NoManches - Spanish: B2-->C1 Log

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James29
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Re: Spanish: B2-->C1 Log

Postby James29 » Sun Apr 16, 2017 2:32 pm

Big thumbs up and thanks for mentioning the books by Raul Garbantes. Those look perfect... fairly short suspense written originally in Spanish. And, they are cheap! $0.99 each on Kindle or there is a bundle of 8 for $8. I've added them to my list and when I get back to reading I'll hopefully whiz through some of them.
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Re: Spanish: B2-->C1 Log

Postby NoManches » Sun Apr 16, 2017 7:17 pm

James29 wrote:Big thumbs up and thanks for mentioning the books by Raul Garbantes. Those look perfect... fairly short suspense written originally in Spanish. And, they are cheap! $0.99 each on Kindle or there is a bundle of 8 for $8. I've added them to my list and when I get back to reading I'll hopefully whiz through some of them.


I hope you enjoy!
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Re: Spanish: B2-->C1 Log

Postby NoManches » Sun Apr 16, 2017 8:29 pm

I try to space apart my log entries but sometimes I just need to write something down so I can reference it later on. This is one of those instances.

I am currently on the 26th episode of season 2 of El Senor de los Cielos. The first season was 74 episodes long, and each episode is about 45 minutes long. This comes out to about 4500 minutes or 75 hours of this one particular show.

Today I watched a few episodes of La Querida del Centauro which is still pretty difficult for me (although I'm still comprehending about 80% of what is said). I was going to push through and watch more but decided to watch another episode of El Senor de los Cielos since I understand it better and can be more relaxed while watching it.

Long story short, I just came to the realization that I can now watch an entire episode of this show and understand about 95%+ of what is said! I'll admit, some of the Colombian actors still give me problems, but other than that I am understanding almost all of the show!

I suppose now the key is to watch 75 hours of all my other shows until I can understand everything they are saying 8-). I've become very familiar with the accents, vocabulary, and way the actors speak in this one show and need to do the same for others.

I could watch a more difficult show right now but I think I'll enjoy the moment and watch some more of this show instead. I still have 3.5 more seasons to go so I'm hoping I can use this show as my "extensive listening" show and use the others for more intensive work until they become easier.


Just had to share this breakthrough I've had. I was starting to realize it a few weeks ago but today I was able to say with certainty that I finally understand this show very well! Can't believe it took me so long though....
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Re: Spanish: B2-->C1 Log

Postby iguanamon » Sun Apr 16, 2017 8:43 pm

NoManches wrote:...I was starting to realize it a few weeks ago but today I was able to say with certainty that I finally understand this show very well! Can't believe it took me so long though....

That's the thing with training listening... It takes a lot longer than most people think it should. When you get in another hundred hours. It should get even easier. ¡Enhorabuena! :)
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Re: Spanish: B2-->C1 Log

Postby blaurebell » Sun Apr 16, 2017 9:06 pm

iguanamon wrote:
NoManches wrote:...I was starting to realize it a few weeks ago but today I was able to say with certainty that I finally understand this show very well! Can't believe it took me so long though....

That's the thing with training listening... It takes a lot longer than most people think it should. When you get in another hundred hours. It should get even easier. ¡Enhorabuena! :)


I actually think that in the grand scheme of things 100h is nothing, especially when I can just spend that time watching something entertaining! Just think about the 10,000h it supposedly takes to master a complex skill like playing the piano. 100h to get to 95% comprehension of a series is surprisingly little actually! It always amazes me when I go from "huh?!" to "that's so easy!!" in 100h!
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Re: Spanish: B2-->C1 Log

Postby NoManches » Sun Apr 16, 2017 9:16 pm

blaurebell wrote:
iguanamon wrote:
NoManches wrote:...I was starting to realize it a few weeks ago but today I was able to say with certainty that I finally understand this show very well! Can't believe it took me so long though....

That's the thing with training listening... It takes a lot longer than most people think it should. When you get in another hundred hours. It should get even easier. ¡Enhorabuena! :)


I actually think that in the grand scheme of things 100h is nothing, especially when I can just spend that time watching something entertaining! Just think about the 10,000h it supposedly takes to master a complex skill like playing the piano. 100h to get to 95% comprehension of a series is surprisingly little actually! It always amazes me when I go from "huh?!" to "that's so easy!!" in 100h!



I should mention that when I started this series I was already at somewhat of an "intermediate" level and had a bunch of movies and one 70+ episode novela under my belt. Also, since I've been watching this show I've logged in at least 50 hours watching other shows, lots of hours on YouTube, and a bunch of conversation practice....so I can't say I got to 95% comprehension with just one show.

