Learn Spanish Via Podcasting

Learning a language such as Spanish has never been easy, There is all of that reading through a textbook with strange spellings that try to make you speak the words as though you understand the language, or the strange video courses that keep on showing you scenes of people in a cafe ordering coffee, or trying to find their way to the train station. Of course you could always go to an evening class, but then you usually have to go at the level of the slowest person in the class, (which is even worse if it's you!). It can also be very inconvenient having to go to the college through the traffic at the same time every week. But there are new innovations that can make it, not only a lot easier, but also a lot more fun. One of the best new ways to learn, is to learn podcast Spanish.

If you learn podcast Spanish, and then you are free to learn any time you want, but you can still have all of the structure of the classroom. You will still have set lessons and work to complete, but in a much more effective way. Because you are not learning with a lot of other people, you are not trying to help others and can concentrate on your own work. You also do not have others trying to help you when they do not really understand the language themselves. Even if they are just being kind this is not really the best way to learn, but the teacher can only have so much time for each person.

But if you learn podcast Spanish then you have the teacher all to yourself and can also do the lesson as often as you want until you understand. Many Spanish podcasting courses are also free and that is a hard offer to refuse. Also the nature of podcasting means that you have a lot more learning potential with it. You can download the mp3's and also record your own speech as you repeat the words, so that you can see how good your grasp of the language is. You can also use this if you are attending a course, as you can get your teacher to listen to your repetition and assess, not only your speech, but also how well you understand it.

If you want to find a really good way to improve your language learning, then a learn podcast Spanish course is a great way to do it. You get the lessons delivered right to you and you can download them and listen to them whenever you want. It really is a great way to learn.

About the Author:

Theres a truckload of information for beginners published on my website http://www.podcastwares.com/

The powerful eight step motivation plan that anyone SERIOUS about learning Spanish should read

by Kai Chandler
============

The powerful eight step motivation plan that anyone SERIOUS
about learning Spanish should read, by Kai Chandler

The key to learning any language is not ability, or money, or
time, but motivation. There are probably as many unused
language courses gathering dust as there are unused exercise
machines!

While poorly thought out goals can only act as a barrier to
learning, well defined goals, frequently revisited, and written
large, are a great enabler.

So, why are YOU learning Spanish?

Is it because

* with about 400 million speakers, Spanish is the fourth most
commonly spoken language in the world (after English, Chinese
and Hindustani), and probably has more native speakers than
English?

* there are over 40 million Spanish speakers in the United
States alone?

* it is an official language on four continents and of
historical importance elsewhere?

* you want to keep your brain active?

* you know learning Spanish will be fun?

* you are planning to travel in Spain, or Chile, or Guatemala,
or Mexico, or Uruguay, or California, or Colombia, or
Argentina, or Venezuela, or Texas, or Peru, or Cuba, or
Ecuador, or Dominican Republic, or El Salvador, or Honduras, or
or Nicaragua, or Bolivia, or Costa Rica, or Puerto Rico, or
Panama, or Paraguay or even Florida, Chicago or New York?

* or maybe, you just want to prove that YOU CAN!

Look for more possible reasons to learn Spanish at
http://www.learnspanishasap.com/

To help supercharge your motivation try this simple sequence.

1. First be sure the goals you are setting are something you
really want, and not just something that sounds good.

2. Next, be sure any goals you set do not contradict any other
goals you may have.

3. Always phrase your goal in the positive - this help the
subconscious mind to target the goals you are pursuing

4. Specify your goal in as much detail as you can. You are not
just learning Spanish. You are learning Spanish so you can
communicate effectively with locals by a certain date. Or
perhaps, to pass a particular exam with an A grade. Visualize
yourself attaining the goal. How does it feel to have
effortless conversation with an interesting local person? Will
you frame that examination certificate? Imagine it in a gold
frame. Again, you are programming your mind with subconscious
instructions. Write it in the present tense - "I am enjoying
effortless conversation in Spanish by Summer 200x."

5. Is your goal big enough? Is it a BHAG (Big Hairy Aggressive
Goal) or just a little mouse of a goal? Think big.

6. Write that goal down. A 6x4" index card is ideal for this.
Motivational guru Gene Donohue said that "The difference
between a goal and a dream is the written word."

7. Avoid sharing your goals with others as any negative
influences will harm your positive selftalk. Of course, if
someone is on the critical path to you achieving your goal then
you must bring that person into your confidence.

8. Review and revisit your goal first thing every morning
and last thing every night to get your conscious and
subconscious thinking aligned. Live the goal each time, using
all the senses. Hear the language, smell the flowers, feel the
handshake and imagine the taste of the food.

