¿Hablas español?

So, I know I just wrote an entry the other day, but I felt compelled to write another one, because I realized that there is one topic that I've been meaning to write about for weeks now. I continue to be amazed at how many people do not believe that I speak Spanish as well as I do...somehow they think that being American and speaking Spanish fluently is incompatible (unless you are Latino of course!) I'm not saying that all Spaniards believe in this stereotype, of course not...but I've gotten it a lot, and its started to make me think.

So- this amazement comes in two forms: there are the people who I meet while I'm out, friends of friends etc...and then there are my students. Every time I meet someone new, he or she is, without exception, impressed with my Spanish. Now...I'm not trying to say this to brag; I mean, of course I'm proud that Spaniards think I speak well, but I also know that after so many years of studying and practice, and for someone who is genuinely interested in the language, I SHOULD speak fluently by now.

But for whatever reason, people don't seem to understand that we have some really great Spanish programs in US high schools and colleges. When I tell people I've only been living here 3.5 months, they all say "but how is it possible that you speak like that after 3.5 months? I simply don't understand this question...my response is always.."of course i've been studying the langauge for years!! Learning a language isn't magic- of course I don't speak this way just by living here for 3.5 months. It took lots of hard work and the desire to learn" In my opinion, that is how you have to learn!

I don't know, maybe a lot of people here are just really unhappy with the way English is taught (I have heard that from a lot of people) and don't believe that you can really learn to speak the language in school (of course, they didn't have the luxury of being in a bilingual program like the one I teach in, with Fulbright teaching assistants!! haha).

Of course, my practical experience living in Spanish-speaking countries has helped me enormously, but still...I would be nowhere near as comfortable with the language without the extensive academic base that I have from hs and college.

And---then there is the topic of my students. This I just find funny...of course, I'm not supposed to be speaking Spanish with my students, because the whole point of my position is to get them to speak in English as much as possible. However, when I first met them, I told them all that I speak Spanish, that I've lived in Spain before, that I love the language, that I studied it in college etc etc.

Well, either none of them were listening, or they have short-term memories, because they always seem to be amazed when they "discover" that I understand and speak Spanish. Of course, this makes even less sense to me because, even though I techincally am not supposed to use any Spanish at school, I end up doing a lot of translating for both the teachers and the kids all the time. And..the kids ask me for translations...and I give them to them...yet they still don't know that I speak Spanish!

I just find this hilarious- I think they have just identified me completely with English, and even if its obvious that I speak Spanish, some of them keep forgetting that. Now, I guess that's not necessarily bad, because of course, I do want them to speak to me in English so that they can improve and become more comfortable with their language skills. And they are SUPPOSED to identify me with English...so, I'm not necessarily complaining, just reflecting I suppose.....

Anyway, I suppose thats enough reflecting for now. Feel free to provide your thoughts :)