Bay Area peeps
I need to structure my local social life a bit more, or I'll forget to have one. To that end:
I've been talking to a few people about holding "Gringo Nights" once a month - an evening for those of us who once spoke Spanish but who are too embarrassed about the atrophied state of our skills to talk to native speakers. We would eat the food of Spanish-speaking countries (potluck or chip-in), watch Spanish-language films with the subtitles off, and speak only Spanish to one another (bring your dictionary!) Does this sound interesting to anyone?
Alternatively/additionally, I'd like to gauge interest in "Lao Wai Nights" - same concept, only for non-native speakers of Mandarin Chinese.
I'd offer to host these at first, and then maybe we could make them rotate houses if the idea caught on. Of course, everyone would be welcome to attend - NbN readers, friends/partners of readers, gringos, non-gringos, lao wai, non-lao wai, beginners, advanced speakers, whatever, with the focus being for non-native speakers who want to brush up their skills at whatever level. I don't know if kid-friendly is a good idea or not; I'm inclined to think so, as leaving kids out limits attendance for so many folks, but what do you think?
ETA: A friend mentioned that a once-a-month weekend brunch might be easier for those of us with kids - if that sounds good, let me know in comments. Too bad we're booked for June here at Casa NbN, or we could do a Gringo Copa viewing, and drink Corona while yelling at the ref in broken Spanish...
Leave me a comment to let me know if you'd be interested in:
1) Gringo nights
2) Lao Wai Nights
and tell me what you think about the kid issue, brunch v. dinner, or any other ways to make this more feasible/interesting. Be sure to include your email in your comment or signature!
I've been talking to a few people about holding "Gringo Nights" once a month - an evening for those of us who once spoke Spanish but who are too embarrassed about the atrophied state of our skills to talk to native speakers. We would eat the food of Spanish-speaking countries (potluck or chip-in), watch Spanish-language films with the subtitles off, and speak only Spanish to one another (bring your dictionary!) Does this sound interesting to anyone?
Alternatively/additionally, I'd like to gauge interest in "Lao Wai Nights" - same concept, only for non-native speakers of Mandarin Chinese.
I'd offer to host these at first, and then maybe we could make them rotate houses if the idea caught on. Of course, everyone would be welcome to attend - NbN readers, friends/partners of readers, gringos, non-gringos, lao wai, non-lao wai, beginners, advanced speakers, whatever, with the focus being for non-native speakers who want to brush up their skills at whatever level. I don't know if kid-friendly is a good idea or not; I'm inclined to think so, as leaving kids out limits attendance for so many folks, but what do you think?
ETA: A friend mentioned that a once-a-month weekend brunch might be easier for those of us with kids - if that sounds good, let me know in comments. Too bad we're booked for June here at Casa NbN, or we could do a Gringo Copa viewing, and drink Corona while yelling at the ref in broken Spanish...
Leave me a comment to let me know if you'd be interested in:
1) Gringo nights
2) Lao Wai Nights
and tell me what you think about the kid issue, brunch v. dinner, or any other ways to make this more feasible/interesting. Be sure to include your email in your comment or signature!
5 Comments:
Great idea! I'd be interested, if you don't mind the presence of an advanced beginner. I don't think I could fairly say I "once spoke Spanish," but I understand a lot more than I can speak and would love to improve my skills. -ADL's cabengo
Note to self, so I can keep track of the people who have responded in email and other forums:
* D and M might be interested in Gringo Brunch, rather than Gringo nights.
* J-Bug would be interested in Gringo Nights
* Basquegem would be interested in Gringo nights.
Also for Gringo Nights:
Vito
C and Miss M
FP (from ADL)
Also LW.
and Mateo!
That's... *counts* ten so far, whee!
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