Where can I practice speaking Spanish in Miami? (Hialeah, Kendall: live, education)

[Returning2USA]

Originally Posted by AlexRodriguez

Go to "El Palacio de los Jugos" on Flagler and 57th and try to speak English to anyone there - if you manage to get two English words out of one of those Cubans, then I'll pay for your congris, masistas de puerco y yuca con mojo.

Did you know that Hialeah has the highest percentage of Spanish speaking population in whole country? Yeap, with 92% of residents reported speaking Spanish at home, Hialeah beats any city in Texas, California, New York, New Jersey, etc, etc. So, go to Hialeah and speak Spanish to anyone there that you'll have a 92% chance that that person will speak Spanish back to you - the other 8% probably speaks Creole or Mandarin because not even the English radio stations can be tuned there.

FYI: Don't go to Doral, Venezuelans there are too snobby and full of .... - they are better than you, so they won't help you learn Spanish. Anyway, all you may be able to learn from them is "Vergacion", "chamo", "Mi gordo" and "Arepa". If you really want to learn some Venezuelan-Spanish, then come to Weston where you'll find more educated Venezuelans - still snobby but not so full of it.

Thanks Alex!

(I use to see A-rod play.)

I'll check out Hialeah.

Yeah, I heard that some (a lot?) of the Venezuelans in Miami are HISO and some linked to the Chavez govt but had the money to get out and they have corrupt-money.

Thanks again on Hialeah.

[WrongStreet]

Pretty much anywhere but yeah, Hialeah and Little Havana will give you the most opportunities to practice. Also, Cubans and Central Americans tend to be friendly when conversing, so you should feel comfortable talking in Spanish with them.

[truthislikepoetry]

You should rent a place in Little Havana for a year and visit all these bars and nightclubs regularly. I guarantee your Spanish will get much better in a blink of an eye. In your case, that would be the fastest path to mastering the Spanish language.

[Returning2USA]

Originally Posted by WrongStreet

Pretty much anywhere but yeah, Hialeah and Little Havana will give you the most opportunities to practice. Also, Cubans and Central Americans tend to be friendly when conversing, so you should feel comfortable talking in Spanish with them.

Agreed, Wrong Street.

I've travelled in Central America a couple of times and learned Spanish at a Spanish Academy for a month in Guatemala - but that was in 1994. Long time ago....I still keep in touch with Guatemalan friends I made there. I always got along with folks from Central America.

[Returning2USA]

Originally Posted by truthislikepoetry

You should rent a place in Little Havana for a year and visit all these bars and nightclubs regularly. I guarantee your Spanish will get much better in a blink of an eye. In your case, that would be the fastest path to mastering the Spanish language.

I'm B2 at the moment but a weak B2 (level).

I'm single with no kids and have no debt, so making the move could be possible.

I know little of the job market in the Miami area.

I'm still in Asia, but will be moving back to the US this year and have been researching and communicating with jobs in Phoenix - but I am open to Miami area (and lived in Ft. Lauderdale 17 years ago, albeit briefly).

It all depends on the job market.

It seems wages are lower but my costs are low. If gainful employment is possible then I'm open to it. Of course, it does not have to be the perfect job.


Cheers.

[staywarm2]

Originally Posted by AnnRyan

Where can you practice Spanish in Miami... everywhere.

Honestly, what kind of Spanish do you want to speak...

Cuban - little Havana or Hialeah
South American - Doral
Homestead - Mexican

Most other areas will be more of a mix.

When I lived in the area, much of the Spanish spoken was "Spanglish," a mixture of Spanish and English. It seemed like most of the Spanish spoken in north Dade County was Cuban.

[Bobdreamz]

Originally Posted by Returning2USA

I'll be in the Ft. Lauderdale and Miami area, but cheers for the note on Orlando.

As someone interested in Spanish, why does Orlando have a large Spanish speaking community? Curious.

Orlando has a large Puerto Rican population. I believe it's the second largest PR community in the country after NYC.

[angelscorpio]

Just go to Kendall or other areas where Colombians mingle. It's the best Spanish spoken ever. I don't recommend practicing with Cubans even tho, since it's a dialect what they talk.

[staywarm2]

Originally Posted by angelscorpio

Just go to Kendall or other areas where Colombians mingle. It's the best Spanish spoken ever. I don't recommend practicing with Cubans even tho, since it's a dialect what they talk.

Agreed. The teacher at the adult ed Spanish class in Hialeah told our group not to ask Cubans how to pronounce Spanish words!

[Returning2USA]

Originally Posted by angelscorpio

Just go to Kendall or other areas where Colombians mingle. It's the best Spanish spoken ever. I don't recommend practicing with Cubans even tho, since it's a dialect what they talk.

Yes, I've been to Columbia and currently learn with a few Columbian teachers (online) and they have a clear clean accent, IMO.

As we know, Cuban spanish drops (omits) the [s] in the middle and end of words and most vowels are dropped / not said. It's "Espanol del Caribe" and I find it difficult. One obvious example on the boob-tube is the "Cristina" show and "Caso Cerrado."

Yeah, I prefer the Columbian accent.

Kendall, thanx.