Tenemos una prueba mañana y yo bajo en llamas. Nuestra clase se está moviendo así que rápido, siento como me caigo más lejos detrás de cada semana. Necesito realmente pasar más tiempo que estudia vocabulario. El semestre próximo I' m que consigue definitivamente a un profesor particular.
We have a test tomorrow and I'm going down in flames. Our class is moving so fast, I feel like I fall farther behind every week. I really need to spend more time studying vocabulary. Next semester I'm definitely getting a tutor.
Contrariamente a la creencia popular, Disney World no es sólo "el ratón". EPCOT Center es un conjunto de áreas temáticas en los distintos países del mundo. De hecho, fue en el Pabellón de México en EPCOT que descubrí por primera vez uno de mis favoritos froms arte, Alebrijes.
"Alebrijes are carved wooden figures created by Oaxacan artisans. They have become so popular that even the world’s most respected Spanish language authority, the La Real Academia de la Lengua Española, Spanish Royal Academy, has included the term “Alebrijes” in its official Spanish language dictionary. The term “Alebrijes” originated from the name that Mr. Pedro Linares, of Mexico City, gave to his fantastic creations of paper maché; which are internationally recognized. Most Oaxacan artisans simply call them figuras "wooden figures", naming them after the animal which they carved, such as the deer, raccoon, leopard, etc., but when a fantastic figure is elaborated, the artisan is compelled to say he has created an 'alebrije.'" from http://www.oaxacafinecarvings.com/
Who want's a plastic Mickey when they can have one of these?!
Mi espozo y yo estamos moving a Southern California this verano. Uno de las cosas que yo es looking forward to es voluntariendo en un casa de en Mexico.
We used to support a Mexican casa de niños el es no trabador anymore, so I've been researching nuevo places that need nuestra help.
One orphanage that stands out is El Sauzal. One of the reasons I like this particular orphanage is that the workers have strong English speaking skills, and solid American contacts. Since mi espanol es mal, y mi espozo no teniene any espanol, we rely on grand hand gestures and an intrepretor. Esta es una razone prima que estoy aprendiendo a hablar español, yo quiero to be able to communicate on my own!
Una vez yo no sabo que usar. So, yo uso tambien mis ropas favoritos: mi bolsa negro with rosada polka dots, mi guantes verde, mi medias morado, mis botas anaranjada, mi falda azul, mi cinturon amarillo, mi camiseta roja, mi sombrero cafe, y mis gafes del sol gris.
Yo soy una elegante y hermosa mujar con dientes muy blanco.
En el pasado he vivido al otro lado de la frontera de Juárez y Tijuana, México. Antes de la guerra contra las drogas hizo que visitan estos pueblos tan peligroso, que era muy divertido para pasar el día allí de compras. A pesar de que una de las fronteras Callifornia y el otro de Texas, ambas ciudades están preparadas para los turistas, y tienen mucho en común. los mercados al aire libre son un espectáculo visual! Al igual que la imagen de arriba, hay mucho que ver en todas direcciones. Los vendedores ofrecen de todo, desde pantalones vaqueros y zapatos con el arte y mantas. Hay tiendas regulares, también, pero yo prefiero las vistas y sonidos del mercado al aire libre. Espero el día en que estos pueblos de la frontera será seguro para visitar de nuevo.
To read more about shopping in Mexico, check out this site.
Yo no sé que future chapters en nuestro libro will be about, pero el vocabulario from chapters cuatro y cinco really fit con mi familias activities. It's been fun to illustrate nuestro vocabulario con mis photographias aquí en mi blog.
Mi gusta montar a caballo. (Cuando yo was first learning to jump yo went encima the fence more times than mi caballo! Yo mucho better at staying on now. )
Mis padres tonto pretending a esquiar.
Todos nuestro bucear, but I don't have any of those fotos uploaded. Aqui es mi hijo "diving" off el barco. (There were mucho bull sharks en la mer, we made Aaron wear a vest so we could grab him fast if we needed him to!)
