Free Report: Learning Spanish--the Basics

International Living Postcards-- your daily escape

Friday, Oct. 13, 2006

You've heard it before…and if you've traveled much internationally, you know it to be true. If you at least try to speak the local language, you will be treated with much more respect than someone who doesn't make the effort.

The myth that you can simply "pick Spanish up when I get there" is one that has misled many an expat. You won't pick Spanish up when you get here--wherever in Latin America "here" is for you--unless you put in at least some study beforehand. But the more you study ahead of time, the better off you'll be.

You can probably get by on English in most places, and plenty of expats do just that. But their existence is limited to a small circle of fellow English-speakers (including premium-priced business people) and they miss much of what these countries have to offer.

Put simply, every minute you spend studying Spanish before you get here is a worthwhile investment in your future.

Don't worry, no-one expects you to become fluent overnight. Start small. For example, Mexicans are very polite. When they pass you on the street, they always greet you…whether or not they know you personally. When you ask directions, they will always give them…whether or not they actually know how to get where you want to go (but that's a different story). The point is, in this very polite society, it is important for you to, at the very least, know how to say "hello," "goodbye," and most importantly, "please" and "thank you."

With that in mind, we offer you a complimentary copy of out latest report: Learning Spanish--the Basics.

Available free to you as a reader of these Postcards, you can read Learning Spanish--the Basics online here or download it in PDF format here.
Suzan Haskins
Latin America Insider, International Living

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