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I'm currently doing research to kickstart an ultralearning project to study a language, and came across this video. Your outline is incredibly helpful to breakdown what you did to develop a basis of the language in the first couple of months of your progress, especially hearing about your experience with iTalki. I also think that it also helped immensely knowing that you did this all, working 65-70 hours a week. A lot of times when I aim to place benchmarks/goalposts and identify how people managed to learn a language in a set amount of months, often times it's a university student that can afford more time to deep dive into language learning during semester break, or someone with flexible working hours. For someone that is working full-time and then add part-time study on top of that, it definitely felt disheartening. So it helps to know that learning a language is totally achievable, even when you've got a ton of commitments and responsibilities. Wishing you all the best in all your future endeavours, and thanks again for posting this vid!

Puedes tomar un descanso de 15 años del idioma y olvidarte de todo, y cuando vuelvas a él, será como nuevo. Como una relación renovada.

I’m so sorry to hear about your father Ben. Im proud of you for getting back on the CZcams grind. I would love to see you make a channel where you go over Spanish grammar. That would help me a lot especially since I’m not ready to get an iTalki tutor.

The death of a parent is always so hard and has a long term impact....however the good memories will carry you forward. So sorry for your loss! A new channel by you would be so welcome and appreciated....whatever topic interests you will probably interest us. A learning channel is something I would welcome as you have some awesome teaching and communication skills. Thanks for your continued work on this channel, I appreciate it!

I had to accept this as well. I’m half Mexican but I’m born in the USA. I also look Mexican and my name is Jose but sadly I never learned Spanish due to nobody using it around me. I’m learning Spanish to connect to my roots and for job purposes and I realized it once I got to A2 level Spanish that I’ll never be a native level in the language. While we can all be fluent native fluency comes with living in that country, slang, schooling etc. The only exception I can say is my friend who came from Mexico in middle school. She speaks Native level English but even then I can tell it’s not her first language. Unless you moved to a country when you were really young there is pretty much no chance to reach this native level fluency being a foreigner. I’m sure rare occasions exist but for the most part it’s impossible. Even the amount of time I put into the language could never compare to what real Spanish country speakers been exposed too. I accept it though.

Yes travel content fasho..

Wow sorry for your loss Mike, My prayers go out to you and your family.

I Just recently purchased your book on amazon and will begin reviewing more of it once I'm back stateside. Gracias a usted senor

Could you send me the names of your favourite Spanish teachers on italki please ?

Could you send me the names of your favourite Spanish teachers on italki please

My condolences.

I'm sorry for your loss.

Thanks for dropping these gold gems! 😊

Interesting take brotha. I also went hardcore on learning Spanish in my early 20s, outside of a classroom. Exclusively consuming Spanish movies, tv, music, etc does change you. It would be impossible not to. The conversations you have change, as well as the perspective and people around you. I originally though you were going to mention the negative that I've seen after becoming fluent in Spanish and speaking it in Spanish speaking countries is a DROP in status. When I walk into a business, or approach a stranger in fluent Spanish as a BLACK man with a nearly native accent is...I am seen and treated as a local Black latino/Haitiano or Africano and not a comparatively wealthy and privileged American. If I switch and speak English only, or very broken Spanish with a strong Gringo accent, the difference in initial respect that I recieve from people is night and day. I'm catered to and given special preference as a wealthy, exotic, American tourist. Have you ever experienced anything similar? It admittedly only happens in Spain and Latin America. In America, speaking nearly native level Spanish as a Black man is received much more positively.

Yes it's fantastic that we have all this technology to help us learn so many different things but when it comes to learning a language The problem I'm having is that there so much information and videos on Spanish is I don't know what to stick with. I just brought this book called Magic key to Spanish I'm planning on sticking with the book and avoid all videos for a few weeks. That's for your Spanish journey videos

Condolences on your loss, Mike.

Condolences Hermano, Hey, Mike I think you should visit your father’s land and connect with his family in trini first, than travel to Latin America. I hear there is a Venezuelan community out there in trinidad that came a few years back looking for a better life. We could see your family out there in trini and see some of your experiences out-there and maybe you can go to the Venezuelan community and do street interviews with them in Spanish about living in trini, and there experiences. @eltrinivenezolano is from Trinidad and he teaches Spanish and English living in Trinidad and you guys are of the same interest in the Spanish language. If it’s possible you should connect with him, and I love traveling, so I would love to see some travel content. Cuidate hermano.

Great point. Everyone goes through pesonal things in life

Losing a father is hard. Prayers your way! Take care of yourself and take time to process what you’re going through!

Are u still learning Swahili?

Sorry for your loss Mike

"English or Spanish"

I’m so sorry to hear this, Mike. Condolences to you and your family and praying that you take Spanish and all other things one day at a time 🤍 The fact that Spanish still flows for you just goes to show that it is truly ingrained in you now. It’s gone from being something that you intentionally practice to something that you subconsciously do. It’s just in you and that’s such a milestone achievement!

