I’m a native English speaker from the U.S. I’d like to practice languages with a native Spanish speaker from latinoamerica. My Spanish level is A2-B1 Soy un nativo hablante de EEUU. Me gustaría practicar las idiomas con un hablante nativo de latinoamerica. Mi nivel es A2-B1.

!Me voy a Peru! Me voy a Peru el Miercoles que viene. Tomaré clases de Español en una escuela y me quedaré con una familia nativa. Espero que yo pueda mejorar mi Español.

Intermediate Level Podcasts?

Here are a few good intermediate-level podcasts with clear native speakers:

1) Espanol Automatico (Spain)

2) Hoy Hablamos (Spain)

3) Rob Artega (Mexico)

4) EP Spanish Podcast (Spain)

Anyone know of other good intermediate podcasts with *native* speakers?

Interesting *Regular* Spanish podcasts

Does anyone know of good podcasts made by native speakers for native speakers? (Not for language learners). Ideally, hosts that speak clearly and naturalyy a bit slow. Also, interesting topics - discussions of movies, politics, philosophy, travel, spirituality etc. 

My favorite so far is Rob Artega. He hosts a show on psychology. He speaks very clearly at a B1/B2 level. And he is very thoughtful, so he pauses a lot to consider how to phrase his thoughts/advice properly. The topics can be really interesting - for example: the psychology of positive thinking, forensic psychology and dream analysis.

I also like a show called "Querido Miedo". It is a slf-help show on personal growth and empowerment. I've actually learned a lot about myself and utilized some of the host's advice in my life. She is also a very clear speaker. At times her level is too high for me. She speakes at the B2-C1 level.

Anyone know of others?

Breaking through Intermediate Levels of Language Learning

Below are some of my experiences trying to advance through the intermediate stages of my first foreign language. I'm currently at a B1 intermediate level of Spanish. My progress was rapid through A1-A2 and I advanced to B1 while taking an immersion program last January. Since returning, I have sat in on a college Spanish class 1-2 times per week and practiced about 30min. a day. I feel like this has been enough to merely maintain my B1 level (I have regressed in some areas and advanced in others). Next month, I will begin a 5 week program in Peru.

I have always thought that "I just don't get" foreign languages. For the past thirty years, I have attempted to learn Spanish, yet never advanced through an A2 level. I would always lose my motivation/interest after a couple months.

This is the furthest I have progressed and I feel like I am on the cusp of breaking into the B2 level. Learning a language beyond memorizing common tourist words is a fascinating process to me. I have learned a lot about my mind and learning styles. At times, the foreign language has taken me into an almost meditative or "trippy" mindspace.

Here are a few things I've learned at the intermediate stage:

1) If this is your first foreign language, learn how you learn. Be aware of your learning process. Get curious. I read about so many different foreign learning strategies. Some where incredibly helpful and changed my perspective on language and communication. Other strategies seemed to cause me more harm than good. There is general advice that seems applicable to everyone. There is also advice that resonated well with me, but probably not other people. And there are things I've learned about myself that I have not read anywhere.

2) My recent slow progress at the B1 stage is similar as my learning to ski process. I first tried skiing back in 1988: the skiis were long and straight back then and it was MUCH more difficult to learn to ski. I was frustrated that I couldn't ski with my friends. They were going on ski trips and skiing regular slopes, while I was on the "bunny hill". Skiing just wasn't fun and I was about to quit, yet then I discovered "snow plowing". You can slow yourself down by forming a "V" with your skis. I made rapid "progress" and was soon skiing on the regular slopes with my friends. Within a year, I was at an intermediate level, skiing blue slopes. And I remained there for 4 years of skiing. . .  One winter, my parents hired a videographer to film our family while skiing. As soon as I watch myself ski, I knew something wasn't right. I didn't look fluid. Something was wrong with the position of my skiis and the shifting of my body weight. Then I realized: for years I had been trying to improve the original way I learned: "snow plowing". This method allowed me to make rapid progress through the beginner stage and I probably would have quit skiing without it. Yet, the technique is fundamentally flawed and inhibits me from reaching advanced stages. I realized I had to open myself up to a whole new way skiing to progress further. I watched lots of instructional videos and practiced. Breaking old habits was very difficult, yet I began to get a "feel" for the key: rather than forcing ski position to change direction, I began shifting my body weight and using gravity as my friend. 

