In my experience, whenever you learn a language you receive many chaotic data pouring on to you in many ways. Some of them are vocabulary, other details are structures; rithm and language music; pronunciation; writting style just to mention a few... This may come to you like a broken mirrow: you may understand every bit, but altogether it doesn't make sense. You need an immersion in the language for the broken pieces to match and make sense.
Many people believe that immersion can only be done by travelling to a Spanish speaking country. But, I suggest, not only so. You can use the following valuable and inexpensive methods for learning the language.
1st. Your
innermost determination: continous effort comes from a personal and consistent decission.
2. Listen to the
RNE radio. It is biassed, but Spanish. Once you apply certain filters, it will mean no harm to you: it has
Standard Spanish pronounciation, widely approved by all Spanish speaking countries.
3.
Read a book in Spanish; anyone
you have read before in your own language. In my case I used the Gospel. I like reading the Gospel daily: so, as I know the end of the story, it was easier for me to figure out the whole sense.
4. Watch t.v. and
films in Spanish with the Spanish subtitles. Images are self-explanatory...
5. I searched e-mule for
audiobooks in Spanish. I got some files, wonderful for my mp3, trekking, for listening to them while I ride. The third reading produces great sense.
6.
Sing along Spanish songs (karaoke, play the guitar...); you'll catch the language "music and rithm", especially if you have in mind that songs are poems...
Lastly I will introduce you a treasure:
http://www.anecdonet.com : This is the best Spanish Language page of short stories I have spotted on the Net. It will give you a good insight in the Spanish language. CHECK
ANECDONET