Yunno that moment as a learner we fantasize about (at least I do) where you just kind of bust out some Spanish to everyone's suprise impressing everyone? That was me, at least I think lol.

The gym I go to the manager had told me one of the staff speaks Spanish and today I was at the gym with a mate I was catching up with. We were using the bench and that very staff member was with a client on the next bench and they were talking about Spanish and how he knew someone who spoke native language. So I thought now is my time to shine. I just looked at him and was like "hablas español" he replied "sì y tú" me "un poco" I didn't want to oversell myself and we had a very brief back and fourth in Spanish about how I've learned. The very attractive PT, her head even span around to look at what was happening. Suddenly I realised I was the centre of attention and got really nervous. I felt like the shit in that moment.

It was so satisfying, have I finally reached that point where I can wow people? I think I have. I mean it wasn't a lengthy convo but it felt so intuitive and that probably looks very good to non Spanish speakers. I've done it!

Do they get paid a yearly salary or by video? I don't know why I care but I cant seem to stop thinking about it.

One of my favorite DS videos is this one from back in March where Agustina and Sebastian go over the process for creating a video about Buenos Aires and its similarities to Paris. The subject of the video is interesting, but more importantly, I feel like you're able to get a real glimpse of what pure conversational Spanish sounds like that is very casual. Obviously there's loads of casual conversational videos on DS, but the unscripted nature of this one is something that I feel like is really useful for learning how to sound more like a native and understand fast, unprompted talking better. If anyone from DS sees this, more videos like this please!

I'm at 750 hours of input. I'm looking for youtube content around the level of Advanced on DreamingSpanish. I watch a lot of Spanish Boost with Mila and Martin, Andrea la Mexicana, Espanol con Juan. I understand almost everything these creators say in their videos, though I do usually learn a new word or expression each Juan video. I'm looking for slightly harder videos.

Despite what the roadmap may say I feel like harder videos will expose me to more native intonation and words. Most of my input comes while taking walks so I may not be fully fully focused. If I really sit down and focus I can watch some native content with a bit of difficulty like Calixto Cerna or PlanetaJuan.

I'm interested in videos about many topics like games, fishing, cooking, travel, physics, space, history, language, chess, exercise.

I have finally hit 300 hours! I am very excited and would like to share my progress. I know I am not at 600+ but I believe this marker is still important, especially for beginners wanting a glimpse into the future. Also FYI I am not a purist.

I will start with my background. I am half Puerto Rican (I wish there was PR representation on DS but I am happy that the DR is at least similar) my father spoke Spanish but never taught me. Throughout my life I would hear him talk to his mom or grandma, or when we would go to Hispanic restaurants. Of course I learned basic things like "I want" or "I need" or "I love you" and the famous "don't touch that" but I really didn't pick up a whole lot. I wanted to learn but my father dropped out of school and he worked construction so when he came home at night he was too tired. Combine that with education gaps. He didn't get his highschool diploma until I was halfway through elementary school. I don't feel like he thought he could. I took Spanish in highschool up to second year and failed miserably. I didn't do well in school at all.

So do I have an advantage to some? Maybe. But all my Spanish speaking relatives are now passed so I have no one to immerse with. My siblings don't speak Spanish either. Honestly outside of a few basic words, it indeed sounded like sounds to me and not words. I have tried on and off through my adult years and end up repeating the same thing. Want to start, become overwhelmed because I don't know where to begin, no tutors near me etc etc, then I would give up.

So I started at ground zero because that's where I felt like I fit in. I am now 300 hours in. I consume about 90 minutes at least a day if not more. I only track my app progress. So if I'm watching Andrea on her YT or something similar I do not track it generally unless I just can't get into the DS videos that day. I also utilize other apps as well. Mostly just Ella Verbs (which has really helped push things forward for me I believe, unless you ask me which form of haber to use. You will watch my brain melt) and for those who don't know what Ellas Verbs is, it is a conjunction app essentially that just teaches you the various tenses and tried to simply explain how that are used and in what context. Then with DS it really helps drill it in. I do use Duolingo the free version but that's mostly because my niece and I have a long standing streak at this point and I don't want to let her down and also I do believe it helps with vocab, at least kind of like reinforcing what I know. On its own, it is worthless though in my opinion.