Mi papa es "Superfan" para Las Cruces High School futbol Americano.
Mi es me amigas y hihos acampamos at la playa.
Mi hija Heather va a motocicleta.
Mis hijos gustan jugar a las cartes y escuchar musica.
Nuestro nest es empty. Mis hijos son todos grown up.
The above picture makes it seem like a sad thing, but actually hubby and I are diggin it.
(Click HERE if you don't belive me.)
I couldn't be happier for mis ninos!
Tonto Aaron will do anything for a laugh.
Mi hijo Aaron es un estudiante en North Carolina. In January que se va en la Virginia Institute of Technology. Un dio el hopes to drive test-carros. Aaron es muy colorful y loves acting y musica. El juega French Horn y keyboard y es muy inteligente. El es tambien un gran cocinero. El started cooking coffee cakes from scratch when he was about cinco anos, and by the time el was diaz el was whipping up roast chicken stuffed with nuts and honey! El es uno of the funniest people on the face of the planet.
El keeps mi familia laughing.
Mi esposo y mi hijo: dos peas en el pod.
Aaron y su hermana Heather son BFF's.
Mi hija Heather blows my mind. Ella es muy artistic y musical - ella juega flute y piano y loves a dibujar.
Mi pequena grunge/punk/rock star.
Ella es tambien una mathmatica whiz, y loves to estudia genetics. But her main love es languages. Ella es en el Air Force, son la Language Institute de Monterey, California. Ella es un gran linguist! Ellla habla French y Japanese (y pequito German) y una language de Arabic that is muy, muy, MUY dificil: Pashto.
Mi esposo Rob y mi hija Heather: dos peas en el military pod. :)
Mi esposo es un hero de guerra. Here are some of his medals.
Mi y mi esposo have been together para veinte tres anos!
Rob es un retired Marine de Special Forces. El es un Black Belt instructor para el Marine Corps Combat Martial Arts Program. I could write pages and pages about how much I love him and how proud of him I am. But I'll spare you what my kids call the "gag fest!"
We have been all over the world together. (Mi es una Marine, tambien. I got out as a Lance Corporal the year this picture was taken. We waited another tres anos before having ninos.)
We have had a ton of fun raising nuestro ninos, but are truly enjoying this empty nest stage in life.
If you've seen "A Few Good Men" you recognize the famous Jack Nickleson quote above.
If you haven't seen that movie, you should. It's a great depiction of the responsibility US Marines shoulder when stationed at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
I know it's a good depiction, because I've lived there.
Not everything about the movie is accurate - few things involving Hollywood ever are. But, they did get something right this time.
The "mission" of Marines is the same in real life as it is in the movie - to guard the fence line separating the American Base from the rest of Cuba.
This is accomplished via a series of "Marine Observation Posts" or "MOPS" which are positioned at regular intervals along the fence line (cerca de la lina). Marines man the towers, watching over the small strip of land that denotes the boundary (limite) between Cuba and the Base.
MOP tower in Guantanamo Bay
Accordingly, the Cuban military has it's own Observation Posts on their side of the fence.
The guards on both sides of the fence spend their time of duty looking at one another and the barren strip of land that separates them.
Occasionally the American military will give a fence line tour (conciertos) to base residents or visiting personnel. The tour includes a trip to the top of a MOP, and a stop at the "North East Gate" - the official entry/exit from the base into Cuba. It's all extremely serious, with the threat of being shot from either side a real possibility. The tension is palpable.
On the surface it seems rather cold-war, old-fashioned and ridiculous. In fact, my first impression of the set-up was of Dr. Seuss's "The Great Butter Battle Book."
I wanted to make everyone laugh and relax. C'monnnn, it's the 21st Century, can't we get along? We're not so different, we all watch cartoons and love our children, right?
Unfortunately, that's not the case. (Lamentablemente, es no el caso.)
The MOP tower system is vital now because of Guantanamo Bay's current mission (a prison for enemy combatants from the War on Terror) - as long as the prison is housed there, it is imperative that the base maintain the strictest security possible.
