It’s been a long time since I went Christmas shopping in Cozumel (quánto cuesta los zapatos allá?) and even longer since high school Spanish class (soy alumna de Español.) While a few phrases might stick in the memory, unused language is quickly lost.
Once upon a time, I was so proud not to be the ugly American that expected everyone to speak English. Now, while I’m pretty sure I can still ask for directions to a Mexican bathroom, I’m not so sure I would understand them if given (how humiliating!) I have a trip to Mexico booked for November. What’s a wander-reader to do?
Besides confusing my dogs by talking to them in Spanish (vamos lobitas es el momento de ir a pie.) I turned, as always, to books. Not just a LIVING LANGUAGE course either! I always learn the most from fiction. The trick for me is to become a child again and embrace language with a sense of innocent discovery!
My favorite way to accomplish that is to read literature in Spanish. You can usually find a Spanish language area in the children’s section of most libraries and larger bookstores. If you come up bust, Amazon is a great back up.
I wanted to revisit a beloved childhood favorite, La Telaraña de Carlota (AKA Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White.) The Spanish grammar and sentence structure is true to life but simple enough for a nine-year-old child to read. I guess I must be about seven or eight in Spanish, because it’s pretty challenging for me.
Still, the familiar story helps me figure out what is being said. You also get some interesting vocabulary and context you usually won’t see in language instruction materials. “A dónde va papá con esa hacha?” Daddy is going somewhere with an axe? Nothing good can come of that! See? Now if I’m attacked by an axe murderer in the jungle, I know how to explain it to la policía.
Read ~ Write ~ Wander!