Today is Spanish Friday: Blog post in Spanish; English translation below.Yo tomé mi examen español ayer. Yo recibí una nota de 3 en hablante y 3 en lectura en la escala de ILR. En otras palabras, yo tengo una competencia profesional general.¡Estoy muy contenta! Esto va a ayudarme a encontrar un trabajo al puesto.Cuándo yo tuve mi evaluación hace dos semanas, mi consejera me dijo que yo tuve la capacidad de 2/2+ (competencia limitada de trabajo). No pensaba que dos semanas fueron suficiente tiempo para mejorar, pero me equivoqué.
Anoche Kail y yo fuimos al restaurante se llama District Commons para celebrar mi éxito. La fotografía, de arriba abajo de las agujas del reloj: pato asado con arroz, las muestras de cervezas, chuleta de cerdo y “tabla de cerdo.” (Vea el menú de la cena y el menú de cervezas.)Espero recordar todo que yo he aprendido. Voy a tener algunas noticias pronto sobre nuestros planes para irnos, pero por ahora todavía estamos en DC. ¡Necesito practicar hablar todos los dias!Estoy un poco triste de irme FSI porque me gustaba aprender español. Sin embargo, estudié solamente por dos meses (y no por seis meses como Kail). Pienso que si estudiara por mucho mas tiempo, me cansaría de clase.¿Qué voy a hacer ahora? ¡Descansar y divertirme, por supuesto! Y preparar para mudarnos. Además, tengo algunos proyectos de escritura y fotografía para cumplir.Por supuesto, tan pronto como llegué en casa ayer, yo inmediatamente les mandé mensajes electrónicos a mis profesoras y mi consejera en FSI para agradecerles sus enseñanzas. Yo tambien les mandé unos mensajes a la consejera de empleo en San Salvador y a otras personas sobre mi progreso y mi planes para trabajar. ¡Nunca es tan pronto para planear!Hasta la próxima semana … ¡Qué tengan un buen fin de semana!English TranslationI took my Spanish exam yesterday. I received a grade of 3 in speaking and 3 in reading on the ILR scale. In other words, I have a general professional proficiency.I am very happy! This is going to help me find a job at post.Last night Kail and I went to a restaurant called District Commons to celebrate my success. The photograph, from top to bottom clockwise: roasted duck with rice, beer sampler, pork chop and “pig board.” (See the dinner menu and the beer menu.)When I had my evaluation two weeks ago, my counselor told me I had the capacity of 2/2+ (limited working proficiency). I didn’t think that two weeks was enough time to improve, but I was wrong.I hope to remember all that I’ve learned. I’m going to have some news soon about our plans to leave, but for now we’re still in DC. I need to practice speaking everyday!I’m a little sad to leave FSI because I liked learning Spanish. However, I only studied for two months (and not six months like Kail). I think if I were to study for much more time, I would get tired of class.What am I going to do now? Relax and have fun, of course! And prepare to move. Also, I have some writing and photography projects to do.Of course, as soon as I got home yesterday, I sent emails to my teachers and my counselor at FSI to thank them for their teachings. I also sent a few emails to the employment advisor in San Salvador and to other people about my progress and plans for work. It’s never too early to plan!Until next week … Have a good weekend!
Spanish Friday: Me Gradué de FSI

I can clearly see improvements in your Spanish over the last few weeks, no fear. You’re using more complex grammar and idioms. Enjoy the little bit you have left in America.
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Thank you! Do you speak Spanish? I think the timing will work out well because it won’t be SO long that I will forget everything (hopefully). My husband, on the other hand, has been out of Spanish for going on six weeks …
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¡Que bueno! Si querés (oooo — vos! – necesitás usarlo si querés hablar como una guanaca) una maestra de español en El Salvador, dime.
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Sí, quisiera continuar estudiar en puesto. ¡No aprendimos la forma de “vos” en FSI! Necesito aprenderla. O puedo usar solamente “usted” para todos … I’ll just be really formal with everyone.
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WOW! Super felicidades!El Salvador awaits 🙂 … I would give anything to be traveling back soon and staying for an extended time. I’m really excited to see it through your eyes and can’t wait to hear what your experiences are. Take plenty of photos. I will have to live vicariously through you for now…And depending when we next visit and how long you guys stay, maybe we’ll have to meet up for pupusas some day 🙂
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Gracias. I am so excited to move! We will be there for about two years. It’s really helpful to practice writing. I am sure I am making a ton of grammatical mistakes but I think it’s still probably a productive exercise.
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Congrats how exciting!! Cant wait to see the photography and writing!
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Thanks! I have more free time now that class is over so I’m hoping to get out there with my camera. Honestly I still feel self-conscious/like a tourist when I’m out in public in DC taking pictures of things, but I think I need to just get over it. Looking forward to hearing about your first few days in Delhi!
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Congrats and very nice to meet you IRL tonight!
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Thanks! It was great to meet you as well. Hope you got to enjoy some HGTV!
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I did 😉
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[…] mandarle a él un mensaje electrónico después de terminar mi clases. Entonces, el día de mi examen español, le mandé al hombre un mensaje electrónico con mis resultados y unas noticias sobre mis planes de […]
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[…] We spent the weekend settling in, meeting people and trying to get acquainted with our new home. Oh, and going to the beautiful beach pictured below. As such, I didn’t have much time for writing. I’ll have more detailed updates to share later this week, including how I’ve learned that I don’t really speak Spanish anymore. […]
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[…] para determinar nuestros niveles para el término invierno. Son diferentes que los niveles en FSI y aquí el examen incluye escribiendo en adición a comprensión auditiva, gramática, lectura y […]
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Hola y felicitaciónes. Soy americano (de sangre caribeña) pero desde niño siempre había querido aprender este idioma.At 25 i began a year long mission of study study study (with CD’s and a grammar book) and volunteer teaching ESL. After that I tried to find out how to join FSI or Peace corps and with no degree but solid work experience in NYC finance and Ed, i was hitting dead ends. But i have passion! So i said screw it and just up and moved to la república dominicana where i planned to stay 30 days and ended up staying for 3 years. In my first six months was able to open a private ESL class and in 10 months open a “basic” spanish class for expats. ANY INFO you have about FSI i would love, especially since i use their old audio tapes from Basic and Programmatic Spanish. Good luck to you. I am not class taught but love to study. Check me out on youtube at “Tanheavy”
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Thanks for stopping by my blog! Everyone also told me there is no better way to learn a language than to live in a country where it is spoken (and you are forced to speak it and hear it). So far that’s true! But I still think — for me, at least — “formal” instruction going over grammar rules is important. In terms of learning vocabulary and local idioms, reading and talking and listening is definitely best.I don’t really know a lot about the hiring process at FSI since I was only there as a student for 8 weeks. But I think the teachers are hired as contractors through the State Department. Have you looked at the FSI website? Maybe there is information there.
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Thanks for responding. I’m now fluent in Spanish, just without degree. I have gone to the FSI website before and I meet all but a few criteria ie degree. I just need patience and to finish my undergrad.
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[…] Commons (we celebrated my FSI graduation […]
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[…] In fact, I’m very goal-oriented, whether it’s training for a marathon or learning Spanish or something else. I like having a plan, sticking to a schedule and crossing things off lists as […]
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[…] que en mi clase de español en FSI, hablábamos sobre nuestras favoritas palabras españolas. En el momento, yo no tenía una […]
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[…] He escrito sobre mi experiencia aprender español con Rosetta Stone. Se funciona — suficientemente para que yo pude empezar en un nivel más avanzado en FSI y llegar a El Salvador con español adecuado para trabajar. […]
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