Quote - "There is no achievement without goals" - Robert J.
McKain

This article is part of a five part ecourse available at
no cost at Kai Chandler's site for all Spanish learners:
http://www.learnspanishasap.com which specializes in providing
reviews and recommendations of top-rated Spanish courses,
learning tools and techniques to help improve and develop
your Spanish skills in the shortest possible time. It's
essential reading for anyone serious about learning
Spanish. Copyright Kai Chandler (#spasap162608)





Kai Chandler is a project manager and journalist. He's fascinated by learning techniques and has three degrees including two at Master's level. He's currently learning Spanish and is keen to share his interest with others via his website http://www.learnspanishasap.com which offers reviews of Spanish courses and learning tools as well as a free e-course on Learning Spanish ASAP!

Why You Should Learn How To Speak Spanish

Spanish is one of the most spoken languages in the world. If you want to succeed in the business world these days you need to learn how to speak Spanish. If you learn how to speak Spanish then many doors will open for you in the world. Many Spanish speakers trust someone that speaks their language more than someone who does not. The ability to speak Spanish will give you a clear advantage over someone that does not speak Spanish when trying to make business deals.

You should also learn how to speak Spanish, because it can help you if you are traveling or moving. Spanish is spoken in twenty three countries throughout the world, and in almost all fifty states in the United States. When moving or traveling you might be in a situation where you need some assistance, and it would be very beneficial if you learn how to speak Spanish. Also these people will have more respect for you because you took the time to learn their language, so they will be more apt to help you. When you are traveling in Spanish speaking countries, you can get much better service and prices on items if you can speak Spanish. Many Spanish speaking countries allow you to negotiate prices for items and services, and if there is not a language barrier you have a much better chance to get the best price.

The best way to learn how to speak Spanish is to take an online Spanish course. Taking an online Spanish course is easy because it allows you to work at your own pace, and take the course in the comfort of your own home. An online Spanish course is the best way to learn how to speak Spanish, because if you are having problems with a particular subject, you can review it as many times as it takes before you move on to the next concept. You also do not have to worry about being in a class of thirty or forty people trying to learn a new language, you will have a dedicated ?instructor? in your online class so that you make sure you learn how to speak Spanish correctly.

About the Author:

If you want to learn how to speak Spanish you can get more information by visiting Learn How to Speak Spanish.

Learn Spanish

Learn Spanish

Spanish (espa?ol) or Castilian (castellano) is an Iberian Romance language. It is the most-widely spoken Romance Language, and the fourth most-widely spoken language in the world according to some sources, while other sources list it as the second or third most spoken language. It is spoken as a first language by about 402 million people, and by a total of 500 million including non-native speakers.[citation needed]

Originating in Spain and whence it was later brought by Spanish explorers, colonists, and empire-builders to the Western Hemisphere and other parts of the world during the last five centuries, Spanish is one of the top five most spoken languages worldwide, and is one of the six official working languages of the United Nations. It is one of the most important global languages(along with English and French),that is spoken on all continents: most extensively in North and South America, Europe, and certain parts of Africa and Asia. Its importance also resides in the international expansion and recognition of Spanish language literature, film industry, television industry (especially telenovelas), and music industry within the globalized market.
Spanish people tend to call this language espa?ol when contrasting it with languages of other states (for example: in a list with French and English), but call it castellano (Castilian, from the Castile region) when contrasting it with other languages of Spain (such as Galician, Basque, and Catalan/Valencian). In this manner, the Spanish Constitution of 1978 uses the term castellano to define the official language of the whole State, opposed to las dem?s lenguas espa?olas (lit. the other Spanish languages). Article III reads as follows:

El castellano es la lengua espa?ola oficial del Estado. (...) Las dem?s lenguas espa?olas ser?n tambi?n oficiales en las respectivas Comunidades Aut?nomas...
Castilian is the official Spanish language of the State. (...) Other Spanish languages shall also be official in the respective Autonomous Communities...
However, in some parts of Spain, mainly where people speak Galician, Basque, and Catalan, the choice of words can reveal somehow the speaker's sense of belonging, and even their political views. People from bilingual areas might consider it offensive to call the language espa?ol, as that is the term that was chosen by Francisco Franco -- during whose dictatorship the use of regional languages was forbidden -- and because it connotes that Basque, Catalan and Galician are not languages of Spain. On the other hand, more nationalist speakers (both Spanish and regional nationalists) might prefer espa?ol either to reflect their belief in the unity of the Spanish State or to denote the perceived detachment between their region and the rest of the State.

For the rest of the Spanish-speaking world, speakers of the language in some areas refer to it as espa?ol, and in others castellano is more common. Castellano is the name given to the Spanish language in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay.

