Interpersonal Communication
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Y2V3utxDOghgWFdBITRQBl9VYH9XLwsA/view?usp=sharing
In my TalkAbroad with María José we spoke about the customs of Ecuador. Many of which are religious festivals and celebrations. She spoke about Carnival, which I’d not known was also a festival in other parts of Latin America outside of Brazil. We also spoke about Christmas, which is just as big and important there as it is in America. We talked about the importance of keeping some traditions alive, those that nourish us and help us share love with the people we care about. Keeping a tradition around for the sake of tradition isn’t a good reason to keep practicing it.
I think this was my best conversation I’ve had in Spanish so far; I spoke confidentially and didn’t have to rely on my notes as much. I understood most of what my partner had to say, and I had asked questions that didn’t come from what I’d prepared beforehand. It felt like a natural conversation without many pauses or asking for clarity.
Presentational Speaking
In unit 19 we had to discuss an important moment in our lives, and I decided to talk about the moment when I decided to become a writer. I spoke about the importance of having read 100 years of solitude and its impact on me, and changed what I thought novels could do.
One of the challenges of doing this project was grammar control. Speaking in the past tense (especially at this stage in my language learning journey) can be difficult but is overcome with practice and engagement with the subject at hand.
Interpretive Listening
In class we listened to this ted talk given by Gastón Acurio, a Peruvian chef whose main belief is that food can be an instrument for peace.
Gastón Acurio: Can home cooking change the world? | TED Talk