This morning, during my Zumba class, I realized that I had really progressed in my Spanish-speaking abilities. They were usually, however, touched by the mere fact that we at least tried to speak a few words of their language. We are very limited in our Spanish, squeezing by with only a handful of practical phrases, like “hola” and “cómo estás.” The expression that always came in handy was the usual, “No hablo espagnol.” (“I don’t speak Spanish.”) We hoped that the listener would be especially gracious and kind to us in knowing that we didn’t speak a word of Spanish. The language, however, was another story. It may not be a time schedule that suits everyone, but our family had no problem adapting. Late dinners ended the day around 10 p.m.
Late lunches were around 2 p.m, followed by afternoon siestas. We also loved the relaxed rhythm of life with late breakfasts around 10 a.m. Paella, tortilla omelets, tapas, and fresh churros dipped in hot chocolate were on every street corner.
The people looked and acted differently, and the Spanish food and lifestyle were worlds apart from the French. We were immediately immersed in a different country, different language, and different culture. In about 45 minutes, we could cross the border into Spain and suddenly find ourselves in an entirely different world. When living in south-western France, Spain was our family’s favorite vacation spot. If you have ever done Zumba, you know that the music and dance are from Latin America and most of the music is in Spanish. It’s fun dancing and music, and it’s another great way to meet women in the community. One of the activities that I enjoy doing weekly at the local gym is Zumba. What is the best way to learn a foreign language?
0 kommentar(er)
