REX DANIEL

Spanish Immersion

3 Mar 23

As a Filipino, I have a natural appreciation to the Latin American culture. Centuries of Spanish colonization intertwines the two worlds geographically apart. In the United States, I feel instantly grounded when I meet a Latinx and find conversations easy to navigate. In my travels, the similarities in culture and cuisine make experiences in a foreign soil and interactions with locals feel at home. We just simply get each other, and they get me, you know?

However, I often felt that something was missing. My lack of proficiency in the Spanish language has made it challenging to foster a meaningful encounter. The language barrier resulted to missed opportunities in diving deeper into people’s stories and learning from their unique experiences. The imposition in compelling someone to speak English on my behalf further widens the exchange gap. Some may even find it disrespectful for not diligently trying to speak the native language. Year after year, “learning to speak Spanish” has constantly remained on my to do list. And with the newly found extra time after doctoral studies, I exhausted all the excuses of not making the commitment. Equipped with clear strategy and sufficient will power, I embarked on an immersion adventure to Bogota, Colombia, where I had the privilege of meeting Profesora Marcela.

Marcela reminded me of my mother who chose teaching as a career. Also a retired teacher, Marcela understood my vision and established a clear path for me to achieve it. Marcela customized her teaching techniques to my proficiency level and my learning styles. Primarily as a visual learner, the flashcards, and visual examples she intricately prepared proved helpful in setting my solid foundation for success. Also, as an interpersonal learner, the pleasant conversations we shared were invaluable in hardwiring the countless rules and exceptions of the Spanish language – hay más excepciones que reglas (there are more exceptions than rules) if you ask me. As a night owl, we often jumpstarted our regular 8AM meetings at Juan Valdez Café in Zona G with a freshly brewed cup of Antioquia coffee and hot chocolate. Then, we would gradually proceed to review the homework from previous day with a plate of cheese arepas. A slight procrastinator, I admit I was not always compliant with due dates, but profesora would graciously smile and share words of encouragement by saying “sé que puedes hacerlo mejor la próxima vez” (you can do better next time). She creatively integrated my professional work into each lesson to optimize the limited sessions we had. She integrated my past, present, and future experiences into our discussions making every learning opportunity extra enjoyable.

Beyond the Spanish lessons, profesora redefined the meaning of family. In a short period of time, I knew that I was meant to meet this phenomenal woman. The stories we exchanged served as a reminder on the importance of prioritizing family every single time. ¿Hablo español con fluidez ahora? (Do I speak Spanish fluently now?) you might ask. Well, there is definitely progress. This whole language immersion experience in a country rich in hospitality and traditions enabled me to embrace the idea that family is both a blessing and a responsibility, with the former richer because of the latter. I am also grateful for the beautiful souls – Claudia, Yelipza, Eduardo, Sebastian, Vidal, y Juan – who inspired me to relentlessly pursue the personal goals I yearn to achieve. I left Colombia with a huge smile finally knowing how to conjugate and more inspired in internalizing David O’ McKay’s famous adage “No Other Success Can Compensate for Failure in the Home”. Indeed, la familia lo es todo.