Some philologists use "Castilian" only when speaking of the language spoken in Castile during the Middle Ages, stating that it is preferable to use "Spanish" for its modern form. Castilian can be also a subdialect of Spanish spoken in most parts of modern day Castile. This dialect has a number of characteristics and a specific pronunciation different to the one of Andalusia or Aragon for example, where different subdialects are spoken.
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Learn Spanish

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There are important variations among the regions of Spain and throughout Spanish-speaking America. In Spain the Castilian dialect pronunciation is commonly taken as the national standard (although the characteristic weak pronouns usage or la?smo of this dialect is deprecated).

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Spanish has three second-person singular pronouns: t?, usted, and in some parts of Latin America, vos (the use of this form is called voseo). Generally speaking, t? and vos are informal and used with friends (though in Spain vos is considered a highly exalted archaism that is now confined to liturgy). Usted is universally regarded as the formal form, and is used as a mark of respect, as when addressing one's elders or strangers. The pronoun vosotros is the plural form of t? in most of Spain, although in the Americas (and some particular southern-Spain cities such as C?diz) it is replaced with ustedes. It is remarkable that the informal use of ustedes in southern Spain does not keep the proper pronoun-verb agreement: while the formal form of "you go" would be ustedes van, in C?diz the informal form would be constructed as ustedes vais, making use of the second person of the plural instead of the third (which constitutes the formal construction).

Vos is used extensively as the primary spoken form of the second-person singular pronoun in various countries around Latin America, including Argentina, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Uruguay and the Zulian state of Venezuela. In Argentina, Uruguay, and increasingly in Paraguay, it is also the standard form used in the media, whereas media in other voseante countries continue to use usted or t?. Vos may also be present in other countries as a limited regionalism. Its use, depending on country and region, can be considered the accepted standard or reproached as sub-standard and considered as speech of the ignorant and uneducated. The interpersonal situations in which the employment of vos is acceptable may also differ considerably between regions.

Spanish forms also differ regarding second-person plural pronouns. The Spanish dialects of Latin America have only one form of the second-person plural; ustedes (formal/familiar). Meanwhile, in Spain there are two; ustedes (formal) and vosotros (familiar/informal).

The RAE (Real Academia Espa?ola), in association with twenty-one other national language academies, exercises a controlling influence through its publication of dictionaries and widely respected grammar guides and style guides. In part due to this influence, and also because of other socio-historical reasons, a neutral standardized form of the language (Standard Spanish) is widely acknowledged for use in literature, academic contexts and the media.

Some words are different, sometimes embarrasingly so, in different coutries. Most Spanish speakers will recognise the Spanish forms, even where they are not normally used, but Spaniards will not recognise American usages. For example, Spanish mantequilla, aguacate, albaricoque become manteca, palta, damasco in Argentina (butter, avocado, apricot). The everyday Spanish words coger (catch, get, pick up) and concha (seashell) are seriously rude in parts of the Southern Cone of South America.

The pronunciation of any Spanish word can be perfectly predicted from its written form.

Spanish is written using the Latin alphabet, with the addition of ? (e?e). Historically ch (che, pronounced [tʃ]) and ll (doble ele) were until 1994 defined as single letters, with their own names and places in the alphabet (a, b, c, ch, d, ..., l, ll, m, n, ?, ...). Since 1994 these letters have been abolished, and replaced with the appropriate letter pair. This effectively means that spelling is visibly unchanged, but words with "ch" are now sorted between "ce" and "ci", instead of following "cz", and similarly for "ll".

The letter u sometimes carries diaeresis (?) after the letter g, and stressed vowels carry acute accents (?) in many words. These marks usually indicate deviations from what would be expected if one followed the customary rules of Spanish orthography. For example, gue indicates that the g is hard before the e sound. However, g?e means that the u is also pronounced (in this case, with the w sound.) Accent marks usually indicate that the customary rules of accentuation (stress the last syllable of any word ending in a consonant (including y) other than n or s; stress the next to last syllable otherwise) are to be ignored. In a few cases, an accented letter is used to distinguish meaning: compare el (= the before a masculine singular noun) with ?l (= he or it). Words that could otherwise be mistaken for function words are often given accents (such as "t?", tea, or "d?" and "s?", forms of "dar" and either "saber" or "ser", respectively). Interrogative pronouns (que, cual, donde, quien, etc.) receive accents when in questions or indirect questions. Demonstrative pronouns (ese, este, aquel, etc.) have accents when they refer to a specific, implied object and are not being used as adjectives. In addition, o (= or) is written with an accent between numerals to indicate that it is not part of the numerals: e.g., 10 ? 20 should be read as diez o veinte rather than diez mil veinte. Accent marks are frequently omitted on capital letters, but should not be.

Interrogative and exclamatory clauses begin with inverted question ( ? ) and exclamation marks ( ? ).

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Spanish

Learn Spanish

Spanish is a member of the Romance branch of Indo-European, descended largely from Latin and having much in common with its European geographical neighbours.

