I’ve been studying Spanish off and on since 2002 – I don’t count my time in high school, as I remembered NOTHING from those two years. And now? I like very much being able to talk a bit – just a bit – to locals in Spanish-speaking countries. I like being able to read menus and road signs in Spanish. I like being able to communicate with a pharmacist in Central America enough to get some medication I need. I was continuing to study Spanish for these reasons alone.
Just after the start of 2026, I hit 1000 days of consecutive language studies on Duolingo. Should have been more, but in 2022, after hitting 365 consecutive days, I took a break for a week – and it turned into months.
But I’m starting to wonder about all this studying of Spanish. Does it really matter? I see vloggers with no Spanish skills negotiate travel through Central and South America just fine. I’ll never get a job because of my Spanish skills. I’ll never be able to participate in a Spanish-speaking work-related meeting. I’ll never be able to translate my work into Spanish. I’ll never be able to do a work-related Q & A in Spanish. I really struggle talking in Spanish with the clients of the nonprofit I’ve been working for – if they happen to understand me, I don’t understand them.
My German is far worse. My pronunciation makes Stefan wince. Half the time he has zero idea what I’m trying to say. It’s taken me two years to get to where most people are in one year on Duolingo. I thought I might have really improved from when I lived there and so I recently tried to watch the news in German. I was as confused as I’ve ever been.
But then, if I don’t keep studying… what do I fill that time with? There’s no one clamoring for some tunes from me on the piano, guitar, dulcimer, ukulele, bongo drum…
Someone give me an amazing motivational speech about why I should keep studying languages. Hello? Oh, wait, that’s right, no one reads this blog…
Have I mentioned lately how much I did not want to turn 60?
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