And as long as there are terrorists housed in the prison, I'm thankful that Marines, and their Cuban counterparts, are standing watch through the night.
I had no idea Spanish music was so very romantic until recently, when I began listening to it for Spanish class.
Yesterday I played the above song on "repeat" driving home from school. For forty-five minutes I listened as this gorgeous, liquid-voiced lover begged me not to leave him.
"No, don’t go
There’s still words remaining
a thousand sentences from the soul
and there was no goodbye within those
wait, for god’s sake.
I want to kiss you more, caress you,
as well as the promises
the ones which have to be fulfilled.
You cannot go."
By the time I walked in the front door, I was a swooning puddle of feminine hormones. I melted into my husband's arms and whispered, "Sing to me in Spanish."
Holding me close, Rob took a deep breath...
...and belted out "Don Gato"
*rolling my eyes* Some things never change.
If you like the video above (mi gusta!), here are the lyrics en Espanol:
No, no te vayas
Aun quedan palabras
mil frases del alma
Y entre ellas no estava el adios
Espera por dios
Falta besarte mas acariciarte
Ademas hay promesas de esas
Que hay que cumplir
No te puedes ir
Rompecabezas sin piezas
Los planes los sueños
Que apenas comienzan
Esto es un error
Nadie mas va a poner en tu boca
Su amor no como yo
Te amo sin miedo
Te amo cobarde
Te amo sin tiempo
Te amo aunque arde y lo sé
Te perdere
Te amo dormida
Te amo en silencio
Te amo mi vida
Te amo
Lo siento y no hay nada
Que yo pueda hacer
En cuanto cruces la puerta
Te voy a perder
No, no te vayas
Aun el café no esta listo
Yo se que no has visto de mi lo mejor
Espera por favor
Falta besarte mas
Acariciarte ademas
de mil cosas que no son hermosas
sin ti
No te puedes ir
Rompecabezas sin piezas
Los planes los sueños
Que apenas comienzan
Esto es un error
Nadie mas va a poner en tu boca
Su amor no como yo
Te amo sin miedo
Te amo cobarde
Te amo sin tiempo
Te amo aunque arde y lo sé
Te perdere
Te amo dormida
Te amo en silencio
Te amo mi vida
Te amo
Lo siento no hay nada
Que yo pueda hacer
En cuanto cruces la puerta
Te voy a perder
Te amo dormida
Te amo en silencio
Te amo mi vida
Te amo
Lo siento no hay nada
Que yo pueda hacer
En cuanto cruces la puerta
Te voy a perder
Te voy a perder
Looks like it's Latin America Folk Song Week here on Bienvenido: today's pick comes to us from Mexico.
Did any of you sing "Don Gato" when you were kids?
The version I learned was really energetic with lots of clapping - which makes this video even funnier by comparison because it's sooooooooo laid back. It also has some pretty trick art work that I like.
Since this is supposed to be a bi-lingual post, here's the lyrics en Espanol, via Yahoo translator.
Do you think cats really go "maullido" in Mexico?
Oh Senor Don Gato era un gato
En una alta azotea roja Don Gato se sentó
Él fue allí a leer una letra,
Maullido, maullido, maullido
Donde estaba mejor la luz de la lectura,
Maullido, maullido, maullido
' Twas una nota del amor para Don Gato
Le adoro escribí el gato de la señora
Quién era mullido, blanco y agradable y grasa
no había un gatito más dulce,
Maullido, maullido, maullido
En el país o la ciudad,
Maullido, maullido, maullido
Y ella dijo she' d wed a Don Gato
Oh, Don Gato saltado tan feliz
Él se cayó de la azotea y rompió su rodilla
rompió sus costillas y barbas,
maullido, maullido, maullido
Y su pequeño plexo solar,
Maullido, maullido, maullido
Ay Caramba gritó Don Gato
Entonces los doctores todos vinieron
en el funcionamiento apenas ver si algo podría ser hecho y llevaron a cabo una consulta,
Maullido, maullido, maullido
Sobre cómo ahorrar a su paciente,
Maullido, maullido, maullido
Cómo ahorrar a Senor Don Gato
Pero a pesar todo intentaron a Senor pobre Don Gato para arriba y murieron Y él wasn' t muy feliz,
Maullido, maullido, maullido
Yendo al cementerio,
Maullido, maullido, maullido
Para la conclusión de Don Gato
Cuando el entierro pasajero el cuadrado de mercado tal olor de pescados estaba en el aire Aunque su entierro slated,
Maullido, maullido, maullido
Él reanimated,
Maullido, maullido, maullido
Él volvió a la vida, Don Gato
I love the internet *almost* as much as I love horses.