Spanish is related to other Romance languages in terms of phonology (pronunciation), grammar and orthography (spelling). Of these, Portuguese is of particular importance due to the presence of Portuguese-speaking Brazil in largely Spanish-speaking Latin America. Spanish is also closely related to Catalan, Asturian, Galician and several other Romance languages. Italian is similar enough to Spanish to make communication possible between speakers of both languages. Spanish has diverged further from other Romance languages such as French and Romanian.

Portuguese is orthographically similar in many ways to Spanish but it has a very distinctive phonology. A speaker of one of these languages may require some practice to effectively understand a speaker of the other (although generally it is easier for a native speaker of Portuguese to understand Spanish than the other way around). Compare, for example:

Ela fecha sempre a janela antes de jantar. (Portuguese) Ella cierra siempre la ventana antes de cenar. (Spanish) Some less common phrasings and word choices may have closer cognates with Spanish:

Ela cerra sempre a janela antes de cear. (less common Portuguese) (Which translates as "She always closes the window before having dinner.")

In some places, Spanish and Portuguese are spoken almost interchangeably. Portuguese speakers are generally able to read Spanish, and Spanish speakers are generally able to read Portuguese, even if they cannot understand the spoken language. In fact, the number of bilingual speakers in Brazil (where Portuguese is the official language) has greatly risen because nearly every nation bordering Brazil is Spanish-speaking.

The Spanish language developed from vulgar Latin, with influence from Celtiberian, Basque and Arabic, in the north of the Iberian Peninsula (see Iberian Romance languages). Typical features of Spanish diachronical phonology include lenition (Latin vita, Spanish vida), palatalization (Latin annum, Spanish a?o) and diphthongation (stem-changing) of short e and o from Vulgar Latin (Latin terra, Spanish tierra; Latin novus, Spanish nuevo). Similar phenomena can be found in most other Romance languages as well.

During the Reconquista, this northern dialect was carried south, and indeed is still a minority language in northern Morocco.

The first Latin to Spanish dictionary (Gram?tica de la Lengua Castellana) was written in Salamanca, Spain, in 1492 by Elio Antonio de Nebrija. When Isabella of Castile was presented with the book, she asked, What do I want a work like this for, if I already know the language?, to which he replied, Ma'am, the language is the instrument of the Empire.

From the 16th century on, the language was brought to the Americas, Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, Marianas, Palau and the Philippines by Spanish colonization. Also in this epoch, Spanish become the main language of Politics and Art across the major part of Europe. In the 18th century, the French took its place.

In the 20th century, Spanish was introduced in Equatorial Guinea and Western Sahara and parts of the United States, such as Spanish Harlem in New York City, that had not been part of the Spanish Empire.

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About the Author

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More money! Another great reason to learn Spanish

To all you parents who wonder where learning Spanish fits into the grand scheme of things, I'm here to remind you of one simple fact...being bilingual means more money! Imagine your child looking for work in a few years (or more) and having double the opportunities and a higher salary to boot.

That's what awaits the bilingual candidates for jobs in the United States.

The U.S. Census Bureau's latest figures show that 41.3 million Spanish-speaking people live in the United States, and 102.6 million are expected to live here by 2050.

The hispanics are right now an economic force in this country that every corporation and Mom and Pop business need to handle if they want a piece of the pie.

If your son or daughter can help a bank or insurance company connect with the hispanic population better than a monolingual candidate for the same job, they win.

They get the job and a higher salary because they learned Spanish and the other person didn't.

And it's not just businesses who feel the need to pay bilingual workers more. Law Enforcement agencies are so desperate for officers, dispatchers and administrators who know Spanish that they offer per-paycheck additional incentives that can make your head spin.

An article on Salary.com, a company that specializes in providing salary and compensation surveys, reports and statistics to employers, states that "Language differentials typically range between 5 and 20 percent per hour more than the base rate."

But there's more at stake here than the money. Just like the Baby Boomers were the last generation who found it possible to get a good job without being able to use computers, today's twenty-somethings may very well be the last generation who will find it possible to find a good job without being bilingual. And learning Spanish is at the top of the list in the US.

Your child will enjoy the cultural advantages of understanding and communicating with another culture and they'll leverage this ability to find the job that they want in an area of the country (or another country) that they want.

That's why it's so important that your child learn Spanish while they're in school. The younger the better. Experts agree that the younger a person is, the easier it is. Plus the more time they have to learn and speak Spanish before entering the job market, the better their language skills will be.

Just something to keep in mind when your child begins to say that learning Spanish isn't that important.

Jim Sarris is the author of Comic Mnemonics, a Spanish book that uses visuals and funny phrases learn Spanish faster. Visit www.learnspanishfaster.com to pick up some free samples and a free video tutorial.

