Still a long shot away, but I will probably be applying to the PC next summer for 2021 departures. I still don't know if I'll send in an application for a certain position or choose to be considered for all of them. However, I have an interest in serving in a country where Spanish is the primary language. I guess it's a little selfish, but it would be a good opportunity for me to really hone down my fluency by immersion. I am also acquainted with a handful of Central and South American cultures, so I'd be more familiar with some of the customs there. This is NOT my main reason for serving, though!

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However, I can tell my Spanish skills have really taken a dip this past year. I was regularly taking Spanish classes between 2013 and 2018 and by the end, I was able to speak, read, and write at a B2 level. Since entering college, I have had very little opportunity to practice speaking -- my college is mostly unilingual white folks :p. The town it's in is also a small, majority English-speaking town. I kept up my reading, though, so I'm still able to read and listen at a fairly decent level. I'm not sure about writing -- I was talking to someone on HelloTalk for a while but then our conversations dwindled. I've also recently taken it upon myself to drill verb tenses since that was also my weakest area in Spanish. I am extremely anxious as to where my Spanish skills will be by 2021. I intend to continue practicing as much as I can, but I don't foresee many chances to practice speaking.

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I'm not really here to ask for practice advice (though that's always appreciated), but rather what I should prepare myself for in terms of the pre-service language training. What level do they expect PCV's to come in with when Spanish is the language requirement? Are most volunteers immediately able to jump into conversations? How helpful are the staff? How often do volunteers get to practice and what does that practice entail?