If you're of Spanish descent, how important is speaking Spanish in San Antonio?

[L210]

Rosetta Stone is so bad, I heard the Department of Defense stopped using it. I think Pimsleur is better, but it's completely an audio-based program and does not teach writing/reading. Spanish isn't hard to spell anyway, much easier than English. You can checkout Pimsleur programs for free from the San Antonio Library or download a digital copy through its website.

[thenewtexan]

Originally Posted by frannylee

spoke Polish that is....although everyone seemed to have a few words here and there....

Nastrovia!

[Newk]

Caucasian American, I don't know Spanish that well, but I know what Mas Pizza, Menos Dinero means!

Because I live her I now know what la cantera, la bandera, and la culebra means!

[Merovee]

Have you read the article about the losers whining over Pizza Patrón's free pizza promo? As if learning a few words in Spanish is difficult or goes against some malformed morals of theirs. The cashiers there were even willing to help those who don't know Spanish learn how to order in Spanish.

“There have been incidents in various markets, people coming in the lobby shouting at employees,” Gamm said.

The comments have included, “Go back to Mexico where you belong,” he added. “It's been surprising that three little words can create so much discussion across the country.”

Pizza Patrón's promotion sparks criticism - San Antonio Express-News

Never mind that the founder of Pizza Patrón grew up in Ohio, is not from Mexico, and also found Wingstop.

[L210]

All one has to do is go onto Google Translate if they want free pizza that bad.

[Rasero]

I'm a gringo, born and raised in Utah until I was 12 when we moved to Texas. Since we moved to Texas, I learned a whole new way of life and got to know other cultures (at the time I only knew mostly white folks up in Utah... and no I am not Mormon (thought I'd throw that out there since people always ask or just assume that I am)... while living in north Texas I befriended a lot of Hispanics, my best friend was born here but his family is from Mexico, so I went and visited Mexico a few times with him and fell in love with the country (mostly central Mexico)... later on I worked with and befriended several other Mexicans, and one of them who also became a good friend of mine, invited me to live with his family in central Mexico when I got out of high school, and so I did (I was in the top 10% of my class, but instead of taking off to college right out of school, I went and lived in Mexico). While living in central Mexico, and being immersed in the language and culture, I became very fluent within a matter of months, I hardly spoke any English at all the entire time, and I was treated like a KING anywhere I went, the people were so incredibly hospitable to me, always offering me food and a place to stay even if they themselves didn't have a lot of money.

So, anyway, near the end of that year stay I met my wife, to make a long story short we got married a few years later, have been married 12 years now and have 3 little girls. In college I went and studied at the University of Colima in Mexico, and stayed with another family, who also treated me very well, to this day we consider ourselves to be family. While there, I learned even more Spanish. After I got married I went to study at UT Austin, and majored in Hispanic studies and Math (go figure! LOL). Then we moved to San Antonio.

So I say all THAT to say THIS. After having lived in San Antonio for 6 years, knowing Spanish certainly comes in handy. It's not absolutely necessary, but there are a TON of people that speak it, a lot of first-generation immigrants, people who have come up from Mexico as a result of the drug war, a lot of business-savvy people who are hard working. There's really a very wide mix of Hispanics here, a lot who speak a little Spanish, a lot who speak it almost exclusively. In my home, we speak both languages and my girls are fluent in both. We have neighbors across the street from northern Mexico, who have become like family to us. We always go over to their house and vice versa, and since they are first-generation immigrants they speak Spanish almost exclusively, and since I know the language, it allows me to interact more with them and enjoy the conversations. I've always said that learning a language is like a key that opens up the door to an entirely new culture and people. Since I've learned Spanish, I have met literally hundreds of people whom I never would have been able to communicate with previously, and have made hundreds of friends from all over Latin America. It is, for lack of a better word, just awesome to be able to speak two languages. I learned Spanish fluently when I was 18, now going on 15 years, and I don't regret it one bit. I've also learned that people in these countries don't really care how well you speak the language, the fact that you are even trying to learn it will almost immediately cause them to embrace you and assist you on your new "language journey".

When I'm out and about in San Antonio, shopping, dining, etc., I've bumped into complete strangers from Mexico and other Latin American countries, and if I initiate a conversation in Spanish (usually I only do this if I hear them speaking it first), it is just amazing how they open up to me. That's just how their culture is.

So in summary... it's not necessary, but I would definitely recommend trying to learn it! It could literally change your life and your outlook on the world. It sure did mine. And San Antonio is really a great place to learn and practice it.