3) For language learning, "translating" is like "snow plowing". It allowed me rapid progress through beginner stages and I don't think I would have continued without it. Yet, translating is now inhibiting me from advancing. I realize I have been trying advance by improving my efficiency of translating. Yet, it is fundamentally flawed and I need to open myself up to a new way. Lately, I have been listening to podcasts for native Speakers. My most effective periods are when I lay down on my bed, close my eyes and get into meditative awareness. My mind slows. I am relaxed and I allow the sounds to travel through my conscious and subconscious minds.  When translation occurs, I'm aware of it and let it go - shifting my awareness back to the speaker. Old habits are hard to break, yet for the first time there are periods that I "get it" directly. It is an odd and amazing experience. I have also noticed that I am using some words as "anchors" without translating. Previously, I would grab onto words I know and quickly translate. I may catch "iglesia, Domingo, hijos" and think "church, Sunday, kids" and get the "jist" of what he was saying. Now, I may catch "esposa, dientes, dolor, sacar" and think "esposa, dientes, dolor, sacar" and get the "jist" of what he is saying. This is allowing me to "go with the flow" much better and allows awareness of other sounds/words that I was previously missing, because I was distracted by translating. I think this mindset is key for me to progress further, and I get the sense I am going to make a big breakthrough in Peru. I hope anyway!

"Cuando" question What are the best verb conjugations to express this thought? "When I went to Honduras, I couldn't speak Spanish." My guess: "Cuando fui a Honduras, yo no podía hablar Español." I'm thinking preterite for ir because going to Honduras was an event. I'm thinking imperfect for poder, because I couldn't speak Spanish DURING the trip. I hope this is correct because it *feels* right and comes to me automatically.

Question on Spanish verb tenses. Just when I think I have a feel for Spanish verb tenses, I see something like this sentence from a Spanish course: "Por supuesto, este programa requiere que tu tambien trabajes, pero si sigues las estrategias que enseñamos se que lograrás cosas espectaculares." 1. Why use the subjunctive of trabajar? I thought subjunctive was for "doubt", "emotion" etc. Por supuesto seems definitive to me. 2. Then, why switch to the indicative of seguir? If anything, the use of "si" raises doubt. I thought "si" was a trigger for subjunctive. 3. Wouldn't the use of "si" trigger the conditional for lograr? Can we use the future tense here to stress that it WILL certainly happen? I don't have a transcript, yet I transcribed the sentence from clear audio and auto captions. I'm pretty sure it it correct.

The use of Spanish Imperfect Subjunctive My textbook says to use both the Present Subjunctive and Imperfect Subjunctive for wishes. I'm more interested in the "feel" or "sentiment" of each statement, rather than a technical grammar description. Ojalá mi hermano se casara. Ojalá mi hermano se case. What is the difference in sentiment between the two? My textbook also says to use both the conditional and imperfect subjunctive for polite formal requests: ¿Podría ayudarme? ¿Pudiera ayudarme? What is the difference in sentiment between the two?

The use of "se" I just translated a podcast transcript and I am confused by the use of "se" in these sentences: 1) "Los idiomas se les dan bien a los niños, pero ya de mayor es imposible." The sentence is saying: languages are good for kids, but for those already old - it's impossible. The "les" is referring to "a los niños". Yet, I can't figure out what "se" is used for. It doesn't seem to fit any of my four rules. 2) Seguramente se te ocurrirá algo. The sentence is saying "Surely, something will occur to you". I understand the use of "te" to specify "to you". Yet, why use "se"? Is the reflexive ocurrirse being used here? If so, isn't that saying: "something" is occurring onto itself onto you?