<HTML><FONT FACE=arial,helvetica><FONT SIZE=2>In a message dated 7/4/01 11:02:59 AM Central Daylight Time,
<BR>rspengeraHOME.COM writes:
<BR>
<BR>
<BR><BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">One question. Are you fluent in Spanish, i.e. can you carry on a
<BR>conversation in Spanish beyond the bare necessities of asking directions,
<BR>ordering food, etc.? </BLOCKQUOTE>
<BR>
<BR>Robert,
<BR>Nope. When I arrived in Spain all I knew was Hola! But I have a great deal
<BR>of French, Italian and Latin which helped tremendously. I wasn't able to
<BR>speak well, but I understood nearly everything. What was very intriguing to
<BR>me was when I was in a group of people from different countries and the
<BR>medium language was one where noone was from that country. Does that make
<BR>sense? But with Manuel speakign a little English, and his wife speaking a
<BR>little French, we did quite well. I am now enrolling in a Spanish class!
<BR>
<BR>I've decided I won't return to Spain until I speak their language. They were
<BR>incredibly accomodating, but I have this thing about not wanting them to
<BR>speak my language in their own country. It looks like my husband and I will
<BR>be returning to the camino in September of 2002. It can't be soon enough
<BR>for me!
<BR>
<BR>Gabrielle</FONT></HTML>