What's There To Be Afraid Of?

I went to dinner with two of my best friends the other night and was introduced for the first time to one of their girlfriends.  Normally, this isn't much of a big deal to me, but it just so happened that this young woman was originally from Ecuador, recently spent two months in Madrid, and obviously spoke fluent Spanish in a way that would have made me sound like a four year old boy trying to form complete sentences.

Initially, I saw this as an opportunity to really practice my Spanish conversational skills, but with each passing minute in which I spoke English, the idea of switching to Spanish drifted farther and farther from my mind.  When we all parted ways that evening I offered to spend the next time we got together speaking in Spanish, but once I got home I realized how much of an opportunity I had just wasted.  Why was I so shy about speaking to a native Spanish speaker?  Was it because I was surrounded by two English speaking friends?  Did I think she would laugh at me or was I worried that I would say something completely ridiculous, or worse, offensive?  Honestly, I think it was all of the above.  I have always had a difficult time using Spanish with someone I know speaks English as well.  In addition, since none of my friends speak anything but English, I feel silly offering to say things in Spanish when they won't understand anyway.  Sure, it might have made for a good laugh to carry on a faux conversation with her for a few moments while my friends listened in, but would it have served me well or just been a silly party trick?  I guess I can't really answer that as I didn't even take the shot.

So what's the solution?  I am leaving for Madrid in 250 days with the intention of spending every waking moment using Spanish, or at the very least, avoiding English at all costs.  Will being surrounded by only Spanish speaking people finally push me to the point that I am not afraid to speak?  More importantly, even if all goes well in Spain, will I have the confidence to continue using it when I return home?  I would hate to spend a month in a foreign country only to lose my skills upon returning home.

I know I really should just get over it.  No one is going to laugh at me, and honestly, they should be impressed, even if they don't know what I'm saying.  Going to Spain surely is a way to force myself to use the language but perhaps it's time to find other ways to force myself into using it.  I think the most important part in speaking successfully in a foreign language is simply having the confidence to do it.  For me, confidence comes and goes in waves.  Hopefully I can find a solution that brings me to the crest of one of those waves and keeps me there for at least a little while.

Thoughts and suggestions are always appreciated!  Good luck!