Photo courtesy of Rory Finneren – flickr To wrap up my participation in the April A – Z Blogging Challenge – and coincidentally the last day of National Poetry Month – I’m ending with three distinct travel destinations: I. Photo courtesy of Rory Finneren – flickr Z zips us to Mexico’s tropical coast, Zihuatanejo Bay. Come […]
Spanish
Here We Are & There We Go . . .
As a child, Jill Dobbe imagined a life far different from the one she was living in her small Wisconsin town. She dreamt of one filled with travel, excitement and adventure. After graduating with dual degrees in sociology and education, Dobbe set off with her husband Dan and their two children, both under the age […]
2011 – Oh, What a Year!
Yours truly with guard outside Palacio de Gobierno in Quito, Ecuador As 2011 comes to an end, I’ll be posting a series of blogs this week, highlighting my travel adventures over the past year. First up: a look at a few new friends I made along the way . . . When you’re traveling solo in […]
Who Was That Unmasked Man?
What is it about a man in uniform? Or the sighting of a famous actor that turns otherwise sensible movie-lovers into mush? “Did you see him?” asks my guide, Giovanna. “See who?” I wonder. “Well, you know, I was having breakfast in the dining room. At first I wasn’t sure it was him. So I […]
Off to Otavalo
Our eyes meet. We don’t speak each other’s language, but that doesn’t prevent us from connecting. Her glance moves from my face to the camera hanging around my neck. “Go ahead,” she seems to say. “Go ahead.” “Can I take your picture? You want me to to take your picture?” I ask. “Yes, go ahead.” So […]
Quito Rising
“Do you speak Spanish?” asks the unsmiling custom agent. “Well, no, not really, just a few words,” I say. “So what’s wrong with Spanish?” Uh-oh. “Nothing, nothing at all. I love Spanish! But . . . ” I begin to offer a host of excuses before I catch the twinkle in his eye. “Enjoy your […]
5 Fun Ways to Learn a Foreign Language Fast
Bonjour! Right after posting my last blog in which I shared my desire to brush up on French this summer, my travel plans changed. Instead of visiting a French-speaking country perhaps, I’m off to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands instead. Sooo I’ve decided to put my French on hold and switch language gears fast, not […]
I Never Met a Foreign Language I Didn’t Like
That’s mostly true, though I do have an affinity for a few languages more than others. I love the spoken and written word in English, my native language, but I’m also drawn to French, Russian and Portuguese. And how can I leave out Italian when I love Italian food and Puccini operas so much? I […]