For those of you who don't know yet, I'm volunteering with an organization in some orphanages in Ecuador. I'll be there from August 12th to January 1st, and I am thrilled for two reasons.
1. I've wanted to do something like this for as long as I can remember. Humanitarian, foreign country, children, different language... I love it, all of it.
2. I have a life goal to learn Spanish, and what better way than to jump right into it. Whoo-eee!!! Terrifying, yet deeply satisfying feeling that I am working toward a life goal, because I know it is going to take work and mucha practica (alot of practice).
Awesome things about learning Spanish:
- It is great in job searching and on a resume.
- I may get a career opportunity that opens up or career idea because of it.
- My three oldest brothers speak Spanish. That means the 4 oldest kids in my family will be bilingual in the same languages.
- I feel like I'm 10 years old with an exclusive (blanket fort) club that you must slip the password on a piece of construction paper under the (towel) door or knock the secret knock (On a blanket, of course. What else would you knock a secret knock on?) before entering, and I will know all the passwords.
- It will make playing card games and such more interesting at family gatherings, for example, Pit: "Dos naranjas bajo de la mesa!" (This is where you "scratch your leg" while not looking anyone in the eye.) "Huh? Oh, I said, 'My leg really itches!'" We could have a black market and there is no reason to suspect any of us who are simply exercising our second language.
- I can order in Spanish at Mexican restaurants. (Was that a little smug?)
- Marriage-ready RM's find it incredibly attractive when a girl sets a goal and then does it.
