¿Estás aislandote sin estar consciente? – Are You Isolating Yourself Without Realizing It?

I am guessing that where you live is more a reflection of what you consider to be your culture than someone else’s.  That is, if you have financial resources you likely live around other folks who do as well, if you adhere to a particular political perspective, the majority of your friends are those similarly-minded, if your ‘people’ originate from a particular part of the world, it’s likely your neighbors do too.

Of course some of these decisions we make very consciously … but others, less so.  I bring this up to help us observe ourselves and our tendencies.

Luis and I talk with students all the time that are over the top excited about an upcoming trip they’ve planned to visit some great Spanish speaking local.   And upon their return they tell us all about how much fun they had using and stretching their language skills to their limits and beyond.  Then too often, the next thing we hear is that they are sad that it will be a while before they can afford do it all again.

THIS is the point at which our ‘tendencies’, our habitual ways of thinking and viewing our world can sabotage our best intentions. You’ve heard of course that Spanish speaking folks are the fastest growing minority in our country.   In fact the 2007 census counted 34 million  Spanish speakers.  Meaning folks that indicated that Spanish was their 1st language.  It is now three years later and if we were to add to that count, the children of these original 34 million – well, the numbers are impressive.  In other words we really don’t have to travel far to pass time and speak with a Spanish speaker.

Now obviously there is appeal in vacationing and traveling to unfamiliar cultures … I don’t take that from you.  But between trips, you have a wealth of unfamiliar culture right here … probably within easy blocks or a couple of miles from where you live.  When I was first learning …. I would corner the cleaning staff in my office building and talk with them.  I didn’t have to travel anywhere!  By-the-way, we became friends.  Another very good friend of ours was the waiter at a favorite restaurant of ours.  He and his family have become like our family and vice versa.

And here’s the other great thing about connecting the Spanish speaking folks that already live near you.  More often than not, they will welcome your overtures to connect with them.  In fact, they will  love spending time with you and talking with you in their native tongue.  One “hola” and a warm smile from you and their hearts open.  We’re all the same that way, aren’t we?  We love to be considered, welcomed. We love to have people interested in us. This is a universal human trait.

Let me tell you something else from my experience.  These folks miss their homes, their families, their culture and their their food ….. yes, we would too, if we had traveled to a new country.   If you are a culture enthusiast….believe me, these folks love to talk about their homes.  Just as you would would if you were far away from everything you always known.  If you want to eat great food?  They (in my experience) are prone to offer theirs to you.  If you want to know more about how they live and their perspective on the world?  Well, I have been invited to more birthday parties and anniversary parties and dinners and family gatherings for whatever reason than I can count.

You don’t need to save $3500.00 and two weeks of vacation to practice your Spanish and get to know the culture from where this language comes.  Just look around you, step out and make some new friends.  Just as you would want the locals to show some interest in you, if you had come to live in another country, they as well were hoping that you’d come over, introduce yourself and suggest getting to know one another better. This is not weird, this is not political, this is not anything but being who we are, who we can’t help but be ….  human.     Aquí estamos,   Joan