An American: Spain for the first time
 

I'm self studying Spanish with a very good program. I want to travel to Madrid, Spain next March either flying IB or AA ORD-MAD-ORD. FOr travellers who have been to places where English isn't the majority langauge how was the experience for you? Were you able to still get around and explore, make it from the hotel and back, order food, and what not? How were you treated since you were Americans?

Juts seeking advice. This will be my first International trip and first longhaul flight.

You'll do fine in Madrid. The subway stations, starting at the airport, are well marked, and there's enough English speakers at hotels, restaurants, and shops that you should not have a problem. I speak very minimal Spanish and got by fine. No problems being American.
Madrid photos
Prado Museum photos

I have lived in various spanish cities for the past two years now and can offer you the following advice:

In the bigger, touristy cities Madrid, Barcelona, Sevilla etc. it will be very likely that staff at hotels, restaurants, bars, train stations, airports will speak enough english to communicate with you. Even in these bigger places you might find that taxi drivers or bus drivers will not speak a word of english but there are always people on the street you can ask.

Once you get "off the beaten trak" I found that less and less people speak english. However buy learning a few simple phrases and expressions you will never starve or find a place to sleep!

Spain is a beautiful contry with wonderful people. Its history is quite unique in Europe and that is tangible all over the country.

I am sure you will love it here!

Safe travels.

fm747

go to www.ricksteves.com and order his quide book, map and language book for Spain.

They will help you a great deal.

I adore visiting Spain. Given my Texas version of Spanish, they were very generous with me! Certainly not the Queen's Spanish.

I miss the people, the history, the coffee and the olives.

Portions of the post that previously appeared in this space have been deleted. I would provide you with a reason why, but doing so would likely be against the TOS.

Speak loudly and slowly, and point wildly at things. Try to pay for everything in US dollars.

Or, erm, not...

Many/most sub-30 year old people in Europe seem to have at least a little English. You'll get by just fine.

When I was in Berlin about 10 years ago, I was approached by beggars a few times. They'd ask for money in German. "Sorry, I only speak English." "Do you have any spare change?" they'd reply in perfect English.

If your self-study is really a good one, you have 7 months to acquire enough Spanish to get by! Concentrate on the phases you will need to conduct ordinary travel arrangements and daily activities. I've never been to Spain, but I'm surprised at how little spanish I have needed to get by in such spanish speaking countries as Puerto Rico and Miami. :D

Don't forget....
 

How much Spanish you need in Texas! but saying 'caro' for car which you can do in Texas will get you no where in Spain.

I spent a semester in Madrid while in school and love both the city and country. If you can try and get out of Madrid and see some of the other sites. When it comes to English, Spain is one of the poorest English speaking countries in Western Europe, something that Spainards will freely admit to amongst themselves; as a result when you get off of the beaten tourist path you might have some problems speaking only English. If you want some suggestions for trips or things to see let me know and enjoy your trip. ^

Well I'm using Platiquemos, is based off what the State Department uses. Im just about done with level two and it's an 8 level course. I work at ORD so I practice with my Mexican Co-workers, and soon I'll be working the IB Daily Madrid flight so I'll get to practice with the Spaniards. London was suppoed to be my first International trip but sense im studying Spanish I said "why not Spain first". Ill he working lots of overtime in the coming winter months! I want to be in Business Class on an 8 hour flight! My first one dear lord...I dread it already lol

I'm going by myself. So I will be looking for stuff to do, hotels to stay at, how to count in Euros. I just need to survive the plane ride!

P.S. I can sing most of La Tortura by Shakira and Alejandro Sanz!!!

Going by yourself will force you to learn more, and faster. I learned most of my español in Chile. I was functional before the first trip, but conversations were slow, tortured, and usually leaving me with a headache. I'd call myself "highly functional" but not fluent now. If you want to learn more esoteric, emotional words, etc., get yourself some musica en español that you really love, and study and learn the letra. Your pronunciation will improve greatly from singing along, even if you can't sing :)

Again, put yourself (in safe) situations where you cannot speak ingles to anyone. Where you have to explain yourself en español, using roundabout words, and the other person(s) to the conversation will help you with the correct word. Your head will hurt, because you think about everything you say and hear. Eventually, you'll hang out with people a few hours and realize "my head doesn't hurt anymore." You'll make people laugh because your jokes will make sense, not because you accidentally said "I lick the toilet for dessert."

Suerte.