| This year is my first year taking Spanish. I figured everything would be great, having a background in French, and that I would be breezing through the course with nary an obstacle.
Little did I know.
Halfway through the second class, we went through the alphabet. In Spanish, there is this letter called "rr" (pronounced "erre"), which denotes a sound similar to that of a cat's purr. I tried and I tried but to no avail. I became instantly disillusioned. I had no hope.
I walked around the halls of my school making gargling noises that pissed the hell out of those around me. Over and over, every hour of every day I tried, occasionally horking up some slimy looking stuff by mistake.
I listened to advice from everyone else in the school, all of whom could do it, but I finally came up with a sure-fire way to never be embarassed in public again.
1. Touch tip of tongue to roof of mouth.
2. With relaxed jaw muscles, flick tongue downwards and allow it to vibrate off the back of your front teeth.
Alternate theories have the tip of the tongue vibrating off the roof of the mouth, or where the gums are. Try each method a couple times to see which one works best for you.
Words to try as examples:
la pizarra, carro, la guitarra
This may take some practice, days, months, or even years, but in the end it is a life skill that one should not leave home without. That and a credit card are all you need to have a great day. | 
