Through experience, these are the three most useful insights I've stumbled on:
1) No one actually wants to talk to you
Native speakers are usually impatient to help a novice limp his way through a conversation about the weather. It's understandable. If they are going to listen to something that tedious, they should at least get paid.
When I get the chance to speak Spanish, I keep my words limited and situation. Next time you are at your favorite Mexican joint, order en español. One or two questions may be appropriate (como se dice 'watermelon juice?'), but don't badger them.
2) Learn the vocabulary you want/need
On the advice of an Argentinian acquaintance, I tried to improve my comprehension by watching telenovelas. It didn't work very well, but in reading the channel guide descriptions, I managed to pick up on some common vocabulary. In particular, vengar (to take revenge), venganza (vengeance), and asesinar (to murder) were prominent. As they are juicy, interesting words, I've retained them more easily than I have the subdivisions of the Spanish postal system. Pursue your interests and let the language work for you.
3) Develop consistency
In the past, this has been my weakest language learning skill, which is why I am prioritizing it this year. As with every skill, 5 good minutes of practice every day is better than erratic bursts of study, even if those sessions go on much longer.
The other component of consistency is focus. I begin each study session by identifying what I want to accomplish that day. It may be a certain vocabulary, grammatical concept, or even a brief translation.
Furthermore, I have bookmarked the homepage for El País, a Spanish daily newspaper which covers the entire Latin World and beyond. Every day, I read one article. Considering my limited access to Spanish speakers, this is one of my best methods for building vocabulary, and exposing myself to real Spanish.
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