Thinks I have noticed about myself.

Things about not really knowing the language all the way:

- I lied on a form.  It asked what my father did and I said he worked in business.  He works in sales.  I know how to say business in Spanish, I don't know how to say sales.

Note to teacher-self: Sometimes students may tell half-truths based on what they know how to say.  They aren't actively trying to deceive you, they are just using the language they know.

- I sometimes kind of pretend I don't understand someone if I don't feel like answering their question for whatever reason (the nature of the question, laziness, etc).  I don't even really necessarily do it on purpose.  I just kind of give a blank stare, and they take it to mean that I didn't understand.  I need to stop doing this, but it's just so easy to feign ignorance.

Note to teacher-self: If someone doesn't understand something, keep working at it until they do.  Don't allow language to be a barrier in finding out what you need to know, or in asking the questions you are trying to ask.  When learning a new language, it's easy to put up a wall and just not response.  Don't let that happen.  You can't learn unless you make the effort to talk, even if you end up saying something not-quite-right.