Spanish in Miami Part Two (Havana: condos, credit card, college)

[doggiebus]

You are welcome.

[kd83]

Originally Posted by unixpilot

I'm a little confused by your post...If you really wanted to learn another language why not just sign up for Berlitz or take class at a Community College or something?

Expecting to learn a language based upon chatting it up with the neighbors, or in the line at the Kendall Publix sounds a little naive.

Not meant to be disrepectful, just an observation.

immersion is the best and most efficient way to learn a language. Supplmental classes will definitely help speed up the process, but should not be the primary form of learning.

Beanblossom, you should not feel like you would be acting like those vacationers being disrespectful by attempting to speak spanish to spanish speakers. Most would not feel disrespected, but instead honored that their language and way of life has truly been accepted into the Miami culture. The fact that you are taking the time to better yourself and learn more spanish to accept both sides shows a lot about your character. There are people who refuse to accept that 2 languages, especially in Miami, are better than 1. You can always throw in something like, "Lo Siento, mi espanol es asi-asi, pero me gusta a aprender mas, es o.k?" or something to that matter so they understand that you are just interested in bettering yourself and that you are not poking fun. I applaud your willingness and it sounds like you definitely have one of the positive diverse communties that might be more understanding and helpful in your quest.


*edit* I just noticed this is 5 pages long so far lol I probably repeated so much stuff that people have already said oops

[bostonbaby]

That's cute of you trying to speak Spanish. Someday you'll encounter someone that will appreciate your effort.

I'm latina married to a "wasp", and by experience let me tell you that our culture is very kind and we blend fine with the American culture as long as we respect the culture differences.
I'm moving to the Miami area as well and we are a little bit scared.

To bad to to say it but sometimes the type of latinos that come to the United States are not usually the most educated of our countries, usually is people looking for a better future, most of them come without education at all so blending in gets hard for them.

My advice for you, if you want to take it, is that you should look for nice neighborhoods in Miami area, the latino community in this neighborhoods usually consists of families of well educated people, some of us came here to study or to work with big companies, and most likely will appreciate any effort of people that love cultures and travelling.

[eaglecall]

Beanblossom I'm really happy to read that you've had a good experience In Miami. Specially that I am from Kendall too and I hate it. I'd really like to know where exactly do you live, just because you've mentioned how friendly the people is with you. So far I haven't seen or heard of that before here.

[Pixie Dust]

Good morning,

I would like to know why my post reply was deleted??? I beleive the topic got into hair cuts and I just asked a question about something someone posted about hair. Does that mean that everythong in reference to hair should be deleted?? Because if that is true than you have alot more of deleting to do on that subject for that particular post. I reply would be helpful for all of us to know YOUR guidelines.

[aleksli]

Originally Posted by beanblossom

Where do I live Cixel? I live in a neighborhood in The Crossings in Kendall. I forget what the actual census data says for the area, but from what I see living here and being out and about at the Crossings shopping center, it is at least 80% latino around me.

Hey beanblossom,
I can only agree to what the other positive thinking people say about you..
I totally feel the same way and might encounter the same "struggles" with speaking spanish when I come down to Miami, but good to know, that there are positive people and areas existing..(got a little scared after reading some posts .. )
We hopefully move down there shortly and I hope that we find an appartment in or around your neighborhood....it just sounds beautiful....

[gabry76]

Originally Posted by beanblossom

Hello! I've been hanging around these forums as a reader only since November in preparation to move here to Miami. We've now been here almost 4 weeks and it is interesting to see what has turned out to be true and not true for us based on what i've read here!

A little background about me first: I grew up reading stories set in other countries and dreamed of someday traveling the world. In high school, I studied spanish, french and german and in college I took russian and finnish classes. My plans to travel the world got put on the backburner when I fell in love with someone who barely left our homestate of Michigan and wasn't of the mindset to live anywhere else at the time. We married young (still in college) and we had kids right away. My dreams of traveling and speaking several languages besides english fluently just fell to the wayside as I stayed at home with the kids.

My husband ending up needing to travel for work and this left us open for job transfers. We finally got the opportunity to move to Miami and I was thrilled because I knew i'd be exposed to other cultures and given the opportunity to speak Spanish. At the moment, I am not an expert or close to fluent, but enough to get basic errands done (i've been out of practice for so long, as i've never had any reason to use it except in Mexico on vacation a few times). I know that as I am exposed to it, i'll become fluent relatively quickly.

Well..............NOBODY GIVES ME A CHANCE!!!!! This smacks in the face of those who whine on the forums about how nobody will speak english to them. I live in West Kendall in an older established neighborhood that is probably 80% latino. Everyone is soooo nice to us and came over with cakes and offers to help. (that smacks in the face of stuff i've read here, too). We have cubans, argentinians, columbians, puerto ricans (and a german family) just on our little court. But when I go on errands to our neighborhood shopping center and the cashier is speaking spanish to everyone in line, she gets to me and looks up and starts speaking english automatically. I feel bad because it is obvious she has to switch gears. She could speak Spanish. I'd be happy! Same with most places I do business at here in Kendall.

I'm hesitant to start off a conversation in spanish to get things moving because I don't want to be presumptious -- especially if I didn't already hear them speaking Spanish with someone else, but even when I know, I feel I might sound condescending speaking spanish. Maybe i've been around too many drunk Anglos on vacations in Cabo San Lucas being snarky using "gracias" and " muy cerveza, por favor" and "Hola!" with the service workers. I just want to fit into my new community and improve my spanish! Ironically, i'm getting more practice on my german skills with my nextdoor neighbor boys who are from Germany. Who knew i'd move to an 80% spanish-speaking neighborhood to practice my german???

Well, you must be a very lucky lady!! Check this out: I'm italian, my complexion is as white and pale as you can get, I really have no feature whatsoever that could make you think I'm somewhat hispanic, I live in Doral and really 90% of the times that I go to a supermarket, seven-eleven, gas station, or any other kind of store that you can imagine of...people speaks to me in spanish first and sometimes (not so often though) they pretend they don't speak english at all!! And don't get me started with when I need to get a haircut: I got so desperate that I either have to go with my wife who speaks spanish or I have to drive all the way to Fort Lauderdale so that I can explain to someone who speaks english how do I want my hair cut. And believe you me, I'm a very nice and respectful guy, kind of boysh looking even though I'm 30 so I don't really give bad vibes to people!! And this doesn't happen only on Doral but everywhere in Miami!! That's sad. You're just blind because of your love for spanish!!

[doggiebus]

I had a friend of mine and her dad go to the grocery store near Kendall/Pinecrest, they went to the deli counter, and tried to put in a party size order for somethings, and the person behind the counter said she didn't speak English. They asked her if someone spoke English that could help them, no she said. So they went to the manager of the store, and complained, the manager said, what they all speak English...The rudeness here just boggles my mind.

[CiXeL]

heh i drive to west palm beach to a supercuts for a haircut. its the only place i found i can rely on to give me a decent cut.

[nothingman]

Originally Posted by CiXeL

heh i drive to west palm beach to a supercuts for a haircut. its the only place i found i can rely on to give me a decent cut.

Don't go to the Supercuts in Coral Gables, whatever you do...they don't speak English!