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I would also be careful of what words you use in some places and how you conjugate them. Words that we wouldn't think about being bad or that are just normal can end up getting you in bad situations. For instance, I believe that in some parts of Mexico, the word coger, which usually means to take or to grab, can actually mean the F word. Can you imagine maybe saying "¿Puedo coger tu mano?" or something along those lines and how awkward that would be?

There is definitely a lot more motivation to learn a foreign language here in the US than before. A lot of high schools use the Advanced Placement program, otherwise known as AP, where students can take tests on specific subjects to try and earn college credit for them. AP exams are extremely hard and require specific courses with the title AP just to learn the content. You can take an AP exam without taking the course (I did), but it's difficult learning on your own. These tests are administered all over the country. AP exams have tests for language classes too: English, Spanish, French, German, Latin, Japanese, and Chinese, I believe are the languages. In the Spanish test, you had to answer questions about reading passages, answer questions about an audio source that they played, answer questions about both a reading passage and audio source at the same time, write a formal essay, respond informally to an email, take part in a simulated conversation, and make a comparison between the culture of the United States vs that of a Spanish-speaking country, ALL parts, including the speaking, reading, and writing, being in Spanish, of course. A lot of students who take the tests usually end up studying the language past high school. My high school even took some students from the Spanish classes to Spain. My high school offers 6 languages: English, Spanish, French, Latin, German and American Sign Language (ASL). So while most Americans cannot speak more than one language, as the years go by, it's becoming more and more mandatory to learn foreign languages with there being better incentives to do so. It's especially important because Spanish speakers are coming close to outnumbering English speakers.

An idiomatic expression I know is "Está lloviendo a cántaros", which is the Spanish equivalent of "It's raining cats and dogs". I've never actually known what the "a cántaros" part meant literally, so if anyone could tell me, that would be great. I also learned "Estoy atrapado entre la espada y la pared", which literally means "I'm trapped between the sword and the wall", which you may recognize as being the equivalent of "I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place." I think that a sword and wall sound a lot more eloquent than a rock and a hard place, though I think that a rock and hard place are a much better comparison.

There is an app called Mango Languages, which also has a website on the computer, for those who want to download it. Only thing is, I'm not sure if it's free if you're on your own. What I mean by that is that my local language offers free usage of the app for card holders. I'm pretty sure this applies to a lot more libraries than just us. If you're in the United States, check with your local library to see if they provide the service. If you can't find or don't have a local library that provides it, you may have to purchase it. I'm not 100% sure, because I use it for free. The way it works is that you pick one of the languages available, and the app begins the lesson with teachign words and sentences in applicable conversational circumstances, like asking where the bathroom it, by breaking down the simulated conversation. They then get more complex and move from conversational situations to actually learning the language, it's grammar, it's structure, and applicable vocab. It also has important cultural tidbits about the words, including formal/informal variations, double meanings, and more. It also includes lessons that are not just English-Foreign Language, the first language being your native one. For example: Spanish-French or so.

Absolutely! You don't know how many times I've come across someone in a store who only spoke Spanish and the workers couldn't communicate them, so I've had to translate for both sides. Learning any language, to me, is about making yourself accessible to people, and through you others. It's almost like a secret world that you can gain access to. I think it's like magic.

Ya que soy africana, mi familia y yo siempre comemos la comida africana además de la comida americana tradional. Por ejemplo, hay un tipo de arroz especial que se dice "Jollof rice"; se cocina con la salsa de tomates. También, tenemos carne, pollo, y pescado en el estilo nigeriano. La comida americana que nos comamos puede incluir jamón, pavo, y pastel. Nunca he tenido "eggnog" o pastel de frutas, y pienso que nunca voy a comerlos.

Me considero ser una persona creativa, entonces me encanta coser y tejer. Hago cosas como la ropa y decoraciones para mi cuarto. Ademas, el escribir es mi pasion. Tambien, soy una persona deportista. Siempre monto mi bicicleta. Algunas cosas que quiero aprender son la capacidad de dibujar y cocinar sin la ayuda de una receta.

I have been studying Spanish for what will be 5 years soon. I think not only is talking to people, specifically native speakers, important, but so is engaging with Spanish media. What I mean by that is watching television in Spanish, listening to music in Spanish, and reading books in Spanish. My sister and I watch telenovelas, and doing so has exposed us to many different voices, language patterns, and accents and at a higher speed than I can speak. Learning a language isn't only about speaking it but also comprehending it when it is spoken to you. Nice job with your progress, though! I always find it impressive when someone is able to teach themselves something.