h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Well, I've been living in Zaragoza, Spain, for some weeks now and I must, no, am happy to admit, it's like having a ball!

My last spanish class was 10 years ago, back in high school. So, apart from this tremendous first brief contact of three semesters, having arrived here, I had to do an intensive course.
There was this placement test I took part in. I must add, as an engineer, I've learned how to pass exams. So, on the other day I've found myself in "grupo no.2", with una profesora that welcomed us to the "grupo mas alto" saying we surely have had the knowledge of about six to eight years of spanish.
Now that the course is over, I've received a sheet of paper, telling that I can speak spanish in the highest level that non-spanish chicos like me can achieve - I hardly believe it for myself!

However, entering a new language, you find yourself in a situation when, right away after you finished a phrase people expell a thundering laughter.
It might happen when you are about to say business-like things, such as "...to buy this company...". But what you've just said sounds "comprar esta compresa". (empresa would be the right word, compresa is used by women at some days each month...)
So you discover, it must be a good thing to learn to distinguish in your brain-stored dictionary similar sounding words. What about, let's say, ...erem,... sporty (deportivo) and funny (divertido), and you go and build and speak out a sentence with a sports team that fits in both adjectives obviously, like Atlético Madrid here recently.

Sure you'll earn lot of admiration quick and soon, when you keep on stepping in as many traps in your new language as you can find!

To be continued...