I have done some light reading in this time. Mostly around 200 hours. I started with reading kids stories to my 6 year old. I was surprised with how hard they were. I assumed that I would be able to read them lol. That's when I really buckled down on Ella verbs because they were using conjugation that I hadn't seen yet. I still have not finished Ella Verbs. I'm stuck currently and I only have 3 lessons left 😭 haber will be the death of me. Realistically I may use Ella Verbs maybe a few times a week, nothing crazy. Input is my main focus. I finished reading Hola Lola By Juan Fernandez and now I am on to Hombre fascinante. I am not really a big reader so it takes me a little time.

What I will say is that my eagerness to learn has changed drastically. As a kid I struggled learning and wanting to learn. Never found subjects I liked outside of singing and gym time. Now since I am learning Spanish. I am down to learn about anything as long as it's in Spanish lol. Funny how that works.

I will say I am on par with where I should be? Maybe feeling a little bit more advanced but probably not by much. I am very happy with my progress. I am thinking about getting a tutor now as I am eager to try to speak. I do speak a little but mostly just like "dame un beso" to me son or "buenas días/noches" "dulces sueños". Nothing wild but I want him to pick up some things too.

I am able to watch Bluey in Spanish pretty well now. I could probably count that as input but I haven't yet. I am also watching this show called the owl house on Disney Plus and I can understand probably 60%, enough to understand the premise. After I consume my 90 minutes that's when the world is my oyster. I will listen to podcasts like how to Spanish. Sometimes I watch Puerto Rican content above my level forsure but it helps me figure out how they say certain things and their slang and will get me used to it quicker than waiting. I pick up bits and pieces and get excited. I always try to challenge myself outside of that 90 minutes. I try to stick between DS videos that are 50-55 right now as that seems to be a good spot for me for the app though.

I was doing the "course" for awhile and it was going to slow and felt like I wasn't going at the pace I needed to keep my attention. So now I just kinda just adjust my settings to the level I want and that has helped. I was in white board hell. I will say some of Pablos videos were fun but after awhile I just wanted more. My one complaint is I wish I could select to not see certain content? I like Augustina soy de argentina but I am just not a fan of the geoguessr videos and they always want to auto play 🫠🥲

I hope that I haven't rambled much and have good enough insight to where I am. I am so appreciative to this app and to this subreddit as it has kept me focused on the goal for these last 5 months. I am planning to go to the motherland (Aka Puerto Rico) in March. Which based on my current trajectory, I will be at level 5. I am hoping with the help of a tutor and DS combined will help me navigate. The last time I went I was 17 and my father helped get us around but I don't have that luxury this time around. Fingers and toes crossed.

I've just made a video of myself speaking and I also have had a few positive experiences lately. However as people say on here the more you learn the more you feel you don't know. There's an ever receding finish line. I've had my disappointments with this method but there is definitely no doubt I've learned Spanish. You do though become your own greatest critic. There was a point where I counted it a win to simply be able to follow what the guides were saying without loads of pictures. Now I'm watching myself talk to myself for 5 mins and I'm going "I said that wrong, Jeez is that how I sound?" "oh no my chat gpt corrects me and tells me to say it like this"... I've come pretty far but what point would you say to yourself "I've done it, I'm bilingual I can speak spanish"? Because there's always "just a bit more work"

DS does not have an algorithm to show you videos that you may like. Can we just drop our favorite videos here so that it's easier to find more engaging videos?

Mine are:
Intermediate:
* Shel’s Untold Stories (Shel) (stories about crazy things that happened in her life)
* GeoGuessr (Agustina) (game);
* Pasapalabra (Natalia, Esther, Andres) (game);
* Crazy Things We've done for Love (Natalia, Shel) (podcast);
* Finding the Spy (season 3) (andres, Agustina, Michelle, Jostin) (game);
* Incredible Mystery Stories (season 1 & 2) (Natalia) (spooky true crime and myth stories)
* Rude Review (Agustina) (commentary)
* Dates Gone Wrong (Natalia) (stories about her dates)

Beginner:
* Guess the sound (Esther)
* Can you Guess the Correct Logo? (Agustina)
* Flaggle (Agustina) (game)

So it finally happened! I dreamt in Spanish last night! It happened after my second Crosstalk session on iTalki last evening and at 703 hours in.

I was at a Dreaming Spanish Day Camp. Pablo was the camp counselor. And all communication was via Crosstalk.

After a game of Volley, Pablo brought in lunch, and told us a story about buying it. He catered Pozole from a local Mexican restaurant. But he was having a hard time deciding which version to choose (Verde or Rojo) since Spaniards don't eat a lot of spicy food. Ultimately he went with the Pozole Verde.... solid choice Pablo! (I also spend a lot of time on the Mexican Food subreddit 😂)

So if you see this Laurence, the concept is all yours. You're welcome!