Learning Spanish for a Missions Trip?

I was wondering if anybody out there might recommend a good book/CD for studying Spanish on your own? I'm going on a missions trip to Uruguay S. America in October, and would like to pickup enough Spanish to be able to function. We will have access to interpreters regularly, but, I don't want to have to be absolutely dependent upon them for everything if I can avoid it.

By the way, I have some previous experience with Spanish, having taken 2 semesters of it in college over 5 years ago. Not to mention I have a year of Biblical Greek under my belt. So, books that might even be a bit heavy on the technicalities of grammar don't scare me.

Hi KingJimmy...

My newlywed wife has taught Spanish in both High School and University settings. She recommends the [url=http://www.rosettastone.com/en/individuals/method]Rosetta Stone software[/url]. She says that it is, by far, the fastest and easiest way to master the Spanish language. Why? Because the software immerses the student in several senses: sight, reading, and speech.

You can actually order a FREE trial copy of the software [url=http://www.rosettastone.com/en/?a=b]from their website[/url]. A professor friend of mine learned Spanish well enough using Rosetta (in less than 4 months) to teach University classes in Mexico.

Anyway, I hope this helps! Otherwise, you may consider enrolling at a local college and taking about four semesters of Spanish. It really helped me!

:-)

*EDIT: I apologize for sounding like a commercial for their company! I am in no way affiliated with them!

;-)

The group in my church going to Mexico is using a book called Outreach Spanish. It is rather simplistic, but is mostly about mission and witnessing words, thigns you'll definitely be needing. It may be helpful, and if you also buy the tapes, they help with repetition. Unfortunately, they have not come out with a Cd version.