I took 4 years of Spanish in high school.  It was with the 3rd year that the total number of students in the class fell to 2. We sat in the back of the 2nd year class and worked on our assignments. We missed a lot by not being in a 3rd and 4th year class geared to learning to speak and understand the language.  Both of us, I can’t remember his name, received awards in our senior year at the awards program in the auditorium.

I supplemented class work with listening to Radio Habana Cuba on the ancient short wave radio and the Mexican music program once a week. I also bought magazines and records, but I never had anybody to actually talk with or listen to.  Once my Aunt Barbara suggested that I work at one of the grocery stores in Southwest Detroit that my uncles printed flyers for because I could practice my Spanish on the customers. My mother nixed that plan.

Intermediate book. 3rd year? There was a great grammar book with samples and examples and explanations but I can no longer find it.

I remember that he shared a letter from his sister once.  She was a teaching nun in the Dominican Republic.  I don’t remember anything about the letter.

When I got to college I studied a year of Classical Arabic my freshman year. I also took a year of French. Finally, during my sophomore year, I decided to finish my language requirement  of 2 years with Spanish.  I tested out of the first 1.5 years and needed 1 quarter more to complete. I should have taken more after that until I was fluent, but I did not.