La Manada: Intermediate / Advanced Spanish TAC 2016

[Spoonary]

¡Jaja! Me encanta como ya nos llamamos 'lobos' y 'La Manada'. ¿Qué tal si hacemos un poco de 'role-play'?

I am going to do the January challenge tomorrow as part of my daily words for the output challenge. Does the book/film/tv programme/podcast have to have been released last year or is it enough that I have watched/read/listened to it last year?

Also, welcome BAnna!

[Yuurei]

¡Hola chicos!

I'm a bit late, because I've been a little hesitant about trying to infiltrate join La Manada.
The reason for that is that I wouldn't exactly call my Spanish skills Upper-Intermediate, more like Intermediate-ish, with a lot of confusion on where exactly on the scale that places me. I am able to relax with a Spanish (adult-oriented) novel, TV show or movie (and, in fact, I'm planning to do a lot of that this year, like most of you). I'm pretty sure I can hold (probably not super-eloquent, but still fine) conversations in Spanish, especially after a bit of a warm-up, but the truth is that I have neither had nor really sought out an opportunity to do so in the past ~1.5 years, for various reasons. Back then I was able to converse without too much trouble, if that counts for anything. I do want to slowly but surely integrate output into my regime this year, but I'm still working out a plan for that. Long story short, I'd love to join, but I understand if you think that I don't quite qualify yet.

My log can be found here

[Stelle]

¡Hola chicos!

I'm a bit late, because I've been a little hesitant about trying to infiltrate join La Manada.
The reason for that is that I wouldn't exactly call my Spanish skills Upper-Intermediate, more like Intermediate-ish, with a lot of confusion on where exactly on the scale that places me. I am able to relax with a Spanish (adult-oriented) novel, TV show or movie (and, in fact, I'm planning to do a lot of that this year, like most of you). I'm pretty sure I can hold (probably not super-eloquent, but still fine) conversations in Spanish, especially after a bit of a warm-up, but the truth is that I have neither had nor really sought out an opportunity to do so in the past ~1.5 years, for various reasons. Back then I was able to converse without too much trouble, if that counts for anything. I do want to slowly but surely integrate output into my regime this year, but I'm still working out a plan for that. Long story short, I'd love to join, but I understand if you think that I don't quite qualify yet.

My log can be found here

Well, if you read the first three books of Canción de hielo y fuego in Spanish, then I think you're in the right place! Ha! (No, seriously, that would have taken me a looooong time!)

Glad to have you with us!

[Stelle]

I am going to do the January challenge tomorrow as part of my daily words for the output challenge. Does the book/film/tv programme/podcast have to have been released last year or is it enough that I have watched/read/listened to it last year?

I would go with option two! Aside from podcasts, I'm not sure that I've read/listened to anything that was only released in the last year...

[Stelle]

How about the "Contra la gastronomía peruana" episode of Radio Ambulante? Slightly goofy but interesting topic. Native Latin American speech spoken at a normal pace. Professional production values, not just for this episode but for the entire series. And for those of us that need help, there are transcripts in both Spanish and English! What's not to like?
Highly recommended!

A mí también me encanta Radio ambulante. ¡Gracias por la recomendación! Me gustó el episodio. A pesar de que me guste mucho Radio ambulante, suele ser un poco...¿serio? ¿triste? ¿deprimente? Sí, sí, deprimente es la palabra que buscaba. Pues, ¡muy bien una historia más divertida!

[Yuurei]

Well, if you read the first three books of Canción de hielo y fuego in Spanish, then I think you're in the right place! Ha! (No, seriously, that would have taken me a looooong time!)

Glad to have you with us!

Thanks! Glad to be here!
Definitely planning to pick up the last 2 books this year, but I grew a bit fatigued of the series after the third book and needed to read something else for a while. Now the question is, do I start now and aim to be finished by the time season 6 starts in April? Or do I wait till season six puts me into the right mood and read them afterwards? Preguntas y más preguntas... (I kind of ended up reading and watching simultaneously last year and that was, hm, less than ideal XD)

[Spoonary]

Reto de Enero
Libro: La Tumba Perdida – ¿Fue mi libro preferido del año? No. ¿Lo recomiendo a todos? No. Lo que pasa es que no leí muchos libros en español el año pasado, y simplemente elegí este al azar para hacer esta reseña cortita.

La Tumba Perdida es ficción histórica sobre el Antiguo Egipto, particularmente el hallazgo de la tumba de Tutankamón por parte del egiptólogo británico Howard Carter. Es un libro bastante lento, y no acontece mucho, la verdad, pero es simpático y a quien le interesa el Antiguo Egipto, le podría gustar.

Película: 8 Apellidos Vascos – Esta peli la vi por primera vez cuando salió en el cine, ya que coincidió con mi estancia en España, y la volví a ver el año pasado después de haberla discutido con garyb en su log.

Es una comedia basada en los estereotipos/tópicos que los españoles tienen sobre los vascos y los andaluces. Por lo tanto, si no estás muy al tanto de estos tópicos (como fue el caso conmigo la primera vez que la vi), puede que no pilles muchos de los chistes. Aun así, es una película muy divertida y vale la pena verla.

Serie de televisión: Lalola – No me acuerdo de quien fue que habló de esta serie en el foro, pero me llamó la atención y ahora no puedo parar de verla cada vez que tengo tiempo.

Lalola es una serie argentina que cuenta la historia de Lalo Padilla, un mujeriego que maltrata a la mujer equivocada quien lo acaba transformando en una mujer, con la ayuda de una bruja. Es una serie muy entretenida, y aunque pueda llegar a ser un poco repetitiva, yo no puedo parar de verla. Hay muy buenas actrices aquí, mientras algunos de los hombres no me acaban de convencer. Además, me encantan como hablan los argentinos.

Ya he reseñado el podcast que iba a escoger (Nadie sabe nada) en mi log. Es en inglés, pero después de estas tres reseñas en español, me la perdonáis ¿verdad?

[Random Review]

F*** it, I'm in. Need time to think of a plan and start a log. My goal for Spanish is to go B2 --> C1 and then go for the certificate at the end of June, beginning of July.

[mitcht]

I'd like to join and hopefully contribute more this year than last.

My (new) log is here. I'll figure out something to review over the next week or so.

[iguanamon]

Of all the TAC teams, I think this one has the best chance at sticking around when the next New Year dawns. Great job, Stelle, getting this thing up and running! I will be following the activity here and will try to help if I can. Several years ago, I worked through the C1 exercises at the Cervantes Institute site Aveteca. While the technology is showing its age quite a bit, these exercises/units are still there and free. They may be useful for some of you. I also highly recommend the Gramática de uso del español C1-C2 book. I still consult it. Also, not a workbook, Gramática de la Lengua Castellana from the Real Academia Española is excellent.

If you have twitter and you are not following the Instituto Cervantes and the RAE's acount, you should be. They have a lot of great information to pass along- like this: Preguntas frecuentes sobre la gramática y la ortografía

When I was learning Portuguese, I found working with a private tutor to be quite useful, as I know Stelle has as well. With the right tutor. they can identify your issues and you can work on them together. Some alternatives to italki- at about $10 US an hour for private Spanish instruction over skype from Guatemala: PLQE.org and nulengua.

Moving to the next level takes a lot of work polishing and the gains are not as easily noticeable as they are at the lower levels, but I do find them to be more personally satisfying.