Finding the Words

Toby Hopwood on getting the grips with the Spanish language and how Proyecto Horizonte is a fantastic environment to hone your verbal skills.

Proyecto Horizonte is an international organisation. Volunteers from Europe, the Americas, Australia and New Zealand work alongside its Bolivian staff here in Ushpa Ushpa. For those of us wanting to improve our Spanish, it’s a great opportunity to learn.

I work in the communications department. My Bolivian colleague Lydia is both very patient and always up for a natter. It can be challenging for us both at times, but more often than not it’s amusing, as I mutilate the language and commit various linguistic faux pas. As the weeks have passed, I’ve gone from stammering and wringing out phrases as if from a cold sponge, to gradually gaining in confidence and proficiency. I even managed to participate in a qualitative research exercise with local young people at an event last week.

I had a smattering of Spanish before I arrived, but other volunteers, who have started from scratch, are able to make a contribution while practising their new verbs in the kindergarten. And of course, those who already have a sold grasp of the language are able to participate immediately. In short, there are opportunities at Proyecto for all abilities.

I’ve certainly still got a long way to go, but feel that with daily practise – and the help of my excellent teacher who Proyecto organised for me – I’ll be well pleased with the progress I’ll have made here.