Tiana NelsonMinneapolis, Minnesota, EE. UU.Bilingüe PenPal
My expertise in the Spanish language (Castellano) and literature goes far beyond learning in a classroom environment. After studying the language for the past twelve years, both on my own and academically, I decided to travel abroad to two of the most amazing countries, Guatemala and Spain. I spent three weeks exploring Guatemala, enjoying the city life of Antigua and being captivated by a more traditional San Juan La Laguna and San Pedro. As for Spain, I spent nine months immersing myself in Spanish language, literature, and culture. I also ventured outside of Spain's capital, Madrid, and discovered the beautiful comunidades autónomas of País Vasco, Asturias, Barcelona, Castilla la Mancha, Castilla y León, Andalucia, Valencia y Las Islas Canarias. Familiarizing myself with these regions and learning about the various languages that composes Spain allowed me to truly understand the history there as well.
The key to learning and sustaining a language is making an effort to practice it every day. Whether I am indulging in Spanish literature, speaking with clients, or binge watching the latest Spanish-language series, I make an effort to keep the language active. One of the biggest pros to utilizing a language every day is becoming familiar with various jargon and distinguishing between Spanglish and actual words that are a part of Castellano.