There’s a misconception about Spanish for Black Girls that it is only for people just starting out in the basics of the language. It is true that this comprehensive language immersion program does serve as a starting point for those looking to speak like a native, but this unique program is for all levels. No one ever fully learns Spanish. With so many variations in meaning, depending on the country and region, that force the best non-native speakers to remain open to learning the subtleties in every facet of this dynamic language. This is why I heavily encourage the woman who functionally speaks Spanish to also join me so she can become fluent in learning what can help her attain a better life both professionally and personally.
Studying abroad in Costa Rica and then Peru during graduate school was like living in a moving classroom. The conversation rolling off the table in the kitchens of my houseparents in the morning, songs playing on the radio and dialogue on the television was all in Spanish. That meant to converse with the family who had me as their guest, prepare meals and enjoy one of those addictive telenovelas with my house moms, I was going to have to use everything my studying and practice taught me. That was for a couple of months for me, but I can just imagine the woman who just landed in her new country for business where only Spanish is spoken and how she would have to navigate by herself. I think about career-oriented black women like her often who have moved away from their English-speaking homelands to test their knowledge and intuition in a new work environment in a completely new country. Ambition leads women like her to these levels of independence where their ability to communicate in all lines of work gives them the freedom to move as and when they please. (Name of module that best caters to this type of user) was built for her to use while the rest of the world sleeps on potential fueling the aptitude behind the ascent to this new apex in her resume.
The necessary act of establishing genuine connections in her new home is a vital part of the experience this woman out in the world will be integral in whether she stays or returns home. It is up to her to comprehend that not everyone in the universe needs to look like her in order to make this new landscape her environment. Here is where her versatility in adapting to unfamiliar surroundings is truly on display. My whole focus is on improving her social life with Afro-Latinos and other colors of those who speak Spanish across every hemisphere. She goes from being a distant foreigner whose only form of engagement with residents is through commerce to being a gracious and active member of her new community. Access to language opens this door. It is the key to getting to the real-life, day-to-day, non-visitor experience of that country. When I was thinking about who Spanish for Black Girls was actually for, in its development, I always kept the woman who also wants to get the most out of her life socially as well at the forefront of these lessons. Learning Spanish is about keeping the same energy of the life she spends with her English-speaking friends and family. Life doesn’t stop, neither should the good times her desire to improve her skills afford her to be enjoying the simple pleasure of ordering from all sides of the menu when she goes out with her friends. This is what I hope to see with Spanish for Black Girls in the future: Images of lives being lived elsewhere with all the stories written in Spanish.
Have you been traveling recently? Have you ever lived abroad? Share your experience with us below.
