Spanish in Miami Part Two (Fort Lauderdale, Kendall: job transfer, established neighborhood, high school)

[beanblossom]

Wow! I am glad some people enjoyed my post!

I really believe immersion or "real daily life" practice is best for me as far as learning to be fluent in Spanish. I have friends who I have taken language classes with who have all said that once they lived in a country that spoke the language, everything came together as they lived daily life and HAD TO use it. I was sort of hoping that the same would happen to me!

I love listening to Spanish, as I think it is a beautiful language with a lot of passion and emotion. Daily I am trying to remember to listen to the spanish radio stations in the car and also watch at least the news in Spanish, but I also love the fun talk shows. If anything, they are helping me pick up proper pronunciation again.

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.

It's so much easier to be positive and openminded about life. We chose to move here -- we could have gone back to Plain Vanilla (and cheaper!) Small Town Indiana, but we are LOVING this experience. I really hate seeing that others are miserable and feel like they are not enjoying living here anymore. This country is a big place, however, and I am sure there is a place for everyone.


BTW, I called this Part Two because someone started a thread about Spanish in Miami and I wanted to give it a different perspective.

[beanblossom]

Now i am going to jump in on the chinese food convo!

We try to stay away from chain restaurants, but I do love PF Changs. The Kung Pao Chicken is awesome and so are the Dan Dan noodles. Even more important: it's always consistent from restaurant to restaurant so if you want chinese-style food (it's hardly real authentic chinese) it's a safe bet.

We've tried two local chinese restaurants here in Kendall and no luck for us so far, which is sad because one of them is in our local shopping center and very easy to stop by for takeout.

It doesn't help that we were spoiled by restaurants in San Francisco the past year. I'll keep searching! I especially love Dim Sum. Yummmmm!

[CiXeL]

oh i think i know where that is. i think we pass it on the way to the 99 cents store we visit from time to time when we need some "retail therapy".
its way cheaper to go on a 99 cents store shopping spree. im down in the waterstone complex by the new baptist hospital in homestead. its true the area youre in is VERY latin, probably more than where im at. lots of interesting shops over there though. its more rural by me.
the biggest challenge ive had here is finding a place to get a haircut. most places either try to latinize or give me some funky weird cut. last time i tried to get one in cutler ridge they shaved off my widows peak to the horror of my girlfriend watching. this is why saturday we're going to a supercuts in west palm beach to get my hair cut by an older white lady who i know does a good job. shoot me a pm if you like.

[vpcats]

Originally Posted by beanblossom

Wow! I am glad some people enjoyed my post!

I really believe immersion or "real daily life" practice is best for me as far as learning to be fluent in Spanish. I have friends who I have taken language classes with who have all said that once they lived in a country that spoke the language, everything came together as they lived daily life and HAD TO use it. I was sort of hoping that the same would happen to me!

I love listening to Spanish, as I think it is a beautiful language with a lot of passion and emotion. Daily I am trying to remember to listen to the spanish radio stations in the car and also watch at least the news in Spanish, but I also love the fun talk shows. If anything, they are helping me pick up proper pronunciation again.

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.

It's so much easier to be positive and openminded about life. We chose to move here -- we could have gone back to Plain Vanilla (and cheaper!) Small Town Indiana, but we are LOVING this experience. I really hate seeing that others are miserable and feel like they are not enjoying living here anymore. This country is a big place, however, and I am sure there is a place for everyone.


BTW, I called this Part Two because someone started a thread about Spanish in Miami and I wanted to give it a different perspective.

Beanblossom. I think it was a great different perspective and I am very happy that you like it here. The Crossings is a nice area too. Unfortunately, no matter how hard you (or I) try, there is always someone ready to sabottage any positive thinking and they resent that anyone can actually be happy.

I'm not referring to CiXel by the way. There's a pig around here lately.

[beanblossom]

he biggest challenge ive had here is finding a place to get a haircut. most places either try to latinize or give me some funky weird cut.

My oldest son wanted to have his hair cut yesterday, so I went out to take him to the Hair Cuttery in a shopping center at SW 127th Ave and SW 120th ST. For some odd reason, it closed at 2 PM that day so I checked out the rest of the shopping center and came across a barber shop. It's called Benny's and the cuts are all $7.00. He got a great cut that wasn't anything out of the usual -- we just asked for shorter, but not too short. It worked!

