The Spanish in Me

Spanish is obviously not my primary language. I am an English girl to the bone... or at least I thought. When I began to really think about it, I realized my life was influenced by more Spanish that I was aware of. Thanks to my Hispanic friends, I was introduced to the Kumbia Kings and immediately loved the song No Tengo Dinero. Still to this day, I burst out in dancing every time I hear the old tune. I have always loved enchiladas, burritos, and tacos! I enjoy films featuring actors such as Antonio Bandera and Penelope Cruz. I have had the privilege to be in two of my good friends quinceaneras, where I had to learn how to dance the proper way to the music. I have discovered that the Spanish culture has influenced my life in a great way.

Poetry by Paula Coelho

I have always had a love for poetry. I wrote a series of poems when I was in high school that I am very proud of. When looking for a book or magazine of some sort to read in class during the mornings I went to Hastings. After asking an employee if they had any reading materials in Spanish she took me to one small shelf. After only seeing about 10 books, I became nervous that I wasn't going to find anything that interested me. Then luckily I stumbled upon a book of love poems by Paulo Coelho. This man is an amazing poet. His book is called Amor and has many collections of his work. Not only was this book filled with astounding poetry but also very unique art. I enjoy reading from this book every day. Here is a little taste of Paulo's work. Enjoy!

Columna periodistica

Anotaciones en los aeropuertos

El amor no es grande ni pequeno; es simplemente amor.

No se puede medir un sentimiento como se mide una carretera.

Si lo haces, empezaras a comparar con lo que te dicen,

o con lo que esperas encontrar.

De esa manera, estaras siempre escuchando una historia

en vez de recorrer tu propio camino.

Week Four of Spanish 1412

La ultima y la semana final de espanol es casi aqui. La semana cuatro fueron muy estresantes. Estudiar para la cuarta prueba mientras el final respiraba por la espalda fue mucho en pensar de. La pelicula que miramos esta semana ha sido mi favorito hasta ahora. Ahora que el fin se acerca puedo decir que he disfrutado sinceramente de mi experiencia en espanol 1412. Yo no solo he profundizado mi conocimiento de conversacion espanola pero tambien aprendido mucho mas acerca de la cultura. Espero que podre utilizar lo que he aprendido de esta clase en el futuro.

Living in Color

Living in the panhandle of Texas we have the privilege of being very influenced by Spanish culture. The small town where I come from has a very large percentage of Hispanic families. One of my very close friends that I grew up with is Maria Salas. I would go to her house after school and play almost every day. One memory I have of Maria's house that is still true to this day is the exterior color would change quite often. I never understood why. One year she would live in a bright red house. The next year her house would be blue and then possibly the very next year it would be orange. When I went home last weekend I noticed it was green. I made a comment to my teacher one day about how I referred to Maria's house as the "rainbow house." I thought it was strange how her house changed colors so often and mine was always red brick and had been ever since I could remember. My teacher informed me that Mexico is a very colorful and beautiful country. She showed me pictures of one of her visits. The neighborhoods were amazing! Every house was a different color! I began to think that Americans need to get a little color in their lives and branch away from the brown and tans that so often make up the exterior color of our homes. Here is a picture of a village in Guanajuato.

Cristobal Balenciaga: fashion designer

Cristobal Balenciaga is one of the most famous fashion designers in all of Spain. He was born on January 21, 1895 in Guetaria located in north Spain. His love for design began young as he watched his mother perform her needlework and dress making. By 1915 he established his own tailoring shop. After years of fashion and designing for the people of Spain he shut down his business in Spain during in 1968 due to an era of fashion he "did not respect." He retired and later died in 1972. To this day his collection is still alive in Spain. Here are a couple photos of his work.

First Week of Spanish 1412

Me perdi la primera semana de los blogs espanoles asi que ahora estoy haciendo para ella. Yo tenia mucho miedo el primer dia de clase. Yo ya habia puesto en mi mente que esta clase iba a ser dificil y yo no iba a ser capaz de completarlo. Profesor Reynolds rapidamente aliviado mi mente. Me diverti mucho en la clase y gozan de todos las diferentes partes de la cultura que se estaban metiendo. Hacer otras cosas ademas de la lectura del libro fue muy divertido.

3rd Semana de Espanol

Clases de Espanol cada vez mas difícil cada semana. Esta es la tercera semana de clase lo que significa que mas de la mitad. Todos los dias aprendo algo nuevo en espanol. El vocabulario es facil para mí de aprender pero la gramatica es mas dificil. Yo tengo que estudiar mucho para estar preparados para las pruebas que siempre estoy nervioso. Dos semanas mas y que marcara el final de Espanol 1412.

?Comida?

Correct me if I'm wrong... but as far as I know no one complains about a good meal. Whether it be Italian, American, Mexican, Chinese, or Japanese, food is food. I must say that I love Mexican food. Yes, up in the Panhandle we get a little bit of a mix that people like to refer to as "Tex-Mex", however from my understanding it still tastes quite authentic to me. I have to admit that I am a lover of enchiladas! It seems to be a trend these days to eat healthy in order to stay fit or lose weight. It's all over the news and media of how to stay trim and live on a healthy diet. So, I looked up some healthy Spanish food choices that might interest you. The dish called, Ensalada Campestre is a beautiful dish served often as an appetizer but could also make a great lunch meal. The many vibrant colors used in the recipe have a way of giving you a great taste of summer.

Ingredients:

sweet peppers

onions

potatoes

olives

sardines or tuna

Ella Baila Sola

I love when I come into the classroom in the morning, and I am greeted with Spanish music. It's usually so uptempo that I can hardly decipher any of the words. However, it always puts me in a good mood. So, I went on the search for some good Spanish music that I had never heard of before. I discovered Ella Baila Sola. These two girls are amazing. I love how they harmonize. They have a unique style of music that calms your heart. I really enjoy their song Lo Echamos a Suertes. You can find many of their videos on YouTube. Go check them out!

Flamenco Dancing

Dance is a very important part of the Spanish culture. Dance is a way of expressing oneself, explaining history, and living out tradition. The Flamenco is so beautiful and intricate. I love this video and how it portrays the dance in different styles. It is almost an art. Let me know your thought about it. Enjoy!

Diego Rivera: Spanish Artist

I'm very fond of this artist's work. Diego Rivera is a fairly well known artist whose art comes from a mixture of Gauguin, Aztec, and Mayan sculptures. His paintings support Mexican muralism. I hope you enjoy his works of art just as much as I do. They are very bright with vivid colors, truly a brilliant artist.

Here is a link if you're interested in reading more about Diego and other Spanish artists.

http://www.donquijote.org/culture/spain/painters/rivera.asp

Beginning Spanish 1412

He disfrutado mucho de entrar en el salón de clases por la mañana y escuchar música en español. Yo también nunca pensé que iba a ser capaz de leer un libro en español por mí mismo, pero la lectura en silencio durante diez minutos todas las mañanas me ha dado la confianza para hacerlo. La mayor parte de todo lo que he querido llegar a ver películas españolas. Español me asustó al principio, pero ahora espero ir a clase.