Learning Spanish

[twange]

Originally Posted by Texanwannabe

I can still get my point across in Italian, but it isn't fluent any longer I really have no-one to speak it with so that is a major drawback. I moved to Palermo, because the hospital where I work as a nurse opened a Liver transplant hospital in Palermo (Ever heard of UPMC?). I was chosen as one of the nurses to train the Italian nurses on pre/post liver transplant care in the ICU. So learning Italian was not an option, it was a MUST! Thank God for the translators who worked 24/7 in the hospital! In the beginning it was rough! Most of the nurses could speak broken English (they didn't have a choice in the matter either...they HAD to learn English), but the patients were a whole different story!

Interesting. My cousin got a job 9 years ago in New Zealand as a perfusionist and has never come back(except to visit). She makes fantastic $$$ and living in New Zealand has changed her life...I should have gotten into health-care

BTW Does Pittsburgh still have an authentic Italian population or has it been watered down like everywhere else? Most of my family is from Altoona, and that place had a lot of Italian immigrants working for the railroad back in the middle of the 20th cent.

[Willys]

Try Austin Community College, Continuing Education - Non Credit courses

ACC Continuing Education Course Schedule (http://www3.austincc.edu/schedule/wcell/celac.htm - broken link)

SPNL 9001 Conversational Spanish I (21.0 hours/$120.00)
An interactive introduction to basic vocabulary and language structures. Promotes speaking and listening skills for personal needs. Requires no knowledge of Spanish. Text required: Open Door to Spanish, Level 1, Madrigal (Lessons 1-10).

[TexasGirl@Heart]

Originally Posted by twange

Interesting. My cousin got a job 9 years ago in New Zealand as a perfusionist and has never come back(except to visit). She makes fantastic $$$ and living in New Zealand has changed her life...I should have gotten into health-care

BTW Does Pittsburgh still have an authentic Italian population or has it been watered down like everywhere else? Most of my family is from Altoona, and that place had a lot of Italian immigrants working for the railroad back in the middle of the 20th cent.

Yes, absolutely...there is a huge authentic Italian population in Pittsburgh. Most of them came over on the boat! My best friend is 100% Italian and she grew up in South Oakland (where UPMC is located) and the entire street was nothing but Italians. Also Plum where I live now has a huge Italian population. Another friend of mine whose parents also came over on the boat...they only speak Italian in their home. I love going over there to visit! They still make sausage down in the basement and cook their sauces and make their meat balls!! My pizza guy, Luigi, used to live in Sicily (he grew up there and his family ...mom/siblings...all still live there) Anyways, whenever I go into his shop to order a pizza (because it is the best in town), he makes me order it in Italian!! He knew that I lived in Sicily for 1.5 years, so he makes me speak it in his shop!
Yes, healthcare is the way to go...you always have a job! When I move to Austin next Summer, I will be doing a travel nurse position. They will pay my wages (~$30-33 $$/hr) plus they will provide me with a furnished apt and pay my rent in a very nice complex in Austin. Not too bad of a gig, huh?

[twange]

Originally Posted by Willys

Try Austin Community College, Continuing Education - Non Credit courses

ACC Continuing Education Course Schedule (http://www3.austincc.edu/schedule/wcell/celac.htm - broken link)

SPNL 9001 Conversational Spanish I (21.0 hours/$120.00)
An interactive introduction to basic vocabulary and language structures. Promotes speaking and listening skills for personal needs. Requires no knowledge of Spanish. Text required: Open Door to Spanish, Level 1, Madrigal (Lessons 1-10).

Thanks a bunch! We will most certainly look into that. Very affordable as well

[twange]

Originally Posted by Texanwannabe

Yes, absolutely...there is a huge authentic Italian population in Pittsburgh. Most of them came over on the boat! My best friend is 100% Italian and she grew up in South Oakland (where UPMC is located) and the entire street was nothing but Italians. Also Plum where I live now has a huge Italian population. Another friend of mine whose parents also came over on the boat...they only speak Italian in their home. I love going over there to visit! They still make sausage down in the basement and cook their sauces and make their meat balls!! My pizza guy, Luigi, used to live in Sicily (he grew up there and his family ...mom/siblings...all still live there) Anyways, whenever I go into his shop to order a pizza (because it is the best in town), he makes me order it in Italian!! He knew that I lived in Sicily for 1.5 years, so he makes me speak it in his shop!

That's awesome. Italian would be first on my list if I thought I could use it every day. Spanish is SO much more practical and I'm planning on more trips to Mexico City.

It's funny how the Italian culture is so much more intact in Pittsburgh than in Cleveland(only two hours west). Cleveland has a lot of Italians for sure, but most of them live out in the burbs and don't speak anymore Cleveland's known more for its Eastern European thing(Slavic, Croat, Serb, Hungarian, Czech etc...)

[TexasGirl@Heart]

I actually plan on learning Spanish as well, after I move to Texas. With my job and the high number of Mexican immigrants living and working in Texas, it would benefit me if I could speak with them in their native tongue. Italian is so close to Spanish, that I can sort of understand what is being said in Spanish.

[lessfilling]

You can try this to speed up the process:

Free Translation and Professional Translation Services from SDL International

You can start with small phrases and sentences and work your way up.