It is ludicrous to witness the relationship between Americans and Spanish speaking people, as if we all were attempting to cross the border 😅. In Spain we don’t a very good picture of them either though.

My mother passed away in Dec, and mentor in May. I definitely understand. Just stay uplifted brethren! Bless you brother ..

With regard to a new channel, Mike, focusing on conversational skills and the use of different expressions would be helpful. Sharing your experiences in different countries, conversation with the locals, would also be welcome. I have learned a lot from your videos and share your points of view in many instances.

So sorry to hear of your loss, Mike. And thank you for still making the time to contribute to our language learning. It is very much appreciated.

My condolences. Prayers for you and your family on the journey of healing.

I'm so sorry about your dad. I lost my dad suddenly too a few years ago. So shocking to have something like that occur when you think they will live forever. Prayers for you in your grief. As for taking breaks. Such a good point about revisiting the content later. I've also taken a break because of family responsibilities. I took care of two family members over a 2 month consecutive period and Spanish was put on the back burner. As for future content with your travels. I find videos of ordering food and talking about the food in spanish to be enjoyable. I find it interesting to watch a visit to historic sites narrated in Spanish or a hike. Sometimes talking to people on the street is fun to watch depending on the conversation. Good luck with the new content. I can't wait to watch!

My condolences for your loss Mike😞

Sorry for your loss Mike ❤. The teaching channel would be helpful. I have noticed that native English speakers can sometimes have a better way of explaining certain concepts in Spanish. Take care of yourself!

Keep your head up, bro!

We would all love to see travel videos of you talking to native speakers in the streets!!!

Pls boss are they jobs for foreigners in eqoutoria guinea

My deepest most sincere condolences to you and your family. I know how fought it is to lose a parent. Sending you well wishes and positive healing vibes. Your neighbors didn’t want to let you be great today. Lol. A video I would like to see you try, but it doesn’t seem to be your style, and that’s totally fine if it isn’t. But I would love to see you go on maybe Omegle and chat with native Spanish speakers. But if that doesn’t interest you, I completely understand. I’ve been here since the beginning and will always support.

so sorry for your loss, I hope you can find healing during this time. In regards to the break, I recently took a break as well due to life stuff. At first, the time I spent studying a day plummeted from 1.5 - 2 hours to like 20 min. what was weird is i still felt like I was slowly improving. A month would go by at that pace with a few longer studying days on the weekend sprinkled in, and I had no noticeable slowing down of my progress. That got me to wonder if time itself is a factor that we don't think about. Do we get better strictly with the passing of time? Then I took 3 weeks almost completely off. I wasn't studying anything or practicing anything. So this break was really like 2 months honestly maybe even more. I then came back about a month ago, and my spanish had never felt better. podcasts that were a bit too quick were comprehensible, and other podcasts that were comprehensible were now easy.

sorry to hear about your father 😢 Regarding your channel, I find you very inspiring, and that's a great idea if you decide to create a separate channel for teaching Spanish ✔️ Regarding your upcoming travel to Latin America, it would be very interesting if you posted videos of various countries, and explained what you enjoy most about each country 😊

I've experienced this as well. I was embarrassed when I said good morning to a gentleman in the grocery store. I "assumed" he spoke spanish. He said to me in English that I spoke spanish better than he does. I haven't tried to have conversations out again.

Sure, I would be interested in your new teaching channel.

Mike, I love your stuff. I have been following you for about a year and have also had some interactions with you online. I am so sorry to hear about your dad. My thoughts and prayers are with you. I do agree with this idea of rest, the one thing I find very difficult to understand is what is the ideal rest time (period etc...). In terms of content that I would like to see. I love the interviews that you do, I think you are doing less of those now. I found them so inspirational and that is the content that I have watched many times, like your interview with the Nigerian medic with a Colombian dialect. Also I would love to see travel related content especially through Latin America, I would love to see street stuff - like interviewing people in public etc.... I am planning to go next year and have little idea where to start. Thanks for all your content.

I'm so sorry for your loss, Mike. Take care of yourself.

I’d love to see interviews and interactions while you’re traveling with people wearing those RayBan stories glasses with the cameras in them so you can record conversations with the people. That would be different.

Sorry for your loss Mike. I understand. I lost my dad 10 years ago and it’s still hard. I recently been going through some things and been taking a break but still actively learning. I just feel depressed and disengaged because I’m not learning as fast as I need to. 🙏🏾🙏🏾

I’m sorry to hear of your father’s passing. I’m sure he was a great man. I would love for you to do a channel where you teach and travel as well….my vote is yes!😊

Sorry Bro, Praying For you and your Fam.

Que tu padre descanse en paz. Tambien, estoy tomando un descanso de clases de español desde hace 2 semanas. Ahora, solo veo telenovelas. Eventualmente, voy a volver a lecciones de español cuando empiece agosto.

Hola Mike! thanks for your great videos. I would love a video on “How to know when you’re ready to start Italki lessons” or something along those lines. Sending you hugs and prayers during this time. ❤❤

I am sorry for your loss.

My condolences to you and your family on the death of your father. Yes, I would love your travel videos.