I think when I get to the 10,000 hour mark like you mentioned is when I will really start to feel like I've achieved a truly advanced level of Spanish. As a matter of fact, I'm starting to realize more and more that I'm more of an advanced-intermediate right now rather than anything remotely close to a C1 level. I've been stuck at what I consider a "B2" level for quite some time. What I do know is that I've reached a level where learning Spanish is 100% fun. I get to watch TV and read books in Spanish and feel no pressure to work on grammar or do any boring drills. My plan is to just use the Spanish language until I push into a C1 level.
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Re: Spanish: B2-->C1 Log

Postby blaurebell » Sun Apr 16, 2017 9:53 pm

NoManches wrote:I think when I get to the 10,000 hour mark like you mentioned is when I will really start to feel like I've achieved a truly advanced level of Spanish. As a matter of fact, I'm starting to realize more and more that I'm more of an advanced-intermediate right now rather than anything remotely close to a C1 level. I've been stuck at what I consider a "B2" level for quite some time. What I do know is that I've reached a level where learning Spanish is 100% fun. I get to watch TV and read books in Spanish and feel no pressure to work on grammar or do any boring drills. My plan is to just use the Spanish language until I push into a C1 level.


Welcome to the club! B2 in Spanish just seems endless because of all the regional accents and vocabulary :roll: And you're right, I actually love B2 because it's 100% fun. That's the moment when courses don't really make sense anymore and one learns most by input input and more input. The only reason I drill grammar is that I have too many fossilised mistakes from speaking beyond my level too early. For some weird reason I'm really enjoying GdUdE though, it's just weird!
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Re: Spanish: B2-->C1 Log

Postby NoManches » Sun Apr 23, 2017 3:34 pm

I just finished the first season of "Ingobernable" starring Kate del Castillo. I was absolutely hooked on this show and loved every minute of it. Even though there have been other shows in the past that I really enjoyed, this is the first one I have ever watched where I wanted to watch one episode after another without getting bored or distracted. I think a lot of this had to do with my comprehension, which was surprisingly high for this show. I attribute this increased comprehension to a few things:

1. The "audio description" feature is super cool and gives you a ton of comprehensible input during parts of the show where the viewer would normally take a break or get distracted. There were times when the "audio description" feature would fill me in on something that I completely missed for one reason or another.

2. This show was super addicting. I'm pretty upset that there were only 15 episodes and can't wait for the next season to start. Not once was I bored or distracted with the show. Sometimes with El Senor de los Cielos for example, it just gets hard to watch because there are soooo many episodes. It feels like because there are so many episodes (and a lot of them are filled with crazy telenovela drama) that it's okay to zone out from time to time and not pay full attention. With Ingobernable, there are only 15 episodes at 30 minutes each, so the motivation to stay fully focused was there and was easy to do.

3. Because my comprehension is getting better, it is just a lot easier to stay focused and enjoy the show. During my first 30 hours of El Senor de los Cielos I would often miss out on dialog which would get very annoying. I often had the "Am I wasting my time?" question pop up in my head....but I pressed on. I'm sure I missed out on some key parts of this show, but for the most part I could rewind if I needed to without it being a huge distraction. This being said, I'd like to find an episode guide for this show so I can fill myself in on anything I may have missed. I will also consider re-watching it shortly before they come out with the second season (which I am assuming that they will make...I haven't looked into this yet).

4. Unlike Club de Cuervos, this show is all about action, not comedy. Club de Cuervos is an awesome show (which I will continue to watch today), but with so many jokes and different types of humor it is harder for me to comprehend everything. This show was pretty straight forward and I would consider it one of the easier ones out there.


Plan for the upcoming week

I plan on watching a ton of television in Spanish. Sure, I'll listen to a few podcasts here and there but I think I've reached a level where television is very beneficial to me. Earlier on my comprehension was low so it seemed like a waste of time. Now, I see improvements all the time and would like to see how I will be after logging in another 100 hours. See these related posts which are pretty popular right now:

viewtopic.php?f=14&t=5723

viewtopic.php?f=14&t=5711


That's all I have for now. I plan on drastically increasing the amount of time I spend watching television each week. TV shows and YouTube videos are easier than movies, so I'll spend the bulk of my time watching TV. Also, I have found it easier to watch 3-4 episodes in a row of one show rather than bouncing back and forth between 2-3 shows. I think comprehension definitely improves when you give yourself the chance to get used to the accents and dialog of one particular show (which is why moves are so much harder...by the time you get used to the dialog the movie is over).
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Re: Spanish: B2-->C1 Log

Postby NoManches » Sun Apr 30, 2017 3:14 pm

Where do I begin?

I'd say the last week has been pretty successful given my hectic schedule. I am very short on time to study Spanish, but I can always find some time in my schedule to relax 8-) . The good thing is that I've reached a level of Spanish where I can use it to relax and don't have to think of it as a mentally exhausting event. I do believe that my listening skills are improving although my speaking abilities fluctuate from day to day. In 2016 I had plenty of time to speak the language, and it was easily my strongest skill. 2017 is a little different because I am relying almost entirely on input, with few opportunities for output (with an actual person at least...I can talk to myself all I want but that gets boring :roll: ).

Listening:
After reading through some old posts from James29 and iguanamon, I have made it a mission to listen to Voz de América every morning on the way to work. I find it somewhat difficult to follow along with because I am unfamiliar with some of the political vocabulary that is used. Also, I tend to zone in and out depending on how interesting I find the material. If I really want to reach a strong C1 level then I need to get out of my comfort zone and listen to material like this. I like the idea of "trained listening" that iguanamon talks about, so I try to listen to this show on the way to work and then again on the way home (to catch things I may have missed in the morning).

