a couple of them. There are also Englsih speaking kids at Colegio San Jos?, also in POP. Either one would work with what you want.
BTW: Simultaneous translators get between US$350-$400 a day...
HB
If you go to Colegio San Felipe, there in Puerto Plata, and ask the Directora if she has any kids from New York that want to earn some money, I am sure that she can hook you up with a couple of them. There are also Englsih speaking kids at Colegio San Jos?, also in POP. Either one would work with what you want.
BTW: Simultaneous translators get between US$350-$400 a day...
HB
That's what I said, sweet lady..
Those simultaneous translators at the UN and other international meeting places do make good coin, but the work is exhausting.
$350-$400 a day is only fo about 4-5 hours of work, too. That is why international conferences are such good businesses. Lots of mola to spread around.
No dear, what I suggested that you pay your student maybe $10 or $15 a day to help you. She will earn it and you will learn some Spanish.
Hasta la vista, Baby!
HB
Those simultaneous translators at the UN and other international meeting places do make good coin, but the work is exhausting.
$350-$400 a day is only fo about 4-5 hours of work, too. That is why international conferences are such good businesses. Lots of mola to spread around.
No dear, what I suggested that you pay your student maybe $10 or $15 a day to help you. She will earn it and you will learn some Spanish.
Hasta la vista, Baby!
HB
OK, bueno! That I can handle. It sounds like a fabulous idea. I'll try to find an e-mail address for one of those places and try to arrange this before hand. I finally found the picture gallery here and it's really nice to now know the face that replies to all my silly questions!!
I saw you golfing, where's the best deal/locations to go? I suppose this question should be in a different catagory, but I'm here now. My husband and I want to bring our clubs, if it will be worth the extra baggage.
Later,
I saw you golfing, where's the best deal/locations to go? I suppose this question should be in a different catagory, but I'm here now. My husband and I want to bring our clubs, if it will be worth the extra baggage.
Later,
If it is any help...
The Directora of San Felipe is a friend of mine. I can try to talk to her, if you like.
LP
The Directora of San Felipe is a friend of mine. I can try to talk to her, if you like.
LP
Hey, Lady!
Take La Profe up on her offer.
As for your clubs, by all means, bring them. You can play Playa Dorada, and if the mood strikes you you can come to Santiago and we can play a round on a Saturday or Sunday..Or get in as many as we can play in an afternoon...
HB
Take La Profe up on her offer.
As for your clubs, by all means, bring them. You can play Playa Dorada, and if the mood strikes you you can come to Santiago and we can play a round on a Saturday or Sunday..Or get in as many as we can play in an afternoon...
HB
Wow! I love this place already!
Wow, that would be awesome! If you wouldn't mind running the idea past her to see if she has heard of this before. And, if she thinks it would be a good idea would she be willing to arrange something.
I need to think about how long or often we would want to have someone. It might be fun for a student to show off the best local places and try to teach the gringos to speak.
La Profe_1 said:
Wow, that would be awesome! If you wouldn't mind running the idea past her to see if she has heard of this before. And, if she thinks it would be a good idea would she be willing to arrange something.
I need to think about how long or often we would want to have someone. It might be fun for a student to show off the best local places and try to teach the gringos to speak.
Now down to brass tacks
That means you will be coming on the 10th? Saturday?
Good. You can come to Santiago Sunday for golf, or Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday in the midday/... Get in touch with Bushbaby and we'll have a nice foursome.
Send me an email, please?
HB
That means you will be coming on the 10th? Saturday?
Good. You can come to Santiago Sunday for golf, or Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday in the midday/... Get in touch with Bushbaby and we'll have a nice foursome.
Send me an email, please?
HB
Hillbilly said:
Hey HB/doodlebug,
Just seen this mention of my name & regret I have heard nothing from either of you re the playing of golf!! Please, if anything has been decided & my presence is required, let me know asap so that I can book it into my busy schedule!! I am up for golf virtually at any time, but DO need to work it round meeting those who are here to investigate long term living here!! - Grahame.