Learning spanish for traveling and living in Mexico
Written by Laura Smith
Living as an expat was a dream that I thought would never come true. That was until I turned 21 and then I realized I am free to start a new career, have my residence, and most importantly: Go wherever I want to go!
In high school, I studied Spanish for about three years, but I can’t pretend I was good at it when I decided to move to Mexico.
Life in Mexico is – sweet! It is so different from the US, you wouldn’t imagine crossing a border could turn everything upside down for you like this. Latin America has its own unique culture.
Moving to Mexico
I decided to move to Mexico, and I did. But I wasn’t able to speak Spanish perfectly.
And I remember asking myself: “How long does it take to learn Spanish?” So, I figured out a few ways in which I would be able to speak Spanish, and I gave them a shot. Below are the tricks that worked for me.
I hope they work for you too.
Tricks to Learn Spanish
If you are going to move to Mexico, I suggest that you enroll in a college or university there.
The best way of learning a new language and getting to explore a new culture is by interacting with more people and meeting new students at a campus or by attending college with the natives.
The environment of a college or school is meant for learning, and therefore, you have a better chance of learning Spanish a lot faster.
If your English skills are impeccable, you could try getting a job as an English tutor.
Across the globe, knowing the English language is considered a skill. While you are teaching the kids the English language, you will notice that your Spanish would start sounding a lot better than your expectations.
Mexico is the capital, but you would be mistaken if you assume that all the Spanish culture could be seen in Mexico only.
Since a lot of tourists visit Mexico every year, it is likely you will find people who speak English there. You won’t come across the authentic Spanish culture if you do not visit other cities.
Even if you have taken up your residence in Mexico, I would recommend that you travel to other cities in Spain that are not so popular. Your language skills would be genuinely challenged there.
It would help you learn the true Spanish accent as well.
You will find that Mexicans are amazing and very friendly people. These people would never turn you away if you need help.
That means if you are asking for directions and they don’t know the way, it is likely they’ll call their friend to fetch you the address and the directions. These people are very polite, and so is their language.
There is a lot you can learn from Mexican culture if you learn Spanish.
If that is your next destination, then I wish you good fortune.
About the Author: Lara Smith has worked for Wall Street English for 20 years. After studying at Stanford University and subsequently doing a CELTA course, she began her career in teaching. She is obsessed with languages and currently writes blogs at MimicMethod.com.
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