Camino words and music; schools

[Rosina Lila]

Hola,
Marie Virginie Cambriels has published a book about her pilgrimage, from
DuPuy-en-Velay to Santiago, on foot accompanied only by a donkey. The book's
reviewers have unanimously praised it book calling it "very beautiful and poetic".
Since the author is a concert musician, she gave a serious of Camino music
concerts along the Camino, and a CD of such concerts comes with the book.
So far,  the book is available only in French, but translations are in the
works.
I've noticed quite a few Francophiles in this list who, very likely, can read
French.
While I myself have not seen the book yet, I plan to get a copy when I go to
Santiago next month for Thanksgiving.

The list of Spanish-for-foreigners schools in Salamanca that I've sent you,
was provided by the Salamanca Information office and is composed of facilities
wherein Spanish is taught through  an intensive, immersion, method, rather
than the traditional University way.  Reportedly this intensive method has
developed because those offering the courses know that foreigners, as a rule, have
a limited time for their efforts. In the ancillary residences, as well, the
student must communicate in Spanish. Apparently these conditions are quite
successful.
I learned Spanish at home (lucky me!) with my Granadine grandparents; and
only needed to expand my knowledge through forever ongoing  reading and grammar
studies. For the other languages that I know I attended courses and studied
and completed  exercise books like mad. But it wasn't really until I was in the
countries where those languages are spoken, and totally away from tourist
venues,  that I actually learned the languages. It appears that having no choice
but to communicate in another language, slowly but surely one loses the fear of
the "language-unknown" which seems  to be the greatest handicap to learning
it.
How does one keep up with the learned language back home so as not to forget
it?
In New York City we have areas and places where those languages are spoken,
and if we do not want to leave the comfort of our homes, we have  four 24/7  TV
channels in Spanish, and a generous offering of programs in French and
Italian. While some of the programs are not interesting, the news and discussions
programs certainly are, and then there are many magazines and newspapers and, of
course, the web.
An old adage says:  "Use it, or Lose it",  in my experience it applies with
particular precision to the languages one has learned.  Fortunately, most
fortunately, using them is not only fairly easy but also immensely enjoyable.
Warm regards,
Rosina
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