[ONLINE] Monday Conversation in Spanish

NOTE: Zoom now requires a passcode for our meetings. If you connect using the old link, it will ask you to enter the passcode, which is just the number 1. Or you can use the new link below and you should be able to connect without entering a passcode as before.

Stuck at home during the pandemic and at least somewhat proficient in spoken Spanish? Come join us online for a couple of hours (or as long as you like) chatting in Spanish over the internet for free!

TO CONNECT WITH A COMPUTER, TABLET, OR SMART PHONE:

Simply click this link (always the same link every meetup if you want to bookmark it):

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/369401889pwd=SFNmQUIvT0tRaHlDaVYrN3l5bzJVQT09

We re using Zoom, a free online video conference service. Clicking that link should quickly and automatically download and install the software you need (if you don t already have it), and then connect you to the meeting.

If that link doesn t install the software you need, the free app in the Apple App Store and Google Play is called ZOOM: Cloud Meetings. You shouldn t need a Zoom account to connect, but if you do create one, you only need the free Basic account. I ve got the Pro account that lets us meet as long as we like.

You do need a computer or tablet with a microphone and speaker, of course, to hear the conversation and participate. You don t have to have a camera, and you don t have to turn it on if you do have one. That said, I recommend enabling video, it helps make the connection more personal, with facial expressions and body language to help with understanding. ????

We re using Zoom s breakout room feature in our online meetups. This means we can have multiple conversations going on at the same time in separate virtual "rooms" and give everyone more opportunity to participate.

When you connect to the meeting, you ll be in the main session room, and I ll assign your breakout room as "Breakout Room 1". This will open a window giving you the option to join that room right away or to wait until later and instead remain in the main session. From then on you re free go back and forth between the rooms as you like, by joining the breakout room or leaving it to go back to the main session.

TO CONNECT OVER TELEPHONE:

Have this meeting ID ready:[masked]

Call any one of Zoom s US phone numbers:

[masked]
[masked]
[masked]
[masked]
[masked]
[masked]

Type the meeting ID on your phone keypad and press #:

[masked] #

Press # again when it asks for your participant ID.

Press 1 and then # when it asks for the passcode.

You should now be connected to the meeting.

NO MATTER HOW YOU RE CONNECTING:

You can drop in or out at any time during the conversation, and RSVPing on Meetup is nice to do, but not required. I ll actually have the meeting up and running starting around 6:45pm, so you can try connecting ahead of time and figure out any technical problems. I most likely won t be paying attention to the meeting until 7pm, though. So if you find you do need help, please feel free to comment on this meetup or message me directly.

Finally, please try to connect from a quiet location without any background noise like television or music. Zoom uses sound to determine who is talking to show the speaker s video prominently, so background noise will confuse that feature and make it hard to follow the conversation.

If you can t find a quiet location, please use a headset to keep the noise from affecting the meetup. A cheap $20 headset should work fine. You can find them on Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/Computer-Headsets/bie=UTF8&node=3015405011) and in most stores that sell computers and accessories. Make sure the one you get can connect to the type of computer or tablet you re using. If you are connecting via telephone, please do not use speakerphone if there is background noise.

Stay safe and well, everyone! Looking forward to chatting with you soon!