5 Reasons to learn Spanish
Languages are my passion! Today I can speak four languages fluently and I am currently learning my fifth and sixth ones. One year ago, I had the opportunity to study Spanish at Intercultura, which has brought many benefits to my life. Today I want to share with you the 5 reasons why I will never regret learning Spanish.
My travel experiences were enhanced: Spanish, which is spoken in 21 countries, is in the top 3 most spoken languages in the world. So, when I travelled in Nicaragua, Guatemala, Panama, Peru, Ecuador, etc., my experience would never have been as great as it was. I was able to merge into the culture and connect with the local people.
2- Understanding my own language better: European languages have a lot in common. Spanish is one of the Romance languages such as French, Portuguese, Italian, etc. English is also very influenced by the Romance languages, especially with the Latin alphabet and Arabic numerals. Therefore, the knowledge of Spanish has helped me have a better understanding of English and of the other European languages that I speak. My technical vocabulary has expanded and I have a better understanding of vocabulary in different languages.
3- Improve my employment potential: There are over 400 million Spanish Speakers worldwide. For many employers it is a great advantage having Spanish speaker’s as employees. Therefore, speaking Spanish makes you more desirable, increases your job prospects and can increase your salary since you are able to communicate with more people.
4- Greater appreciation of Hispanic cultural contributions: I was able to have a better and deeper view of Spanish and Latin American culture. When you can read and understand Spanish, it is like a completely new world that you get to discover. From newspaper to books, songs, plays and television, understanding Spanish allows you to go further into the culture. It will also open up a world of history and literature and therefore you will be able to understand their influences that have had a great impact on our culture today.
5- Finally, but not the least, Spanish is easy and fun to learn: As I mentioned before, there are many words in Spanish that are very similar to English. In addition, the Spanish language is almost completely phonetic. I had the opportunity to learn Spanish in Costa Rica and it was a rewarding and fun experience being able to share more and more with the locals. I would practice with my friends and my host family and I call recall great moments sitting in the living room while they shared their language and their culture with me. In my class, the process was interactive. All of this made my learning easier and more fun!
By Romie – Outreach Coordinator, Heredia City Campus
