Guest Blogger: Life in an Andean Village Part 5

Posted by Mauricio in Spanish | Spanish Travel & Culture - (0 Comments)

Hola,

Welcome to the final installment of Amy Waterman’s Ecuadorian travel diary.

Over the past few weeks you’ve had the chance to find out a bit about daily life in a small rural village in the Andes. If you recall from last week, Amy talked about the way everyone pitches in to help out with civic projects, what people eat in Ecuador, and ended up talking about having rice at every meal.

I don’t know about you, but I’d get sick of rice very quickly if I had to eat it at every meal! I wonder how Amy got on?

Lets find out… (more…)

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Guest Blogger: Life in an Andean Village Part 4

Posted by Mauricio in Spanish | Spanish Travel & Culture - (0 Comments)

Hola,

It’s time for part 4 of Amy Waterman’s adventures in Ecuador.

If you remember from last time, Amy continued telling us just what life is like in the small Andean Village where she was staying. She talked about washing her clothes, the work she does, her computer classes, bottle recycling, and when we left her she was about to tell us about a mysterious visitor…

Let’s join Amy again to find out more about her Andean experiences, and more about her interesting visitor… (more…)

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Guest Blogger: Life in an Andean Village Part 3

Posted by Mauricio in Spanish | Spanish Travel & Culture - (0 Comments)

Hola,

Welcome back to more of Amy Waterman’s interesting adventures in Ecuador.

If you remember from last time, she was talking about school life in small rural villages. There aren’t too many resources available for learning where she’s staying, and kids need to work pretty hard to get some formal education. Everyone attending school wears a uniform, even the adult learners!

Things sure do seem to be very different when you’re living in an Andean village.

So lets find out some more about daily life in rural Ecuador in part 3 of “Life in an Andean Village”. (more…)

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Guest Blogger: Life in an Andean Village Part Two

Posted by Mauricio in Spanish | Spanish Travel & Culture - (1 Comments)

Hola,

Today we’re  continuing our exploration of  Latin American Culture. We’re going to hear more  about my colleague, Amy Waterman’s, fascinating experiences in Ecuador.

If you recall, when we left Amy she was just getting ready for the day, after an early start. She’d started getting her breakfast ready and had put some water on for bathing and for dishes. We’d learned what was popular to eat for breakfast, and had discovered that most houses in Ecuador don’t have hot running water!

Now it’s time to enjoy part two of  “Life in an Andean Village”. (more…)

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Guest Blogger: Life in an Andean Village

Posted by Mauricio in Spanish | Spanish Travel & Culture - (4 Comments)

Feliz Año Nuevo and Happy New Year!

I hope you enjoyed the holiday season. Did you have a chance to put your Spanish to the test, or are you feeling a little rusty?

How about we ease into the new year with a little Latin culture?

For the next few blog posts, I’ll be teaming up with my Rocket Spanish co-host, Amy Waterman.

Amy became fluent in Spanish while living and working in Ecuador, and she’ll be sharing some of her experiences with us over the next few weeks.

Here’s the first installment of “Life in an Andean Village” – enjoy! (more…)

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What do you know about Argentina?

Posted by Mauricio in Spanish | Spanish Travel & Culture - (1 Comments)

When I think of Argentina one of the first things that comes to mind is the fantastic food I’ve enjoyed in this beautiful country. If I’m completely honest, I’m talking BEEF! Argentinean steaks are seriously delicious, and by far the best I’ve ever had in my life.

But there are so many other wonderful things I remember about Argentina: the beautiful cities, people bargaining into the small hours, the brilliant nightlife, and, of course, the warm and friendly people.

Argentina has an extensive European influence, which means that for many tourists, they feel they can blend in without standing out so much!

In case you didn’t know, Spanish-speaking Argentina is the second largest country in South America, with a population of nearly forty million people. About one third of its population lives in the capital, Buenos Aires – one of the largest cities in the world.

If you ask me where my favorite places to visit in Argentina are I’d have to say Iguazú Falls, Mar del Plata, and no surprise, Buenos Aires.

The spectacular Iguazú waterfalls are a “must see” if you get a chance to travel to Argentina. The waterfalls are surrounded by a 55,000 hectare (135,907 acres) nature reserve and forest, and most tourists can’t resist playing “photographer”, it’s just so beautiful.

I also love going to Mar del Plata, situated about 400 kilometers from Buenos Aires. I love the sea, and Mar del Plata is a great place to catch the sun and the waves. There are a number of other attractions including nightclubs, a great variety of restaurants, private resorts, and much, much more. I always take the chance to do a bit of shopping.

From here I always end up in Buenos Aires. What a city!

So long as you don’t mind rubbing shoulders with millions of people, it’s an incredible place to visit. Shop till you drop, eat until you can eat no more, dance until sunrise, and enjoy the party that is Buenos Aires.

Happy travels!

Mauricio Evlampieff
Rocket Spanish

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Get Your Spanish Dancing Shoes On!

Posted by Mauricio in Spanish | Spanish Travel & Culture - (0 Comments)

Dance

How about we do some circles around a few Spanish words and get a dash of Latin American culture along the way?

Foreigners are quite often surprised, shocked, embarrassed or even downright offended by some Latin American ‘habits’, but it’s these cultural quirks that make the people so unique and colorful!

