Calenas learning English

[Nevergivingup]

I would love to hear from gringos who have brought their calenas to the USA and how long it took for them to grasp the english language.
How difficult was it for them to learn the language?

[elcolombiano]

... in response to Calenas learning English, posted by Nevergivingup on Feb 10, 2005

[This message has been edited by elcolombiano]

My wife has been in the USA since March 2004. I have sent her most of this time for 1/2 day durring the week to the ESL classes at the local adult Ed center. If you asked her "where are you from" she will look at you with a blank stare. I was told there are some older ladies in the class that after a year of studying English can not tell the difference between Yes and No. This is not a joke.

[utopiacowboy]

... in response to Re: Calenas learning English, posted by elcolombiano on Feb 11, 2005

I guess it depends on the woman but many of them are quite resistant to learning English. My wife's three kids understand English perfectly after a year but she has a long way to go. Once she starts working and is in an environment where she has to speak it and hear it all day, then she will make rapid progress.

[Chris F]

... in response to Re: Calenas learning English, posted by elcolombiano on Feb 11, 2005

With all due respect, the real question here is then if your wife has been there for almost a year and cannnot answer the question "Where are you from?"....how much longer are you going to have her keep going there?  I bought my fiancee Pimsuler English CD program and she understood that question within a month.

I think its time to explore other options my friend. Please E-mail privately (KFremont@aol.com) if your interested in the CD program...my fiancee has finished it.

Good Luck!!!!!!!!!!

[Calipro]

... in response to Calenas learning English, posted by Nevergivingup on Feb 10, 2005

I sent my caleña to an english school in Cali for about six months while we where waiting for he financee visa. The fist week she got here I put her in some english as a second language classes in a community college.

She got her first job at Robinsons May department store as a sells clerk about six months after she got here. I think she learned much faster than most because I have a lot of patience when it came to teaching and correcting her english. If she didn't understand something that was said or a word she would call me from work on her cell phone and I would tell her what it meant. One time she called me up and wanted to know what a thimble was. I told her what it was and told her to tell the customer that "we don't sell thimbles here". After one year here she spoke better english than a spanish speaking friend of her's that had lived here for seven years. Also she was young (at 21).

Wait until they start learning how to cuss. They just don't get how offensive what they are saying can be. I will never forget the first time I heard my wife use a racial slur. I don't know where she learned it but it wasn't from me. I'm not going to say that I have never used language like that in my life but I tried to impress upon her that what she said is equivalent to spitting in someone's face. You have to be ready to fight if you are going to say something like that. I guess I got the message across because I never heard her use the word again.  

It is really nice if your wife can learn english and fit into american society. But when it comes to making your relationship work, it is about ten times more important that you learn spanish than that she learns english.  

[utopiacowboy]

... in response to Re: Calenas learning English, posted by Calipro on Feb 11, 2005

Some very wise words, Senor.

[jediknight]

... in response to Re: Calenas learning English, posted by Calipro on Feb 11, 2005

interesting point calipro about the importance of learning english but more importantly about you learning spanish to help make the relationship work. i agree that it is important for her to learn english if she's going to live and work here but it's also important for you to learn spanish, there are others that feel that it is only up to her to learn a foreign language.

there are some factors that affect how fast a colombiana will learn english. one being whether they knew any at all before coming here, also age, i think the younger they are the faster they'll pick things up, also desire, if she has a strong desire then she'll learn quickly and necesity, if she's in a community surrounded by other latinas or watches tv, listens to radio, reads the newspaper, speaks to you or friends all in spanish then it may take longer.

my friend came here from colombia 5 years ago and speaks perfect english, she still has an accent and is working on minimizing that but about 2 years after she got here she was able to speak enough to get a job, 3 years later she's improved allot but she was very motivated and determined to learn.

[Pete E]

... in response to Calenas learning English, posted by Nevergivingup on Feb 10, 2005

My ex has been in the states 5 years,her english is OK,far from perfect,good enough for a job that requires it.She spoke some english when I met her.It was probably 2 years before she was at the level to work in a job that required english.The job she got after 2 years was mostly spanish.
She attented public adult ducation classes,not very good,for 6 months.A private school,good but expensive for 6 months.A once a week tutor for 2 years.That was as pretty good and not too expensive.
Her son was 8 when he came to the US.He was speaking pretty good english in 6 months.Bi lingual classes.He has no accent now,age 13.Speaks alot better english than her.

Pete

[utopiacowboy]

... in response to Calenas learning English, posted by Nevergivingup on Feb 10, 2005

Why are they all Calenas? Some of them are paisas, rolas or costenas.