@simsa03 @xj9 @sim

Yes, the part about losing proficiency without immersion matches my experience. I lived in (West) #Germany during part of my childhood. The military housing area was right across the street from a local housing area, so kids intermingled on the playground. Then I moved back to the US, and within a few years struggled to express anything more than "Wie gehts?"

Living in #SoCal, we had some Spanish language influence. Many of my friends had cousins that would visit from #Mexico, #Ecuador, #Peru, #Venzuela. We'd spend the Summers hanging out and speaking "Spanglish" together, then the rest of the year, that would slowly fade.

And that was at school age. I imagine it will be more difficult now that I'm a few decades older.