You might be amazed at how people can listen to the radio non-stop, how 30 or more adults will show up for the fiesta de cumpleaños (birthday party) of a three year old who is oblivious to the occasion, or how Latin American people simply HAVE to bailar (dance) if the music is good!

Latin Americans need movement, love, family time, and really believe in the saying “the more the merrier”. Large gatherings are the norm, featuring great comida (food), vino (wine), música (music) and of course baile (dancing).

In fact, it’s not just at organized gatherings that the locals get their groove on. Often you’ll see someone with a guitar, flute, or drum, playing improvised music on a street corner. Given half an hour, they’re likely to have a group of people around them, dancing and swinging their hips to the beat!

This kind of situation illustrates just how free and expresivo (expressive) the culture is, compared to the conservativo (conservative) and reserved Western way of behaving.

What are your experiences of Spanish celebrations? I’d love to hear your stories!

Saludos,

Mauricio Evlampieff
Rocket Spanish

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Isn’t It Time You Took A Vacation?

Posted by Mauricio in Spanish | Spanish Travel & Culture - (4 Comments)

Margarita

How about a taking a break from your Spanish lessons for a little armchair travel?

Almost every kind of weather, landscape and outdoor activity you can think of can be found in Latin America.

Pristine beaches, ancient archeological sites, skiing centers, the Amazon jungle, fishing lakes, sailing expeditions, arid desert landscapes, mountains, hiking trails… the list is endless!

One of the most popular destinations for a beach vacation is the tropics, which extends from the Gulf of Mexico to the north of Argentina, in South America.

It’s interesting to note that some of the islands and countries in Central America and the Caribbean aren’t Spanish-speaking, having been colonized by France, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.

Among the most picturesque beach locations are Margarita Islands (Venezuela-see photo above), San José (Puerto Rico) and the Galapagos Islands (Ecuador).

For party seekers, the Mexican Yucatan Peninsula offers hot-spots like Cancun and Isla Mujeres.

If you are looking for a budget accommodation option, you are always welcome to rent a room at a local’s home in places like Costa Rica, Nicaragua and El Salvador. Not only are these places cozy and less crowded than mainstream destinations, but here you’re far more likely to get a real cultural experience.

Did You Know?

If you’re planning to travel to a Spanish-speaking place, or you want to explore your new surroundings, you will get the most out of your experience if you do a little research first. This way you don’t have to spend half your time with your head in a guidebook, and you won’t miss out on the best places to visit!

Learning about some popular Spanish-speaking vacation spots is also a fun way to learn new Spanish words and phrases, which is why my Rocket Spanish Premium course includes tons of helpful travel tips like these!

Find out more about Rocket Spanish Premium, my learn Spanish course here:

http://www.rocketlanguages.com/spanish/premium/

¡Hasta la próxima (until next time),

Mauricio Evlampieff
Rocket Spanish

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350 Million Reasons to Speak Spanish!

Posted by Mauricio in Spanish | Spanish Travel & Culture - (0 Comments)

iStock_000009721455Medium

Here’s a test of your general knowledge: How many people do you think speak Spanish worldwide?

Try to guess…

In Mexico alone there are 104 million Spanish speakers. In the United States 34 million people speak Spanish at home, with another 10 million claiming it as their second language.

While you are doing your math you need to consider Spain, most of Central and South America, Equatorial Guinea, Occidental Sahara, the Philippines and expats all over the world… and you will get something like 350 million speakers.

This makes Spanish the second most spoken language in the world, behind Mandarin Chinese, and followed closely by English.

If you weren’t already feeling good enough about learning to speak Spanish, you should know that Spanish is the official language of 21 countries, plus 4 “de facto” nations that don’t have an official language.

It has also become the second business language in the European Union, and you can find Spanish-speaking communities in each of the world’s seven continents.

Armed with that knowledge, there’s definitely no excuse for not exercising your spoken Spanish!

If you haven’t already signed up to my FREE 6 Day learn Spanish course, there’s no time like the present. After all, you can be sure there will be millions of people to practice with!

Saludos,

Mauricio Evlampieff
Rocket Spanish

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What Do You Know About Chile?

Posted by Mauricio in Spanish | Spanish Travel & Culture - (2 Comments)

fiesta patrias

How about a little armchair travel today? If you’re anything like me you’re already in holiday mode, so let’s put the Spanish language tips aside for a moment shall we?

I seem to have come over all misty-eyed lately – I guess it’s this time of year. It’s got me thinking about home sweet home, and what it was like growing up in Chile.

If you’re celebrating the festive season away from home this year, perhaps you’re feeling a little sentimental yourself.

Although I no longer live in my native country, I always enjoy returning for a visit. Whether you’re talking family life, food, rodeo, or celebrations, there’s always plenty to inspire you in this beautiful country!

If you’re curious about Chilean culture, here’s a short story of mine you might enjoy – and you might just learn some new Spanish words along the way:

Chilean Culture by Mauricio Evlampieff


Did You Know?

By taking the time to understand Spanish-speaking cultures, you will learn how to act in unfamiliar situations and speak Spanish like a native speaker. This is where my 31 Rocket Spanish Premium Language and Culture lessons come in…

You will get insights into a wide variety of situations you’re likely to encounter in a Spanish-speaking country, such as safe travel, currency, religion, the best spots for a beach vacation, Latin American cuisine, music, historical sites, families, formal and informal greetings, showing emotions, meetings and timing, transport, education, urban development and more!

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