Tips for Hooking Up

Start a buddy exchange today and benefit from the many advantages, including:

• Improve your language skills. It’s easy to communicate with a buddy. You can write whatever you want, while enjoying to write in a foreign language. (knowing there’s no exam to take!),
• Learn about foreign countries. Your buddies are real people from different countries, living every day life just like you. Learn about your buddy’s country from his or her point of view. Get to learn about new destinations before you visit.
• International friendship. You can email or IM your overseas buddies like you chat with your friends at home. You can talk about your hobbies, your favourite bands, movies, interesting places to visit…...

To start, find a buddy by searching our database of Spanglish members – ideally look for a native speaker of the language you are practicing who also wants to practice through an email exchange.

We recommend that you write in both languages as the exchange will be more interesting if you can express yourself naturally, and then both of you get to improve your reading skills. Writing to a buddy helps you improve your vocabulary, idioms, etc, and you will also get some practice writing in your practicing language.

You can provide each other with a little feedback on your writing and practice translations with each other. When your buddy translates your message, you can see how a native speaker expresses themselves.

There are some common guidelines to follow when starting an exchange with someone new;

• People aren’t always who they say they are. It’s fun to make new friends from all over the world, but avoid meeting people in person whom you do not fully know. If you must meet someone, do it in a public place and bringa friend or trusted adult.

• Harassment, hate speech and inappropriate content should be reported. If you feel someone’s behaviour is inappropriate, tell us. Talk with a trusted adult, report emails to the Spanglish team or the authorities.

• To learn more about safety on the Internet please visit these websites;

• Netsmart
• Safeteens
• Webwisekids

• » Join Spanglish!
• » Search Members
• « Tips for Hooking Up