This is a sponsored post on behalf of Babbel. 

Okay, so this is sort of embarrassing, but I am 40 years old and I only speak one language. While many Americans may be thinking to themselves, "what's the big deal about that?" it is a BIG DEAL to me, as I travel internationally quite often and well, it can be difficult to get around in other countries when you don't know the language. Sure, there are apps to help you translate, and in many European countries, the people also speak English...but that's not always the case.

That's why I decided that I am going to Speak a New Language with Babbel! Which language did I decide to try with my new Babbel subscription? Why, Spanish of course! Living in Miami and spending a lot of time in the Caribbean, it was the natural choice. The next time I am in a mainly-Spanish speaking country, I will be able to get around confidently, without asking if someone speaks English or scrambling to figure out the right word for what I am looking for.

Why Should You Want to Speak a New Language with Babbel?

There are so many reasons why someone should want to speak a new language with Babbel. Have you ever thought about how strange it is that America is one of the few leading nations that only speaks one language? I have often felt a little embarrassed by not being at least bilingual, considering that I am a world traveler.

Of course you can use Google Translate to look up the meaning of a dish on a menu in a restaurant when you're in, let's say, Cuba. But wouldn't it feel so much better to be able to not only understand what delicious morsels that menu was offering you, and to also be able to have a conversation about it with the server? That is why I have decided to learn to speak Spanish with Babbel!

The Benefits of Speaking a New Language with Babbel

When you learn to speak a new language with Babbel, you will be learning real life conversation skills - which is what we all need. The lessons are designed by language experts and voiced by native speakers so that you can actually hear how the words are pronounced.

There are interactive dialogues as well, with speech recognition technology so that you can learn to get it right! There are also review sessions to reinforce what you've learned so far, as we all know: practice makes perfect! I love that the Babbel app walks you through a conversation, and you can hear the words spoken in Spanish while it's being presented. Then you answer choosing the correct spelling by typing, and your part is spoken back in Spanish.

The beginner's course starts where every type of educational program should - with the basics. The course begins by teaching you the feminine and masculine words for things, and you go through a few rounds of identifying the correct spelling and pronunciation before moving onto the next round.

Each lesson is about 10 to 15 minutes, depending on how long you take. You can stop at any time, as the program saves at the completion of each round.

Now, you can use Babbel via their website, or use the Babbel app (which is available for iOS and Android). I prefer to use the Babbel app myself, as I can do my lessons while I am outside with the dogs, or laying in bed at night while watching television before bed. It's so convenient to be able to use it anywhere I like, not just when I am sitting at my desk.

Babbel works in stages, like most learning programs. They offer beginners, intermediate and advanced. There are also even Daily Challenges if you are ready to go all in with your learning! You can do these with your microphone turned on for speech recognition, or without. I recommend that you turn the microphone on...I've been teased many a time for mispronouncing a word in Spanish!

There are so many benefits to learning a new language with Babbel. Why not give it a shot? You can receive 25% of your subscription by using my unique referral link! Check it out at Go.Babbel.com!