Interpretive, Interpersonal, and Presentational Modes of Communication

At the beginning of the semester, I was very scared to speak and write in Spanish. I used to be able to speak the language very well, but as I got older, the less I spoke Spanish, the more I forgot. This happened a lot to my cousins as well as my siblings. My family is from Panama, and my aunts and uncles take pride in where they come from. So, I took it upon myself to learn more Spanish, not only for myself, but as well as keep the Panamanian pride.

At first, it was very difficult to keep up in class. It was a lot more than the basic Spanish I knew, and having to learn the conjugations and learning new words was hard for me. But, the more I studied, the better I got at it.

The first time I was put to the test to try to speak to someone besides my family or my teacher was through the TalkAbroad. I was very scared because I know everyone’s accents are different. So, I chose someone who was from Colombia because I have some family from Colombia. After speaking and getting out all of my jitters, it went smoothly for me.

As this class comes to a close, I have found myself speaking more Spanish to my family. When we have family group calls, I try my best to speak Spanish to my older family. They told me that I am doing an awesome job and that I need to continue learning.

I find myself listening to more Latin music and actually understanding it. I already listen to a lot of Bad Bunny and J. Balvin, but now I listen to more music from Panama, such as Reguetón de Panamá. Also, my family has been watching a lot more Telénovelas, so now I can somewhat watch them without looking at the English subtitles on the bottom of the screen.

As for everyday life, I am no longer afraid to speak Spanish when I go into the international market or the Latino stores. I can now ask for help, give help, as well as talk to the cashiers without a problem! I can also now order in Spanish with no problem. I feel a lot more connected with my Latino side more than I have ever been since I was little. I used to be afraid to speak Spanish because I don’t look Latina, but now I can speak Spanish with little to no fear.

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