Learning English from American movies, music

“My problem is speaking English correctly. I need more training.”

Occasionally, when seeking interviews for The Baytown Project, I’ll introduce myself to someone and get this response: “No speak English.”

That’s when I kick myself for never having followed up on my high school Spanish classes. Because of the communication gap, I’m probably missing out on some great stories.

When I met 28-year-old Alvaro Posse recently at Holloway Park, it was quickly apparent that we would not fully connect because of our native languages. But we gave it a good try.

I learned that he moved here from Honduras two months ago. He lives with his mother and works at the new Hilton hotel in Baytown.

He also is working hard on his English-speaking skills and plans to take classes at Lee College. What he knows so far he credits to viewing English courses on YouTube, and watching movies and listening to music from America.

“I like music. Country, rock, all kinds. Hotel California, Nirvana, Metallica.”

He is able to read signs and does OK writing in English. The big challenge is getting the right words to come out of his mouth.

“My problem is speaking English correctly. It is difficult. I need more training.”

Alvaro seems eager to learn. We talked about connecting again a year from now, when his English should be much better. Who knows what stories I’ll hear then.