When you're not in Spanish classes...

you don't get formal feedback on your progress.  You can go long periods of time, thinking your skills have plateaued or even declined.... This is why it is the little markers, sometimes, that cause you to realize how much your Spanish has actually improved.

Yesterday, I was in the office of the school when somebody made a joke.  They said it really fast to make sure that nobody would understand, but I did and reacted.  I thought nothing of it, but the person who made the joke was shocked!

She said that she had said the joke really fast and couldn't believe I got it and that she was really impressed :] 

Then, today, I stayed around after the HS to finish grading the tests.  Side note, I can order breakfast at school for only 1.20!  That is the cheapest food you can get in this town!!!!  Anyways, I ended up hanging out talking to the women who run the soda and some of the staff that works at the HS.  Even though I was focusing on calculating the points of the test, I was able to participate in the conversation (probably almost as well as if I had be doing the same task during an English conversation).  That was exciting.