Hola chic@s,

Espero que estén bien.

So we’ve seen the first two shifts that can help move us from a Student → Participant.

To get us living Spanish, rather than just learning it.

1) People Before Perfection
2) Stories Over Streaks

Now for the final one.


Shift #3 - Embarrassment is Tuition

This is probably the most uncomfortable one to put into practice.

And maybe the most important.

Embarrassment.

We all hate it.

That horrible feeling when you get something wrong and suddenly feel exposed.

We experience it in a classroom. Even in a 1:1 lesson.

But there’s something about getting it wrong with another Spanish speaker that seems to amp it up 100x.

I’ve told you my Madrid lunchtime story before.

I was sitting with my Spanish colleagues and tried to tell them I was embarrassed.

Instead, I told them I was pregnant.


Embarazada = pregnant
Avergonzado = embarrassed


Jo-deerrr.

I wanted the ground to swallow me.

But years later?

It’s one of my favourite Spanish stories to tell.

(See the overlap here 😉)

And I never forgot what embarazada meant again.

Tuition paid.

Because I think one of the traps we fall into as Spanish learners, myself included, is believing we’re somehow not supposed to feel these things.

Embarrassment.

Awkwardness.

We think that if our Spanish was a bit better, we’d stop feeling them.

So when we feel it, we use it as evidence to say to ourselves:

I’m not ready yet.

And back we go to the safety of Duo****.

But you have to embrace these uncomfortable feelings as part of the journey of living Spanish.

Expect them.

It’s similar to what we call imposter syndrome.

Of course you’re going to feel that way.

Fall in love with the fool within.

The participant doesn’t feel less embarrassed, they just view the feeling differently.


The student thinks → “That was embarrassing. I wasn’t ready.”

The participant thinks → “That was embarrassing. Of course it was. Tuition paid.”

So the next time your Spanish goes horribly, beautifully off-script and you feel that familiar wave of embarrassment, try not to retreat.

Laugh if it’s funny.

Learn something if there’s something to learn.

And remind yourself:

Tuition paid.

Then keep participating.


Can you relate?

Send me your embarrassing stories, I’d love to read them.

Keep getting out there, chic@s 💪

Un abrazo,
Harrison

Spanish for living, not just learning


P.S - After last week’s newsletter about Stories Over Streaks, Andrei sent me this:

“In 2018 I was crossing the border back to my country (Belarus). I noticed a group of Spanish-speaking foreigners who seemed a bit uneasy. I approached them with my limited Spanish and learned they were from Colombia, going to the World Cup in Russia, but having visa issues. I helped them cross the border and ended up inviting them into my apartment where they stayed for a couple of nights, before fulfilling their dream and going to the World Cup. I was left with warm memories of this unlikely encounter…and a nice Colombia football shirt 😉”