Apr26

a different vision.

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(perhaps me casually speaking spanish with a new friend i will meet)

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looking forward to learning

a bit more of the language before i travel this summer

i think i have a really good base though

i’ve been learning spanish with my pre-k classes for 20 years

so i’m pretty good with

animals, colors, family members, my name, yes and no, and hello and goodbye

plus,  i can burst into songs and dances in spanish as needed.

(i’ll keep this as my wild card)

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” a different language is a different vision of life.”

-federico fellini

74 responses »

  6. I wish I knew another language. Took two years of Latin in high school and 10 hours of classical Greek in college.

    I married a man whose native language is not English and he knew 2 other languages besides. I only learned a “select few words” in his native language. Shame on me for learning those and shame on him for not teaching me more and our children practically none. And now many years later he can’t even remember his native language.

    He still has an accent in English and when checking out at the grocery store the female clerks always say, ” I love your accent.”
    Sorry, girls, but I loved it too and still do. 😉

    Enjoy your trip!

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  7. I have a Different Vision on Languages for nearly as long as I remember. As a rule I love (wd love) to communicate everyday life in the language of the country. As for Portuguese I meant to learn the language for many years. Pandemic and the restrictions (mine) for flying have paid a stop to that. But I was always able to say the bare minimum, dancing Portuguese excluded…
    I learned so much however of ‚natives, locals‘ by knowing, understanding and speaking their language that I can‘t overstate the thrill and importance of speaking the country‘s language.
    So, good luck and a bit of work will give you the edge to be picked up also by Costa Rican and to get your necessities on your hols and travels. ¡Hola

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  8. I took Spanish in high school (50 year reunion next year). I can still count up to at least 39, tell you “my house is white” say “hello and goodbye and how are you, etc.” but beyond that…. And it’s smart to learn the exact variation of Spanish for where you are visiting because the language has many dialects.

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  14. I studied Spanish four years in high school and two semesters in college, Beth, and lo and behold, that was too many decades ago. I surely wish I had done more with my diminishing comprehension and speaking skills. Now my answer to Habla Espanol? is sadly, un poco.

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  15. In Mexico, I can get by in a store, or a bar, or a restaurant, but I can’t really express myself as I would like. And I don’t know most of the idioms. I can understand more than I can speak. But good for you for going. The water is amazing.

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  19. What a wonderful opportunity to test your Spanish skills. My second daughter is a Spanish major, having worked as an independent contract Spanish medical interpreter up until the pandemic. Miranda lost her job when elective procedures, etc. shut down. She was so good at what she did not only in language skills but in compassion. Now she is a letter carrier, a job with stability and benefits. I still think, what a loss to the medical community that she is no longer interpreting.

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    • thank you and it will be a challenge for sure, but I’m up for it. how great that your daughter did that, the hospital at university of Michigan employs people for the same very important reason. they are invaluable, and you’re right, they must have language and kind people skills, both. it’s understandable that she was looking for stability and less worry about her employment, and I’m sure it was a loss to the medical community. maybe someday she’ll find her way back, through volunteering, or who knows what will come her way?

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      • I hope, too, that some day Miranda can get back to interpreting. She’s such a kind, sweet soul. In the meantime, she’s in tip top shape walking 10 miles or more daily delivering mail. She works 10-12 hours daily six days a week. The hours she works leave her with no life outside of work. So if I ever hear anyone complain about letter carriers or postal delivery…

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        • I’m sure it is really hard work with long. hours, and I’m so grateful for my mail carrier, I’m always sure to thank him when I see him. they have a very important role in our lives and people are often taking things out on them.

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  21. In a pinch you can always use the easy-peasy translator function on your phone. How I wish I’d had that on my three trips to Mexico way back when. In any case, have a wonderful time and come back with tons of interesting stories and pictures!

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    • and I took French for years, but haven’t kept up, I still can understand a read a bit, but as far as having a conversation, I’m limited. there’s still time for you to take up a language, and I’m sure you could taste it. yes, I’m looking forward to trying to use it.

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  26. I think it is a good idea to learn another language. You exercise your brain, you expand your horizons, you learn something about cultural differences, different ways of using words, etc., but it takes a lot of work to become fluent. My native language is Swedish. The accent is very difficult to get rid of if you learn the language as an adult. I still have a Swedish accent when speaking English but I am fluent in English. Right now I am learning French and I am hoping to become fluent in French. In high school (or Gymnasium as it is called in Sweden) I took German, but I’ve forgotten most of that. I have never studied Spanish.

    Good luck with your continued Spanish studies and I am glad you get to use it.

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