Traveling in Spanish

To travel is to discover. To discover is to learn. Traveling means wanting to see the world and be amazed by its horizons. Having had the opportunity to travel quite a bit, I have seen many places and met many people along the way. At 27, I consider myself lucky to have seen and done all the things I have, always remaining ready and open to new experiences.

What caused me to become an accomplished globe trotter? Other than a passion for the nomadic lifestyle, I am very interested in different cultures, and foreign language acquisition does come easily to me. I am, like many others, fluent in French and English. However, I added Spanish to the mix very early.

In most countries, having functional English can usually do the trick. But to facilitate contact with others, Spanish can be a major asset.

Where is Spanish Spoken?

Spanish is spoken by over 480 million people throughout the world. As a traveler, I am happy to include myself in this number. Spanish is spoken in many places around the US, including California, Texas, Arizona, Nevada, Colorado and Florida, to name a few. It is also spoken in many countries in Africa. I have had conversations in Spanish in Argentina, Peru, Costa Rica, Cuba and Nicaragua. Speaking Spanish means opening doors to countless new destinations around the world. For those of you who speak French, the linguistic structure is similar, which makes it easier to assimilate.

How to Learn Spanish

Learning a new language can be daunting, I admit. However, you must remember that you are not the first to attempt this. Several people have taken the trouble to develop tools to help people with language acquisition. Personally, I like to use Reverso, an online translator. The online dictionary Lexilogos can also be a great help. There are also many language schools that offer beginner Spanish classes, and most CEGEPs offer Spanish as an elective course.

Spanish Nuances

Spanish is a language spoken many different ways across the world. Despite grammatical and spelling variations, four major dialects can be listed:

1. Argentinean Castilian
2. Chilean Castilian
3. Mexican Castilian
4. Peruvian Castilian

I have always found it interesting to note that such a wide-spread language could be broken down and declined in so many different ways. Truly, Spanish fascinates me.

To all those of you “would-be travelers”, I would like to encourage you not to be afraid of languages—dive right in! Learning a new language is one of the great steps to discovering the world. And remember: a forewarned traveler is a forearmed traveler.

No related posts.