Baby Steps...

Today I had campo duty (well, I wasn't scheduled for it, but someone asked me to switch, so I did).  It ended up being a lot of fun...and a good learning experience.  When I got up there, a few kids were playing.  I went and sat down at the picnic table, where I believe Jesus was on duty before me (he's one of the house dads) and the father of one of my students was keeping him company.  I sat down, and within 2 minutes my student's father turned to me and asked (in Spanish) what I thought of the ranch.  I responded (in Spanish) that I liked it, and it was very different from home...so they asked where home was, and the conversation went from there...in almost complete Spanish.  Julio (one of my students) came over at one point, and I think he was a little surprised to hear me conversing with them in Spanish, because he said to Jesus (in Spanish) "She told me if you speak too quickly she doesn't understand you."  And then he proceded to throw out rapid-fire Spanish sentences and see if I could understand...I got all of some of them, and bits and pieces of others.  Jesus was laughing at Julio, especially when I understood what he was saying, and called him crazy a few times.  The three of us (well, four if you count Julio) continued talking for half an hour, at which point Jesus, Julio, and most of the kids left.  My students' father kept talking with me for probably another 20 minutes until all the kids were gone and I could leave.  It was good to practice Spanish...I understood the vast majority of what was being said to me (granted, I'm sure they were speaking slowly), and I think they understood what I was trying to say...at least the conversation seemed to make sense with the responses I got to what I said.  All in all it was a really fun afternoon.  By the end my brain was a little drained, I think I'm going to try to avoid any strenuous thinking for the rest of the night, but I enjoyed it, and I got to know people a little bit more (and they got to know me).  And I was encouraged because one of them told me that with what I understand and how I currently speak, I should be able to learn Spanish well fairly quickly.  Encouragement is always good.