Espanol- la lingua de amor

by Amanda Teel
(Adrian, MI)

I have been learning the Spanish language most of my life. I started in the 8th grade and continued through high school for 4 years. I then decided that my love for languages would take me far in life. I minored in Spanish and majored in English to become a secondary education teacher. I can tell you, that this language is one of the most important for us as members of the United States to learn. By the year 2012, three quarters of the U.S. will speak Spanish as their first language.

Yes, Spanish is difficult, as is any language that is not your native tongue. However, as a teacher of both, I can tell you that it is much easier to learn/teach Spanish than it is English.

There are many different views of the language and the misrepresentation behind it. All I can tell you, as an honest and true lover of language, we as American's are the only ones who are NOT required to learn and master several languages before we are out of high school. We are, without a doubt, behind everyone else in the world in the rhelm of educating our youth. I fear that this will in fact lead to the demise of our society one day.

So, embrace different languages and cultures. It will not, and I promise you this, hurt you. It will however make you a completely well rounded, intelligent person, as opposed to a "stupid" American.