Hola, soy Russell.

Welcome to my Spanish learning journey! I'm learning Spanish in my spare time, and this blog is where I document my progress, share what I've learned, and hopefully help others who are on a similar path.

Why Spanish?

Currently, I live in Houston, Texas, which has a large Spanish-speaking population. Many of my friends are bilingual, and I wanted to be able to join in on conversations in Spanish. Plus, I have a love for travel and Latin American culture, so learning Spanish just felt like a natural fit.

My Approach

I have generally been following the comprehensible input approach, which emphasizes understanding language through exposure to meaningful content rather than rote memorization or grammar drills. Dreaming Spanish provides a great explanation of this approach. I also use spaced repetition software (SRS) to help reinforce vocabulary and phrases that I encounter in my studies.

On this blog, I'll share what has worked for me, what hasn't, and everything in between. My goal is to be honest about the challenges while celebrating the small wins along the way.

What You'll Find Here

This blog is a mix of everything related to my Spanish learning journey:

• Progress updates: Regular check-ins on my learning journey
• Resource reviews: Honest thoughts on books, apps, podcasts, and other tools
• Tips and strategies: What I've learned about effective language learning
• Cultural insights: Interesting things I've learned about Spanish-speaking cultures
• Lessons learned: Mistakes to avoid and lessons from my failures

Let's Connect

I'd love to hear from you! If you have suggestions for resources I should try or just want to say hola, feel free to reach out through my social media or shoot me an email at spanish@madebyrussell.com.