es uno muy interesante para mí – is a very interesting one for me
para que podamos ver – so that we can see
mientras aprendía español – as (while) I was learning Spanish
un desafío – a challenge
después de dos o tres meses – after two or three months
decidí que – I decided that
iba a tratar de pensar – I was going to try to think
en español – in Spanish
como palabras de vocabulario diferentes – as different vocabulary words
en otras palabras – in other words
en un idioma diferente – in a different language
mucho más fácil – a lot easier
en inglés – in English
encontré que – I found that
cambió – (it) changed
con más emoción – with more emotion
sin embargo – however
(había) ciertas cosas – (there were) certain things
otras cosas – other things
me encanta hablar con – I love to talk with
(la) gente Latina – Latin people (in general)
mi teoría es que – my theory is that
también empezamos – also we start
para apoyar mi teoría – to support my theory
que su personalidad cambia – that their personality changes
he hablado con – I have talked with
el contrario – the contrary (opposite)
que vino aquí – that came here
serio – serious
en inglés – in English
lo ven como – (they) see him as
más serio – more serious
otro idioma – anothe r language
me encantaría coleccionar – I would love to collect
“qué” cambia – “what” changes
gracias – thanks
para mí – to (for) me
experiencia – experience
un nuevo mundo – a new world
y también – and also
hace un tiempo – a while ago
tenía problemas – had problems
los problemas – the problems
soluciones diferentes – different solutions

This week’s newsletter topic is a very interesting one for me; it is one that I will request your feedback and participation on so we can see more data on the subject.

As I was learning to speak Spanish, I went to a two-month intensive training course, then went straight to Latin America and lived among native speakers. It was quite a challenge to immediately communicate only in Spanish after arriving, but it definitely helped my language progression. After about two or three months of living in the country, I found I was able to understand about 75-85% of what was being said. Around that time, as I was becoming more fluent, I decided I was going to try to think in Spanish. If any of you want to get to that point, it can very intimidating unless you think of Spanish as just different vocabulary words used to express the same ideas. (more…)

To learn more about speaking Spanish, click here!

mientras en – while in
in some very hot areas – en unas areas muy calurosas
pueblos – villages (cities)
(la) arena – (the) sand
o – or
(el) polvo – (the) dirt
durante el día – during the day
aire acondicionado – air conditioning
ciertas ciudades – certain cities
hacía tanto calor – it was so hot
ventiladores/abanicos – fans
en los apartamentos – in the apartments
el calor – the heat
con quien me quedé – whom I stayed with
para mi salud – for my health
me explicaron – they ex plained to me
mi cuello – my neck
con un dolor – with a pain
que estaban bromeando – that they were joking/kidding
compañero nativo – native companion
dolores de cuello – neck aches
como resultado – as a result
la parte más chistosa – the funniest part
durante la noche – during the night
en micuello – in my neck
un dolor de cuello – a neck ache
prendido – on
me divertó mucho – I had a lot of fun
en mi almohada – on my pillow
les expliqué que – I explained to them that
la gente Latina – the Latin people
su cultura – their culture
son buena gente – they are great (good) people
todos tenemos ideas – all of us have ideas
dolor – pain
nuestros propios remedios – our own remedies
la cosa interesante es que – the interesting thing is that
la ciencia – science
audiencia internacional – international audience
en sus países – in you r countries

For this week’s discussion on learning more about Spanish Culture we will discuss the “perils” of sleeping with a fan on. While I was in Latin America, I lived very close to the equator in some very hot areas. I mainly lived in lower-income pueblos that had streets made of either sand or dirt. It was extremely hot during the day and still very warm at night; none of the areas I lived in had air conditioning. As I would walk through the streets of certain cities, the sand and/or dirt was so hot it would almost burn my feet. (more…)

 To learn more about speaking Spanish, click here!

la música – music
y – and
el baile – dance
(la) ciudad – (the) city
en que viví – in which I lived
música salsa o merengue – salsa or merengue music
me encantó el ritmo – I loved the rhythm
es muy común – It’s very common
desde sus casas – from their homes (houses)
puertas – doors
ventanas – windows
fiesta – party
un evento – one vent
primer cumpleaños – first birthday
compadres – godparents
tantos adultos – so many adults
la gente – the people
me parecía – It seemed to me
otra fiesta – another party
música y baile – music and dance
primer año de vida – first year of life
hágannos saber – let us know
música en las calles – music in the streets
cuando vivía – when I was living
alquilaba (rentaba) – I was renting
no había nada – there wasn’t anything
sonido – sound
las primeras dos horas – the first two hours
de cada mañana – of each morning
educación cultural – cultural education
bandas Latinas – Latin bands
buenaso – great
música de una casa – music from one house
con música – with music
para decidir – to decide
amigos Latinos – Latin friends
o vecinos – or neighbors
necesita – you need
darse cuenta que – to realize that
para ellos – for them
tal vez quieras ir – you may want to go
presentarse – introduce yourself
espa& ntilde;ol – Spanish
¿Puede enseñarme a bailar? – Can you teach me to dance?

In Latin American culture, music and dancing are a staple of life. In just about every city I lived in, you could walk around the city on any given day and hear salsa or merengue music filling the streets. I loved the rhythm, the beat and the affect it had on me.

It is very common for Latin Americans to play loud music from their homes with doors and windows wide open. They play music for any type of party or get-together, for special occasions and just for fun. One event they play music for, that I really enjoyed learning about, was one-year-old birthday parties. For a child’s first birthday, parents invite friends, relatives and the child’s godparents for a big celebration where there’s a lot of music and dancing. For me, it was a very interesting that so many adults would get together to celebrate a party where the guest of honor (a one-year old) wouldn’t even remember anything about it or the people who came or participate in the principle activity of the party – dancing.

To me it seemed like either a great excuse to have another party with music and dancing, or a cultural thing that is done in other areas of the world where parents are so thankful that the child has lived through the delicate first year of life. (more…)

 To learn more about speaking Spanish, click here!

This week we will discuss the benefits of learning a new language.

A few weeks back, my wife was reading the local newspaper and discovered a very interesting article about language learning and its effects on the brain. The local paper here quoted a story from the “Toronto Globe and Mail” written by “Andre Picard.” I found it a very interesting read and wanted to pass it on to you.

The title is: “Bilingual adults may stay sharper longer as they age” New study links linguistic facility and health of brain.

Being fluently bilingual may help to stave off the forgetfulness and inattention often associated with aging according to a new study.

Researchers at York University in Toronto found that a group of older people who had spoken two languages concurrently their whole lives fared markedly better on tests that measure cognitive function. (more…)