About the Author

Jim Sarris is a Spanish teach

Learn English/Spanish to Expand Your Horizons

Spanish is quickly becoming the second language of the United States. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there are over 40 million Americans of Hispanic origins, which include people with Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central American, and South American origins. In addition, there are over 47 million Americans who speak a language other than English at home. Of these, slightly over 28 million speak Spanish. This represents a 62 percent increase since 1990. Although slightly over half of the people who speak Spanish at home also speak English very well, there are 12.6 million Spanish speakers who do not speak English well. This trend is expected to continue its upward rise, which means that it behooves both native English speakers and native Spanish speakers to learn English/Spanish.

There are a number of reasons why it's a good idea to learn English/Spanish. If you are a native English speaker who does not know Spanish, there's a good chance that you will encounter people who do not speak English while you are at work or in your community. This is especially true if you live in Texas, California, or Florida, where the numbers of Spanish speaking citizens are the highest. If you are a business owner - even if you have a home business - you may be losing income if you do not speak Spanish or have Spanish-speaking employees. The population of people who speak only Spanish represent a sizeable segment of the consumer market, and it only makes sense that they will seek out businesses that understand their needs and can speak their language.

Conversely, if you are a native Spanish speaker who does not know English, it may be difficult to navigate the English-centric service industry that exists in the United States. If you decide to learn English/Spanish, you'll be better able to meet your needs and the needs of your family. Almost certainly, a greater number of career opportunities will be open to you, and if you are a business owner - even if you have a home business - you'll open up your customer base to customers who speak only English.

Although it may be daunting to think about learning a second language, there are opportunities to learn English/Spanish in a variety of learning styles. You can choose to go the traditional route of taking a language class or buying tapes or CDs, or you can take advantage of newer techniques in order to learn English/Spanish. For example, there is English/Spanish software that offers language lessons using both pictures and speech. In essence, you can see two people interacting, with each work spoken in English, then in Spanish. This software allows you to go at your own pace, and can be configured to teach Spanish to English speakers or English to Spanish speakers.

Learning Spanish or English will not only broaden your horizons, but will most likely increase your earning potential, whether you have a traditional job or a home business.

About the Author

Chris Robertson is an author of Majon International, one of the worlds MOST popular internet marketing companies on the web. Visit this Computer Software Website and Majon's Computer Software directory.

Suggestive ways of learning Spanish in Spain

To learn Spanish in Spain is the best way of approaching a universal language spoken by more than 400 million people throughout the world and of discovering learning and improving your level of Spanish is to attend one of the prestigious, quality courses offered in Spain and adapted to all different levels. You can find courses of different length, from one-month intensive courses to courses which last the whole academic year. However you choose to study, you learn the language along with other students and Spanish teachers and you will be able to discover Spain's spectacular artistic and historical heritage, full of traditions and yet modern and alive. Live with its people, share its customs and feel close to everything which Spain has to offer.

You can further improve your knowledge of the Spanish language as a foreign language while studying for your degree. There are many University courses on offer, especially post-graduate and masters courses, and all of them are of renowned international prestige. Thousands of foreign students come to Spain every year to study. Certain courses include internships, some of which are remunerated, and, in this way, the student can combine work experience and study. Many grants, aids and discounts are also available to make your stay in Spain easier. The centres and Universities will help you to settle in.

Learn Spanish while looking after children (Au-pair)

A very cost-efficient opportunity for learning and practising Spanish is by working as an au-pair, living for a period of time with a Spanish family. Many young people, generally between the ages of 17 and 30, come to Spain every year hoping to study Spanish while looking after the youngest members of a family. There are many different au-pair agencies in Spain. All you have to do is get in touch with the agencies in your own country and say that you wish to live and work in Spain.

Learn while you're working

Have you ever thought of learning Spanish while working for a few months in Spain? It is possible to work part-time and have the rest of the day free for studying Spanish. Besides attending classes, you can join one of the work programmes organised between different companies and Universities. The best thing to do is to obtain the necessary information first from the administrative departments of the different centres where there are work pools and the possibility of paid internships. You will also be told whether or not you need a visa and how to get one if that is the case.

Learning Spanish well will allow you to get to know a new culture and will lead to a better understanding of Spain's huge artistic and historical heritage. Whatever your choice, find out in your own country what you need to study in Spain, for example, by going to your Spanish Embassy, or the Spanish Tourist Info Offices. There are many reasons for choosing Spain as the perfect place to learn Spanish. Everyone agrees: studying in Spain is a unique and unrepeatable experience. Why don't you give it a try?

About the Author

Fernando Macia is Inmostrategy's CEO, portal specialised in Spanish culture and tourism in Spain.

Why Is Learning Spanish So Important?

Why is learning Spanish so important?

Learning a foreign language, like Spanish, is becoming much more of a necessity in today?s society. Learning Spanish is easier and more enjoyable than ever with audio courses, online courses, study abroad, and intensive language courses.

