Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Group meets, eats and learns Spanish

By Mark Agee
Star-Telegram Staff Writer

VaNessa Harrison was searching for a way to improve her Spanish that would fit her schedule when she discovered a Spanish-conversation group via the Internet.

"There's no better way to learn," said Harrison, an Arlington police officer. "You don't have to bring any books or pay for any classes."

The group consists of eight to 10 people from around the Metroplex who meet once a month at a north Arlington restaurant to learn Spanish by immersing themselves in it.

"It just looks like we're having dinner," said Harrison, who leads the group. "But it's always interesting because they're interesting people, and everyone has a story to tell."

They found one another through www.meetup.com, a Web site that connects people with common interests, including politics, religion, music and languages.

Harrison, 33, of Grand Prairie said she took Spanish classes in college, so she knew vocabulary, but not how to use it. She wants to learn how to speak Spanish better to improve her police work.

"When I would encounter Spanish speakers, my not being able to talk to them delayed their assistance, and that bothered me," Harrison said.

Amit Patil, 26, a mechanical-engineering graduate student at the University of Texas at Arlington, said he also joined the group to further his career.

"When you apply to anything they say, 'Spanish preferred,' " said Patil, who speaks four other languages. "Now I'll have a better chance."

Harrison said she wants the group to grow so that speakers on all levels will have someone to talk to.

Patil said that though he is a beginner, he can make conversation.

"I can say, 'Hi,' 'Bye' and 'How are you?' " Patil said. "But now I know things like what a spoon is called in Spanish."

IN THE KNOW

How to join

For information on joining the group, call VaNessa Harrison at (972) 849-6505 or go to the group's Web site, spanish.meetup.com