Just came across an old Chilean folk song I learned in seventh grade - we sang it in Spanish, but at the time I had no idea what we were singing, other than "My horse...galloping away."
Translating is so much more than simply interchanging a word in one language for a word in another. Words have meaning, even more so when they are strung together in a sentence. So I took great creative license in this translation, in an effort to capture what I feel is the "spirit" of the song.
I hope you like it.
My White Horse
My white horse is bright like a sunrise,
we are always together,
he is my most faithful friend.
Me on my horse, galloping away.
Me and my horse riding on and on.
When I am sad he carries me
on wings of happiness.
Me on my horse, galloping away.
Me and my horse riding on and on.
I told the Lord (and He knows this well)
when Father God calls me to His side
in my saddle I will go.
Me on my horse, galloping away.
Me and my horse riding on and on.
My white horse is bright like a sunrise,
we are always together,
he is my most faithful friend.
Me on my horse, galloping away.
Me and my horse riding on and on.
PS - This is Shiloh, a quarter horse stallion that I love like crazy.
He's not mine (unfortunately) but I still get to play with him.
When I'm in his stall, he tries to chew through the cargo pockets on my pants -
because he knows that's where I keep apples for him!
Shiloh es mi favorito caballo blanco.
During my commute to WT I've been listening to a romantic CD sung entirely en Espanol. The drive is 40 minutes each way: suffice it to say I've listened to the same handful of songs at least a bazillion times.
It may come as no surprise then that I'm able to sing along to many of them. Well, to the choruses anyway. But I don't just mouth the words, I belt 'em out in true Karaoke style. Hey, it's a long trip. I've gotta do something to stay awake.
Anyway, one song in particular,"Amor Quedate," is very big vocally and great fun to sing. (I think the title translates to "Don't go" or "Lover stay" or something similar.)
One day, as often happens, I had a crazy thought. What if I heard this song so many times, the chorus got stuck in my head and it's all I could say?
You know, like in that Dexter's Lab episode where he built a Subconscious Discographic Hypnotator to learn French while sleeping - but the record got stuck on cheese omlette, so the only words that would come out of his mouth thereafter were "Omlette du formage!"
Imagine if, no matter what question I was asked, I'd answer with a line from this CD, sung passionately in the manner I'd learned it?
"Does anyone know the formula for determining the slope of a line?" I'd have to scrunch my face up like I was in pain and wail into my calculator "Amor Quedaaaateeeeeee!"
or
"Can anyone tell me how Newton came up with the idea of gravity?" Unable to stop myself, I jump up, throw my arms wide and and cry "Amor Quedaaaateeeeeee!"
A. Tampico, in the state of Tamaulipas. It’s a beautiful city located on the Gulf Coast of Mexico, about half a day’s travel south of the Texan border.
Tampico, en el estado de Tamaulipas. Es una bella ciudad localizada en el Golfo de Mexico, aproximadamente a medio día de camino al sur de la frontera con Texas.
Q. What do you like most about it?
A. I love most everything about my hometown. The beaches, the food, people, music, etc .
Amo la mayor parte de las cosas sobre mi ciudad natal. Las playas, la comida, la gente, música, etc.