Following are just some of the many reasons learning Spanish will benefit you and enrich your life:

More than 400 million people speak Spanish worldwide -- By learning Spanish, you?ll be better able to communicate with Spanish speakers who don?t speak English. Whether you travel abroad or within the United States, you?ll likely run into more than one situation that will require you to know at least basic Spanish.

Spanish speaking countries include Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Spain, Uruguay and Venezuela.

More than 33 million people in America speak Spanish -- That makes the United States fifth on the list of countries with the most Spanish-speaking people. Spanish is also one of the most commonly spoken languages in the world, behind Chinese, English and Hindustani. Undoubtedly, at some point during your life, you?re going to find that knowing Spanish is extremely valuable.

More than 1000 Spanish-speaking immigrants come to the United States every day -- That means the country gains at least 365,000 new Spanish-speaking residents each year.

Knowing Spanish enhances your resume -- Employers love applicants that have fluency (or even moderate fluency) in a foreign language. Having the ability to speak Spanish will allow you to communicate with Spanish-speaking employees. If no one else at the company speaks Spanish, you?ll be even more valuable. If you?ve ever searched through the classifieds, you?ve likely run across an ad that states, ?Must speak English and Spanish.?

If you want to continue your education, you?ll need to take foreign language classes -- Most colleges require that undergraduate students take at least two semesters of a foreign language. If you have your eyes on graduate school, you should know that many require students to be able to read and comprehend one, and sometimes two, foreign languages. Getting a jump-start on learning Spanish will definitely pay off later, especially if you?re continuing your education.

If you love to travel, you?ll have even more fun if you go to a Spanish speaking country -- Of course, you don?t need to know Spanish, or any other foreign language, for that matter, to travel overseas, but you?ll find it really enhances your experience to know the language. In fact, even if you don?t go to a Spanish speaking country, you?ll still find that knowing Spanish is an asset. Let?s say you go to Paris or Rome. More likely than not, you?ll run into Europeans who don?t speak English, but speak several other languages, and you?ll be able to use your Spanish.

Spanish is a romance language, which means if you?re in France or Italy, for example, you?ll have an easier time deciphering the language because they?re similar.

Learning a foreign language actually helps keep your memory sharp -- As we grow older, our memory begins to fade. In fact, an article published by the AARP (American Association of Retired People) states, ?Mastering activities you?ve have not done before, such as playing the piano or learning a foreign language, stimulates neuron activity. For best results, remember this: People exposed to positive reinforcement before completing memory exercises scored well above others exposed to negative reinforcement in a study led by Thomas Hess, a North Carolina State Univ. psychologist.?

These are only a few of the many reasons you?ll benefit from learning Spanish. You probably have a few of your own. Whatever the reason, you?ll find that learning Spanish is not only fun, but it enriches your experiences, whether at work or while traveling.

About the Author: Enjoy your free Spanish Phrase ebook: http://www.amerispan.com/spdownload - This 30-pager is great if you quickly want to learn Spanish phrases for travel or life in general. Dorioara Pinku is the co-owner of AmeriSpan, a leader in study abroad and international education since 1993. 85 cities, 35 countries. www.amerispan.com

Learning Spanish At 20,600 Feet

Climbing the glaciers to the summit of Mount Chimborazo in Ecuador isn't highly technical. It is mountaineering, but how hard can it be, considering I went to 20,600 feet the first time I used crampons and an ice axe? Okay, I used them once for practice, on a sledding hill near my house. I climbed forty feet while people walked by with their sleds, telling their kids to stay away from me.

It's also easier to climb when the guide drives you to 15,000 feet. Don't get me wrong. Climbing the last 5,600 feet was incredibly difficult, but not for the skill required. The air missing half of its oxygen is what had me quitting twenty times on the way up. It just gets difficult to move up there.

The Chimborazo Graveyard

The monuments near the first refuge weren't for climbers without skill. The graveyard is a warning of the unpredictability of all high places. Chimborazo is very high, it randomly shruggs off large rocks, and has weather that changes by the minute. While hiking to the second refuge, we could hear the rocks and pieces of ice falling somewhere above.

El Refugio Edward Whymper is an unheated hut at 16,000 feet, named after the English climber who first summitted the mountain. Okay, it isn't entirely unheated. There's a fireplace, and if somebody feels like carrying wood up to 5000 meters, the fire may raise the temperature in the hut by 3 degrees.

We had hot mugs of "mate de coca" a tea of coca leaves, which are also used to make another product - one that's taken up the nose. We went hiking for twenty minutes - my acclimatization. We ate, and I slept for an hour before starting the ascent at eleven that night.

About Mount Chimborazo

Chimborazo is in Ecuador, near the Equator (100 miles south). The elevation in the center of the country, and the moderating effect of the Humboldt Current along the coast, gives the country near perfect weather. A bit hot in the lowlands, but spring-like in Quito (the capital) , with highs in the sixties to low seventies every day of the year. Great weather almost everywhere--until you get high enough.

