Speaking Spanish by Isabel Howat

Some years ago I decided to take up Spanish as a mature student.  Part of my remit was an exam on the Spanish Civil War. My Spanish club was short of a speaker and I volunteered to deliver a talk on the Spanish Civil War.  It went down so well that various other clubs asked me to do it and then I began to read more Spanish history and I do talks on all cultural sides of Spain and its’ history.  After giving a few talks on Spanish culture I was invited to speak to the Worker’s Educational Association.  As they alays asked me back I began to broaden my subject matter and wandered off into the Spanish Latin Americas and the Austro Hungarian/ Spanish empire.  Then because I have some medical knowledge I began to read about the genetic effects of the 300 years of intermarriage on the Spanish royal family.  All my talks go down well and I continue to give them to interested clubs and societies.