JDWright85

"Do you speak Spanish?"

"Un poco." (Spanish ability exhausted)

"I believe the Spanish phrase you were looking for is 'No.'"

I get what you're saying. My post comes from experience. I worked in a Mexican restaurant and everyone would say they spoke "un poco." If pushed any further many would admit that is all they know. If all you can say is "a little," then the honest response is "no."

I studied Chinese and French in college and have retained about 0 due to lack of use, but in both I can say that I don't speak the language. :)

I have two friends that have taught at International schools in Spanish-speaking countries. Many of the teachers only speak English, so the kids don't expect them to understand. One of the friends has been milking his Spanish fluency for years now to spy on his students. The other told her kids the first day! I was so disappointed in her decision.

If I'm disputing a medical bill is there some way to suspend and delay credit penalties as I try to work to a resolution? Or is it just going to run its normal course and hurt me as soon as it goes to collections?

In other words, is there a way to tell the credit score genies "hang on, this is an unfair and incorrect bill but I need time and a lawyer to figure it out."?

Thanks.

Hi, thanks for the AMA. I am a native English speaker and have been learning and speaking Spanish for over half my life. I have taken countless hours of Spanish classes, majoring in college, taking advanced 400 level classes, studying abroad, etc. I currently live in a Spanish speaking country, have a Spanish-speaking son, and work almost exclusively with Spanish speakers all day. I get a lot of Spanish! I'm very comfortable in the language. But there's still more to learn everyday. So when I think of learning language number 3, it seems daunting. Am I 15 years away from being as good at language 3 as I am at language 2? Do I really have to go back to the flashcard, memorize 100 vocab words system I started with in 6th grade? I have a job, a family, and very little free time. What's the best move? Thanks

(Learning a local Andean language, Quechua, would greatly benefit my work.)