The summit of Chimborazo is the furthest point from the center of the Earth. Our planet bulges at the equator, making Mount Chimborazo even futher out there than Everest. It has the distinction of being the closest point to the sun on the planet. Unfortunately, it's also the coldest place in Ecuador.

Climbing Chimborazo

Paco, my guide, didn't care for the lightweight part of my mountain climbing adventure. He frowned at my sleeping bag, which packed up smaller than a football, and weighed a pound. My 13-ounce frameless backpack didn't impress him either. It did get below freezing in the hut, just as he said it would, but I stayed warm - as I said I would. No problems so far.

Unfortunately, Paco didn't speak any English, and I was just learning Spanish. Since our whole group consisted of him and me, we had some communication problems. I thought, for example, that the $11 fee for the "night" (a few hours) in the hut was included in the $130 guide fee. He thought I was a mountain climber.

I think he said he didn't like the papery rainsuit I was using, and he frowned at my homemade ski mask. When he saw my insulating vest, a feathery piece of poly batting with a hole cut in it for my head, I just pretended not to understand what he was saying.

I hadn't intended to go climb Chimborazo with such lightweight gear, but I'd come to Ecuador on a courier flight, and could bring only carry-on luggage. I had12 pounds in my pack to begin with, so by the time I put on all my clothes that night, the weight on my back was irrelevant. The weight of my body, however, wasn't. Paco had to coax me up that mountain.

Hiking On Glaciers

The glaciers start near the hut, and hiking became mountaineering. I put on crampons for the second time in my life (there was that sledding hill). During one of my many breaks ("Demasiado" - too many, which I pretended not to understand), I noticed my tiny, cheap thermometer had bottomed out at 5 degrees fahrenheit. I wasn't cold, but I was exhausted at times - the times when I moved. When I sat still I felt like I could run right up that hill.

We struggled (okay, I struggled) up Mount Chimborazo, hiking, climbing, jumping crevasses, until I quit at 20,000 feet. Of course I had quit at 19,000 feet, and at 18,000 feet. Quitting had become my routine. Lying had become Paco's, so he told me straight-faced that the summit was only fifty feet higher. I wanted to believe him, or the lack of oxygen had scrambled my brain. I started up the ice again.

The Summit of Mount Chimborazo

We stumbled onto the summit at dawn. Well, okay, I stumbled. Paco, who seemed slow and tired down at the refuge, was energetic at 20,600 feet. Dirtbag Joe, a nineteen-year-old kid from California with ten bucks in his pocket, borrowed equipment, and my Ramen noodles in his stomach, was waiting for us, smiling.

The sky was a stunning shade of blue you can never see at lower elevations. Cotapaxi, a classic snow-covered volcano, was clearly visible 70 miles away. We enjoyed the view for a few minutes.

Handshakes all around, and it was time to head down. I was told you don't want to be on Chimborazo when she wakes up. She wakes up at nine a.m.

Paco kept looking at his watch and frowning. He got further and further ahead, like he planned to abandon me on the mountain. When I finally caught up, at the hut at nine a.m., I heard the rocks falling out of the ice above as the sun warmed it. Now I understood - we really did need to get down by nine. A thousand feet lower my mountain climbing adventure ended with a photograph that mercifully can't show my shaking knees.

Note:

To climb Mount Chimborazo, it's cheapest to wait until you get to Ecuador to make arrangements. Talk to almost any hotel manager in Riobamba, and he or she will find a guide for you. It's also cheaper if you're part of a group.



About the author:
Steve Gillman is a long-time backpacker, and advocate of ultralight backpacking. His advice and stories can be found at http://www.TheBackpackingSite.com

Learning Spanish Boosts Your Mind Power

Our "mind power" is largely in the way we use our words, and limited by our vocabulary. Words, and the concepts they express, are different in each language, and there are differing common expressions. That's why when you learn a new language, you learn new ways to think.

Most Americans see money as something created, not as a static quantity to be divided up. This is no coincidence. English is one of the few languages that speaks of "making" money. In other languages, the verb used is "to gain," "take," or "get." The words used affect how people think about money. Personally, I think "making money" is a very healthy perspective.

Hablas Espaol?

Did you know that in Spanish, you're not thirsty, cold or afraid? You have to say "I have thirst (yo tengo sed)", "I have coldness (yo tengo frio)," or "I have fear (yo tengo miedo)." Could this change the way a person experiences things?

Definitely. Therapists are now telling people to stop saying or thinking things like "I am afraid." That way of expressing it creates too much identification with the feeling. It's healthier to say "I feel fear." You're not afraid, you're a human; fear, like all feelings, is just a temporary visitor.