Television
TV has been my main method for Spanish input as of the last few months. I haven't kept exact numbers but since last week I have logged in over 14 hours of television in Spanish. Sometime last week I finished the second season of Club de Cuervos, the first season of Ingobernable, and I started two new shows.

a) The first show is called #HoySoyNadie. I really like it because it doesn't have to do with drug cartels and because if I really force myself to pay attention I can understand a huge chunk of the show. Here is a summary I took from wikipedia:

Tras participar en un fallido "negocio de Internet" e hipotecar la casa de su hermano para pagar su deuda, Mateo Blanco, un talentoso editor web, se ve en la necesidad de cometer un fraude al periódico donde trabaja, para recuperar la casa de su hermano y saldar su deuda. Con lo que no contaba es que sería descubierto por el dueño del periódico, Alonso Ugarte, quien a cambio de no denunciarlo, le ordena encontrar a su hijo perdido, entregándole una lista con quince nombres de los posibles candidatos y una caja con cápsulas al vacío, para que obtenga una muestra de sangre de cada uno de ellos. Sin que nadie se entere, Mateo, a través de las redes sociales, deberá ubicar y acercarse a estos jóvenes, con una identidad falsa para obtener dicha muestra y así, descubrir quién es el hijo de Ugarte, antes de que éste muera

b) I started to watch the show "13 Reasons Why" on Netflix after heard a few people talking about it. I watched it dubbed in Spanish and find it incredibly easy to follow (as long as I force myself to pay attention). I'm not too hooked on this show but may use it when I'm tired but want to get some extensive listening done.

c) I continue to watch El Senor de los Cielos and am pretty happy with my comprehension, although it does fluctuate based on actors and if I'm paying attention or not. I usually watch this show when I am tired and want to relax, but don't care if I zone in and out during the show.

d) I am also watch La Querida del Centauro. This show has one season of I think 60 episodes. I find this one much harder to understand but I have only watched about 15 episodes. I can't wait until I finish the series and can go back and see how much my listening improved.



Reading
I definitely have not been reading as much as I would like. I keep my kindle next to my bed and try to read every night, but fall asleep after only a few minutes. I have considered waking up early in order to read before work, and might try that out this week. I'm a big fan of taking advantage of small moments of down time to squeeze some Spanish into my schedule. I recently downloaded a few apps onto my smartphone that make reading things in Spanish more convenient. These apps are:

VOA (Voz de América): Most people know VOA for its morning newscast. I just realized they have a news app which is very convenient.

EnchufeTV: This is very similar to the "College Humor" website that many young Americans are familiar with...except this comes from Latin America. Warning: There is a lot of inappropriate content on this app that comes from users who have the ability to chat and share whatever they want. The content from EnchufeTV is still for adults but much more appropriate compared to what some people share on the chat function of this app.

DDC (Diario de Confianza): I used to be a huge fan of the podcast/YouTube channel "Gente de Confianza" although it was very hard to understand. I have no clue how Diario de Confianza came about because it is actually very professional in nature, compared to Gente do Confianza which is 3-4 young males sitting around a microphone talking about the news in an unprofessional but fun (and honest) manner.


Well, that's all for now. Goals for the upcoming week:

-Continue to listen to Voz de América and hopefully see some improvements in my comprehension. I'd like to reach a point where it "sounds like English" to me and is just very easy to listen to.

-Try to do some more extensive reading. I don't care too much for intensive reading right now due to my schedule and lack of energy, but waking up early to extensively read over a cup of coffee sounds like fun.

-Television. Lots of television. If I could only do one thing right now to work on my Spanish it would be to watch lots of television. Now that I'm so close to the C1 level I can really see the benefits of watching tons of television in Spanish. I would like to finish the films portion of the Super Challenge by the end of next month. If I achieve that goal I'll switch over to a double challenge.
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Re: Spanish: B2-->C1 Log

Postby NoManches » Wed Sep 27, 2017 10:18 pm

Wow! It's been 5 months since my last post. I think it is pretty safe to say that I have been really busy lately. I haven't had much time to use or practice my Spanish up until a few months ago. Now I find that I have to speak Spanish about once every few days in my new job. Unfortunately it is only work related Spanish, but it sure is better than nothing.

I have found that my skills are not as sharp as they once were, but I can still communicate pretty fluently with minimal errors. My listening skills have decreased a little too, but I'm happy that they haven't gotten that bad.

Since I have more free time now that I've changed careers and am starting to settle down, I have fallen in love all over again with the Spanish language. For me, speaking Spanish is more than just a skill. It has been a huge part of my life for a long time now and always will be. When I use Spanish, it brings me back to a very awesome time in my life where I spent a lot of time travelling, making new friends, and exploring a new culture. I actually miss a lot of the TV shows and books I was reading, an can't wait to start challenging myself with them once again.

On a sad note, I will be moving to a place with very few Spanish speakers. It looks like I will be spending a lot of time catching up on my novelas.
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