VPcats -- I know who you are referring to, unfortunately. It's sad that they cannot find some good in their life here in Miami or find a new city/town that better suits their needs and desires. It would be much healthier for them too. I understand that Miami, like any place you live, has its issues. But after a certain point, if all someone can do is find and discuss the negatives about a place every chance they get, the problem is their own. I'd hate to be them.

[vpcats]

Originally Posted by beanblossom

My oldest son wanted to have his hair cut yesterday, so I went out to take him to the Hair Cuttery in a shopping center at SW 127th Ave and SW 120th ST. For some odd reason, it closed at 2 PM that day so I checked out the rest of the shopping center and came across a barber shop. It's called Benny's and the cuts are all $7.00. He got a great cut that wasn't anything out of the usual -- we just asked for shorter, but not too short. It worked!

VPcats -- I know who you are referring to, unfortunately. It's sad that they cannot find some good in their life here in Miami or find a new city/town that better suits their needs and desires. It would be much healthier for them too. I understand that Miami, like any place you live, has its issues. But after a certain point, if all someone can do is find and discuss the negatives about a place every chance they get, the problem is their own. I'd hate to be them.

Me too. Things in general are hard enough. Why make it tougher on yourself. People can choose to be optimistic, pessimistic, realistic or anything else but to be a defeatist who keeps harping on the negatives all the time, and "can't see the forest for the trees", will just end up mentally unstable eventually.

[lauralei2]

Originally Posted by beanblossom

Now i am going to jump in on the chinese food convo!

We try to stay away from chain restaurants, but I do love PF Changs. The Kung Pao Chicken is awesome and so are the Dan Dan noodles. Even more important: it's always consistent from restaurant to restaurant so if you want chinese-style food (it's hardly real authentic chinese) it's a safe bet.

We've tried two local chinese restaurants here in Kendall and no luck for us so far, which is sad because one of them is in our local shopping center and very easy to stop by for takeout.

It doesn't help that we were spoiled by restaurants in San Francisco the past year. I'll keep searching! I especially love Dim Sum. Yummmmm!

Hi Beanblossom,

Check out the mongolian beef at PF Changs or the lettuce wraps....very good and fun to share. There is a Pai Wai (down-scaled PF Changs in Weston....very nice). In a pinch I like to make my own Cuban dinner...Boston Pork Roast marianated in Kirby mojo overnight. El Ebro black beans w/ white rice, brocolli and Goya plaintains (the sticky ones).... so easy and so delicious! Ok....I'm hungry.

[lionking]

lol....well I don't have to worry about finding a place for a haircut,'cause I haven't had one in 2 years. though spanish people often don't know what to make of me when they see a longhaired rock n roll biker looking dude comin' their way....well actually they do know what to do, they ask me "que habla espanol?"

Glad you like Miami,personally Im outta here. Miami may be a city for nightlife,it may have alot of thing to do but it doesn't have any nightlife my style,and leaving here I'll be able to afford things to do.

Actually,leaving here,will put me in a position to actually take vacations and it might be to Costa Rica, Domincan Rep where funny enough everything is spanish there also.

yes there are pockets of english speaking areas as far as residential,but go to Brandsmart,go to a auto dealer,better yet work at one of those places and everyday you'll have customers who do not speak english or do but request someone who speaks spanish.

[CiXeL]

after drooling over the amazing pictures of endless perfect cuban beaches i need to say cubans are totally ingrateful for what they have.
what an unbelievably beautiful country, its too bad its totally spoiled by my impressions of the people ive met from it.
download google earth yourself and check it out. i imagine the keys would be like this if the whole thing wasnt on septic systems dumping nutrients into the water and causing algae growth.

[vpcats]

Originally Posted by CiXeL

after drooling over the amazing pictures of endless perfect cuban beaches i need to say cubans are totally ingrateful for what they have.
what an unbelievably beautiful country, its too bad its totally spoiled by my impressions of the people ive met from it.
download google earth yourself and check it out. i imagine the keys would be like this if the whole thing wasnt on septic systems dumping nutrients into the water and causing algae growth.

I'm glad you liked what you saw.

I've said several times before that most Cubans DID NOT WANT TO LEAVE THEIR COUNTRY. They would have never left if it hadn't been for Castro. They are not ingrateful. They are sad that they had to leave that beautiful island behind.