Is El paso a good place to learn Spanish? (Laredo: taxes, live in)

[peggydavis]

What about all the military people at Ft. Bliss? Surely they won't all learn Spanish just because they are living there. Do the military families live in the NE area or some other area of El Paso?

[Steve Hazzard]

Originally Posted by peggydavis

The tapes and CD's I have had are more for tourists and only go so far. I had one that was apparently for airline stewardesses and that was pretty funny in places. I have tried to learn Spanish just because I would like to speak another language, and I figured Spanish is one of the easier ones to learn. I'm just not around many Spanish speakers.

I consider it a treat when I am able to engage is a conversation with native Spanish speakers. My opportunity to speak Spanish is very limited, so my spoken Spanish proficiency is poor. My reading and writing proficiency is fair to good as I exchange emails with native Spanish speakers in Europe and Latin America. I prefer to engage in conversation with Latinas as they are more forgiving of poor Spanish than los hombres. But, I do not shy away from Spanish conversation no mater the sex of the speakers or their number.

Yes, I get the strange looks, the laughs, the giggles, etc., but I also earn respect as a native English speaker speaking a non-native language, the same respect I give to a non-native English speaker speaking my language. I learned a valuable lesson many years ago in the border towns of Mexico, step up to the plate and attempt to speak the native language, o como parecido un Gringo estupido de al norte de la frontera! No English required!

[Steve Hazzard]

Originally Posted by peggydavis

What about all the military people at Ft. Bliss? Surely they won't all learn Spanish just because they are living there. Do the military families live in the NE area or some other area of El Paso?

Speaking as ex-military (Viet-Nam Era), the length of the tour of duty would dictate the learning of a non-native language. Today, with the fast rotation tours in and out of the Middle East, learning a non-native language, other than Arabic, is probably not a major consideration around military bases. Unless a service member's MOS (Military Occupational Specialty) relies on acquiring proficiency in a non-native language. Many of the translators in the Middle East are bi-lingual native Arabic speakers as Arabic is a difficult language to learn fluently.

[peggydavis]

Yes, but what about the spouses and the children? Not for work, but just to shop, go to school etc.?

[Muhnay]

While living in Mississippi and working at a Casino there, I found out that El Paso is a bad place to Learn Spanish. I met many Hispanic people working on the re-construction of the Casino I was working at.. and some spoke no English at all, but we would teach one another... I made some great friendships that way and met some really cool people. I did not know how pretty a language Spanish could be until I moved away from the border.

[Steve Hazzard]

Originally Posted by peggydavis

Yes, but what about the spouses and the children? Not for work, but just to shop, go to school etc.?

Most of the larger military basses are self contained with their own shopping areas (PX and BX) and on-base schools for the children of military personnel stationed at the base. Bases without on-base shopping, housing and schooling have made provisions with the local communities for these services to be provided to the military members and their dependents. This is true for US bases and overseas military bases where dependents are permitted such as Germany and Japan. Many duty bases overseas do not permit military dependents, depending upon the length of the tour-of-duty (usually 2 years or less) and the nature of the base's military mission.

[Muhnay]

Also note that many military bases that are over seas, that have families stationed with the soldier, most of the shops near the base/post will speak English, and as you stay there you will learn some basics of the language spoken there just out of daily interaction.

[malamute]

Originally Posted by peggydavis

Yes, but what about the spouses and the children? Not for work, but just to shop, go to school etc.?

Many will pick up a lot of Spanish. Kids will pick up the bad words of Spanish very quickly -- even if they don't pick up anything else.

Language is kind of interesting here. Often people will begin to understand a lot of Spanish but may or may not speak it. I know some people who grew up 2 blocks from the border in Spanish-English speaking families who do not speak Spanish or will not -- I'm not sure. You also see people who pretend they can't speak English but will if they have to.

Some people with heavy accents actually are more literate in English and don't mix the languages than most others here. And there are people who consider themselves to be bilingual who cannot speak a whole conversation in English but mix the languages -- probably without realizing they do -- they are raised here.

What is funny to see -- and you sometimes will see it -- a grandparent who understands enough English, speaking to a grandchild in Spanish who answers in English. They will carry on a conversation that way -- each speaking their own language but understanding enough of the other to discuss whatever they wish to discuss.

[malamute]

Originally Posted by Steve Hazzard

I consider it a treat when I am able to engage is a conversation with native Spanish speakers.

I speak Spanish when I'm in Mexico -- but when I'm in the USA in most cases I speak English. When native Spanish speakers ask me something, I think it's more helpful -- unless they are tourists -- to help them with their English. A lot of times they actually know a little English so it's better to let them practice their English -- be patient and speak clearly and slowly so they can understand -- and you can tell by their reactions they feel they accomplished something.

When I learned Spanish in Mexico that's what I liked -- feeling that accomplishment that I was able to ask a native something in their language and communicate. That kind of help builds language self-esteem and helps them the next time they need to ask for help in English.

[Quadcore]

You are a nice guy.

Originally Posted by malamute

I speak Spanish when I'm in Mexico -- but when I'm in the USA in most cases I speak English. When native Spanish speakers ask me something, I think it's more helpful -- unless they are tourists -- to help them with their English. A lot of times they actually know a little English so it's better to let them practice their English -- be patient and speak clearly and slowly so they can understand -- and you can tell by their reactions they feel they accomplished something.

When I learned Spanish in Mexico that's what I liked -- feeling that accomplishment that I was able to ask a native something in their language and communicate. That kind of help builds language self-esteem and helps them the next time they need to ask for help in English.