Being able to speak Spanish conversationally is the gold star for anyone starting out on their journey to fluency. I know it was for me. I used to imagine (while sitting listening to ‘mi profesora‘ teach Spanish class back in middle school) myself sitting down at a bustling Mexican cantina and ordering food from all parts of the menu and talking with locals like a native. Well, I was a kid so food was all I had in mind and it is so much a part of my experience today.
What is a dream and what do they mean?
We all have our own goals for learning Spanish well before we even start annunciating the words. Learning Spanish is an accomplishment that comes with many extra benefits that often go unsaid. Things like being able to maneuver alone during travel, business meetings, and overall growth as a diverse human being connecting with other cool people from various backgrounds.
These are the cool benefits we always hear about, but learning a language is like a musician not being able to read sheet music but he can play by ear–you’ll be able to undeniably translate and hear music everywhere once you lean in and learn.
How Do Dreams Work?
Spanish flows sonically. When spoken fluently, it rolls with impressive speed and clarity from your lips, out into the world and sometimes into your dreams.
My first steps towards having that mental breakthrough for me happened while studying abroad for graduate school in Costa Rica where only Spanish was spoken the entire time during my stay.
(Home Mom name), my wonderful home mother, and I were talking one day when I asked her how will I know when I’m fluent because I was still finding some words out of my grasp. She told me that I would know once I started dreaming in Spanish. So, like literally every night while I was in Costa Rica, I was rushing to get to bed so I could have these dreams in Spanish–but ‘nada’. Nothing. I kept studying and trying to be as conversational as possible so I could experience this eternal language phenomenon.
It wasn’t until my next study abroad trip (time frame of month/years) later in Peru when I went to sleep one night and stepped into a completely different auditory lesson in my super power. Girl…once I closed my eyes and started dreaming…TODO FUE EN ESPAÑOL! EVERYTHING WAS IN SPANISH!
Conclusion
I remember my host mom telling me I had the language when I dreamed and everyone spoke Spanish in it. Well, I can vaguely remember it. ‘We were in the city, shopping and eating and just chatting …and everything was in Spanish. I mean ‘everything’. Including my voice. I opened my mouth to speak English and only Spanish came out. I couldn’t believe it.’ I may not remember exactly what we said, but I remember waking up proud, excited, and having a knowing that no one could ever take from me- I can speak Spanish. This gift of knowing Spanish was enhancing my super power even in my dreams.
Unlocking this feeling is one of the many reasons why I created Spanish For Black Girls. I wanted to see more women who looked like me be able to tap into this duality through language at any given time. We’re more than magic. We’re stellar. Learning Spanish to the point where you are no longer trying to barely keep up with native speakers to where your dreams mirror your reality in speech and thought is something I wish I could box up and give to everyone. Truthfully speaking, only focus and patience can help people attain the knowledge to use their super power. These two variables are what separates those queens who actually will elevate their language status and those who just dream of one day dreaming in Spanish.
If you’re wondering if Spanish for Black Girls™ is for you, send me an email, book a call, or hit me in the DM. Estoy aquí para enseñarte.
