I'm sorta new, and coming to this conversation muy tarde, but just wanted to say:
jjorge: I bet you learned Spanish fast, or she learned English muy rapidamente! LOL!
Actually, I'm ashamed--
--I took tons of Spanish classes in college, enough almost for a minor, and then not only married a Colombian, but lived in the Caribbean for a year, and I still haven't mastered the language. We spoke English at home, so I wasn't forced to do any hard work at learning. I learned enough to shop and talk with my local Spanish friends, but now, years later, I only can read it a bit and make myself understood and understand a bit when I encounter a Spanish-speaking only person.
One of the things I would love to do with my leisure time is visit Spain for several months and live in in a family home and learn the castilian.