In Spanish you "take" a decision (tomar un decision). Is it possible that "taking" a decision could be less stressful than "making" one? It might subconsciously limit you, too, since you generally "take" from what's available, while to "make" leaves your options wide open.

Other Advantages Of Learning A Language

You gain words when you learn a language, but also the ability to understand things better. Who can speak more precisely about snow; someone with three words for it (snow, sleet, powder), or an eskimo with 22 words for it? Which is more efficient, the German word "zeitgeist," meaning "the taste and outlook of a period or generation," or the nine words I just used to say the same thing?

According to the research, most people experience a general improvement in memory from studying a language. Research has also demonstrated that you can halt age-related decline in mental function by learning a new language. Tuck that little tip away for later in life, or better yet, why not start learning a new language today?




About the author:
Steve Gillman has been studying brainpower enhancement, creative problem solving, and related topics for years. You can visit his website, and subscribe to his free Mind Power Course, at: http://www.IncreaseBrainPower.com/mind-power.html



How to Train your Brain to keep you healthy and happy.graham and julieWhen you are unhappy what do you do? Do you go out for a meal? Go to the cinema? The theatre, perhaps? Do you go shopping? Perhaps you like a drink to overcome your unhappiness. Or do you get a buzz from jogging or going to the gym?

Whatever it is scientist are in the process of proving that internal change is the only thing that can give you health and happiness. Everything else is an illusion.

What does this mean?

Your brain is the only thing that can keep you healthy and happy.

Richard Davidson, a neuroscientist at the University of Wisconsin and Jon Kabat-Zinn from the University of Massachusetts Medical Centre have just completed some interesting research that can actually be of benefit to you and me and the way we run our lives.

They took a group of 41 stressed, but otherwise healthy, individuals working in a biotechnology firm in Wisconsin. 25 were taught meditation. In this case: mindfulness meditation. The group met for a 2.5 to 3 hour meditation class each week. After six weeks they all attended a seven hour meditation retreat. In addition each member was asked to meditate, at home, for one hour a day using a guided meditation tape.

The other 16 were held as a control group and did not receive meditation training until the study was completed.

At the end of the eight week programme, in November, they also gave all the participants a flu jab. And guess what. The members of the meditation group had a significant increase in antibody titers in other words they have less chance of catching flu.

The bottom line appears to be. If you want to have good health and overcome the day by day blues and maintain happiness learn to meditate. When you meditate you change the way your brain operates.

In addition, they found, the more you practice meditation the better your daily performance.

''What we found is that the long time practitioners showed brain activation
on a scale we have never seen before. 'Their mental practice is having
an effect on the brain in the same way golf or tennis practice will enhance performance.'' It demonstrates, that the brain is capable of being
trained and physically modified in ways few people can imagine.
(Richard Davidson)

So give yourself the space each day to train your brain. It works.

Good Luck

Graham and Julie
www.desktop-meditation.com

About the author:
To improve your intuition, initiative and energy levels please go to:
www.desktop-meditation.com

Learn Spanish - Ten Reasons Why

Why learn Spanish? Almost five years ago I met the most wonderful woman in my life in Ecuador. I'm not sure we'd be married today if I hadn't learned a little of the language before going there. Finding true love is not the only reason to learn Spanish, though. Here are ten more.

1. To understand better. Like it or not, you'll hear as much Spanish as English at the Miami airport, and in many other places now. Wouldn't it be nice to understand what people are saying, and what the announcements are?

2. To be able to help others. Our bank has a branch at the grocery store, and this past week a farmer who didn't speak English was ready to leave without his money or groceries. It felt good to be able to help him out.

3. To improve your brainpower. A new language expands the range of your possible thoughts. There are concepts and expressions in each language that don't exist in others. These can give you new ways to think.

4. To change your perspective. In Spanish, you say "I have fear" (yo tengo miedo). Psychologists tell us that thoughts like "I am afraid" create too much identification with the feeling. It's healthier to think "I feel fear," or "I have fear," and in Spanish it's automatic.

5. To improve your memory. Did you know that most people experience a general improvement in memory from studying a language? Studies prove it.

6. To age more slowly. Learn Spanish to slow the aging process? It's true. It has been demonstrated that you can halt the age-related decline in mental function by learning a new language.

7. To get a better job. Knowing more than one language always looks good on a job application, and Spanish is the most useful one to learn.

8. So you can enjoy ALL the channels on your cable TV.

9. So you can order without help in a TRUE Mexican restaurant.

10. So you can say hello (hola) to your neighbor.

Learn Spanish for whatever reason you want, and you'll get all the benefits above as well. There is one more reason to learn Spanish: You'll be able to make new friends. My wife is glad I learned.

About The Author
Steve Gillman has been working on his Spanish with his wife Ana Blum, a native of Ecuador. Together they have built a website where you can get free lessons in Spanish. Visit: http://www.thespanishlesson.com