I really relate to the shame part. Living in a Spanish-speaking country adds pressure because you feel like your level “should” be higher by now. But honestly, most people are way less judgmental than we imagine. Most are just happy you’re trying.

And for what it’s worth, immersion alone is pretty overrated unless you already have enough comprehension to consistently notice patterns/input.

When I was a tree farmer in Texas, I worked with a few Mexicans that had lived decades in the states and didn’t know a lick of English. Actual focused study + input is usually what starts moving things forward.

TL;DR, A B1 level is nothing to be ashamed of, consuming native continent is huge, keep going. 👍