Yo creo en Santa Clos/Papá Noel. | I believe in Santa Claus.
Me porté bien este año. | I behaved well this year (I was a good boy/girl this year.)
Me alegra estar con mi familia. | It makes me happy to be with my family.
He perdonado a mis hermanos. | I have forgiven my brothers and sisters.
Me portaré mejor el año que viene. | I’ll behave better next year.
¿Podrías darlos a mis padres algo bien? | Could you give my parents something nice?

We would like to give you something special as well this Christmas season. It’s currently Day 12 of our 13 Days of Christmas. Click on that link to view all the free audio downloads we are giving away from our Level 1 course. We used to sell these audio lessons for $100, and you can download them and put them on your mp3 device or phone for free. That’s our way of saying Merry Christmas to you. Help us spread the Christmas cheer by sharing that link with your friends, neighbors, family and acquaintances.

Whatever way you choose to celebrate this Christmas season, we hope that you celebrate safely and that you enjoy every moment. Remember to be nice to everyone, because Santa is watching!

La Serie Mundial

The World Series, or la serie mundial, is going on right now. The world series is the championship of major league baseball in the United States. It is baseball’s biggest stage. The St. Louis Cardinals are playing the Texas Rangers. I am a fan of the Texas Rangers, although I don’t have a problem with the Cardinals. Many of the players in the world series are from Spanish-speaking countries. Baseball is becoming more and more popular in Central and South America as well as the Caribbean countries. Many of those countries have produced big stars in the baseball world. Rebecca Lopez from wfaa.com stated that there are 17 Latin players in the 2011 world series. Eight of those players are from the Dominican Republic.

If you are a fan of the game and also want to learn Spanish, perhaps you should watch the game and listen to it in Spanish. Depending where you live, you may be able to find a Spanish radio station broadcasting the game. The biggest stars are Nelson Cruz, Neftalí Feliz, and Alexi Ogando from the Dominican Republic. Elvis Andrus is from Venezuela. It is a record number of Latino players in the World Series.

I have not heard each of those players speak English, but I have heard some of them. This is a fun time for them and all the players in the world series. This is a fun time for the countries that they represent. You might someday be able to represent your country as you do something in a foreign country. Do your best to learn Spanish pronunciation and you will be loved by the people in that country. Do you plan on watching any of the remaining games? Turn on that Spanish radio station, and GO Rangers!

Ever since I learned Spanish I have had a crush on Shakira. I am not ashamed to admit that, and there is no reason that I should be. Obviously she is very attractive, and she knows that. Obviously she can move very well, and she knows that. She may not have the best voice in the world, but she has a unique voice and she uses it well. The songs she chooses are very entertaining. She has a pleasing personality as well. Those are some of the reasons that she is such a great entertainer and is so famous.

Shakira was born February 2, 1977, in Barranquilla, Colombia, into a poor family. Her mother was a native Colombian, and her father was of Lebanese descent. She grew up listening to music from both cultures. She wrote her first song at age eight, began entering and winning competitions at age ten. She learned the guitar at age 11, and at age 13 she moved to Bogotá to pursue a career in modeling. She wound up signing a record deal with Sony’s Colombian division instead while she was there. And thus began her ascent to fame.

Shakira has written or co-written most of her songs. She has always wanted to maintain a control over her songs. When she received an offer from Gloria Estefan to translate her hit song “Ojos Asi” into English, she decided that she would learn English well enough that she would write her own songs in English as well. She has made it huge in English and Spanish because of her unique poetic imagery.

Shakira is a great example of learning a second language. She has learned English very well. She had a goal and she dedicated herself to that goal, and look what she has done. Her success is very public because she just happens to be a huge celebrity now. You will experience your own successes should you choose to learn Spanish. I recommend that you listen to some of Shakira’s music in the process. Grab her lyrics and try to sing along. You’ll notice that she sings very fast and that her music can mesmerize you. Beware.

Last week I taught you how to say “Happy Birthday” in Spanish. I promised you that I’d show you the Mexican Happy Birthday song which is 7 verses long (I thought is was 8 in my article last week, but it’s only 7 – that’s way shorter eh?).

Anyway, here’s a link to last week’s article if you want to learn more about how to say Happy Birthday in Spanish.

So, here it is, and I’ve also included a YouTube video with an awesome mariachi singer singing it. (You can follow along with the words below. I’ve tweaked the English translation a bit to help for learning purposes.)

Here’s the song – enjoy! (Be sure and click on the “more” link below to see all 7 verses.)

¡Hasta luego Amigos!

1.  Flan: A flan is a type of open-topped pie that could be compared to a custard tart. It is one of the most popular desserts in Spain and Latin America and served for many different occasions. The classic Spanish flan is typically made up of vanilla egg custard and topped with caramel sauce, but there are many different versions out there.

Don’t be like this guy



Enjoy friends!

Signed E

Here in the US, we aren’t quite as extreme as other countries.  I remember hearing of many riots in other countries after their teams were sent packing.  It amazed me that people would be so upset that they would cause public damage and harm to those in their way. 

However, those who win, play hard afterwards.  This year, when Spain won the World Cup in South Africa, it seemed like the country partied for weeks.  It was so great to see a country gather and celebrate together. 

Have you had any experiences with this sort of thing?  I love to hear from you!

E

My husband recently joined the Air Force and we may have the opportunity in the future to travel abroad.  What experiencing have you had that required you to move abroad for work, or pleasure?  How long till you were able to adjust with the language barrier?

I’d love to hear stories of your experiences.

E~

Have any of you been to Ensenada, Mexico?  If so, what did you like most?

I’d love to hear about your experiences.

E