Q. Has Tampico been impacted by the drug wars?
A. Very much. Tampico is located in one of the bloody border states. People are dying every day and everybody’s trying to live their lives as normal as they can, while looking over their shoulder every single second.
Demasiado. Tampico está localizado en uno de los estados fronterizos. Hay gente muriendo diario y todos están haciendo su mejor esfuerzo por vivir sus vidas lo más normal possible, manteniendo un ojo pelado a todo momento.
Q. When I met you we were both living in Japan. What caused you to leave Mexico?
A. A variety of things happened around the same time: I graduated from University, my Grandmother living in Colorado needed help and I needed a change. I thought I’d stay for a few years to help my Grandma, until a more permanent solution was found, then either go back home or travel around some more. My plans changed a few years later when I met and married my husband.
Una variedad de situaciones se presentaron al mismo momento: Acababa de terminar mi carrera, mi abuela viviendo en Colorado necesitaba ayuda y yo necesitaba un cambio. Planeé quedarme un par de años, ayudar a mi abuela hasta que una solucion mas permanente se pudiese hallar para ella, y luego regresarme a casa o seguir viajando. Mis planes cambiaron despues de algunos años cuando conocí a mi esposo y me case.
Q. When I travel outside US, I face a lot of prejudice because I'm American; we are not the most loved country in the world. How has your nationality impacted international travel for you?
A. In Japan, they find it interesting.
I have dual nationality: I’m half Mexican through my father and half American through my mother.
I’ve had both positive and negative reactions to either of my nationalities on both sides of the border. I hate stereotypes and it sucks that they’re alive and kickin’. Negative reactions have gone from random vulgarities said to my face, to job interviews gone south when interviewers realize what country I went to school in.
But, at the same time, I’ve also met people who are genuinely interested in learning about the culture I grew up in. I’ve developed great friendships with some of them.
I’m past the anger when a stereotype is directed at me, because I know people will not magically change their mind. The only thing I can do is change their minds through my actions.
Q. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?
A. Oh my...that's a hard one. I don't think I could pick just one. I love traveling and there's a lot of places I've been to that I would like to live in.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And that about wraps it up. Diana, thank you so much for joining us.
That's all we have time for today, Clase.
See you next week on *the whole audience shouts* BIENVENIDO!
EASTER EGG! Lucky readers, here's one more cultural tid bit for you. Check out a place Diana and I liked to eat called MikesTex Mex, a hub of MexAmericana in Japan.
In addition to studying Spanish in class, I've been building up my "restaurant vocabulary" at our local Jalisco's. I start by asking a native speaker how to say something useful, then I repeat the phrase about a bazillion times.
Lesson one was learning how to ask for my favorite meal: dos tacos polo de queso y crema solo (two chicken tacos with only cheese and sour cream).
Since I've mastered that, I asked my very patient language coach (our regular waitress) how to say "To Go Box".
She told me several times, but I couldn't quite catch what she was saying. It sounded like she was speaking a foreign language! Oh, that's right... she was. I just wasn't getting it. We both got a good laugh out of my efforts, though.
Registering exactly how dense I am she eventually wrote the phrase down on a piece of paper: It's exact translation is "box for to carry" but I'm diggin' the Spanish version.
caja
para
llevar
The closest I can pronounce it is "Ca-ha pa-dah yeh-vahr" but I can't hit the impossible little tongue roll to the "para" and "llevar".
Still, the three words together have a rather catchy cadence.
I find myself practicing them in crazy ways: singing them in a silly sing-song voice; saying them mysteriously as if I'm about to reveal something wonderful to a breathless audience; even pretending I'm Harry Potter memorizing a new spell at Hogwarts.
But my favorite way to use them is in imitation of Gandalf's last stand against the Balrog.
Whenever Rob is trying to get past me in the hallway, I plant myself firmly in his path, throw my arms wide and yell commandingly:
"CAJA PARA LLEVAR!!!!"
For one frozen moment in time I am in complete command of the hallway, and my new phrase.
Then Rob simply picks me up and sets me aside, reminding me that I've got a long way to go.
