Many people have the mistaken idea that the Spanish language that is used in Spain is completely different from that spoken in Latin America. They also believe that if you speak in Latin American Spanish, they won't be able to understand you in Spain. I'm not sure where people get this idea from, but it is simply not true. Some words vary region to region (especially slang or swear words) but the core Spanish language spoken in each country is still the same.

In fact, there is a very close correlation between English from the United States, England, and Australia and Spanish spoken in Spain and in Latin America. For example, if someone from England or Australia talks, I, as an American, can understand them just fine and they can understand me. Sure we have different accents, some of their swear words are different, and I may not understand many of their slang words but we can understand each other.

When people go to Spain on vacation they have to remember that Spanish food is not Taco Bell! When I first moved to Spain I didn’t know what to expect, but when I got there I was pleasantly surprised. During my time in Spain (2 ½ years) I had everything from rice, pasta, fruits, to my personal favorite, Spanish desserts.

Let me be the first to say that Spanish pastries are some of the best in the world. A typical Spanish food that an American might be familiar with is churros, originally from the Spanish highlands. In Spain they are bigger and better and should be eaten with chocolate. Churros con chocolate (churros and Spanish hot chocolate) should be eaten by dipping the churro in the chocolate. If you should finish your churro you can just sip the remaining chocolate or scoop it out with a spoon. Most cafés offer them, and they are always delicious. In several towns throughout Spain you will find churreros (churro makers), like the ice cream man, selling fresh ones on Sunday mornings.

What kinds of music are you going to hear when you arrive in Spain? ¡Mucho! But just because Enrique Iglesias is from Spain, not Mexico, does not mean that you are listening to real Spanish music. When kids turn on the radio in the states they might hear Shakira singing her popular song la tortura (the torture) along with Spanish Grammy winner Alejandro Sanz, but sorry Enrique and Alejandro, Spanish music is and always will be flamenco, de pura sepa (the best of the best).

There are at least 30 varieties of flamenco in Spain and can be found everywhere, and since Spain invented the guitar the people know their music. The famous Spanish poet Fredrico Garcia Lorca called flamenco one of the greatest inventions of the Spanish people. During my 2 ½ years in Spain I heard flamenco more than anything, and especially in los barrios gitanos (gypsy neighborhoods).

Can you Speak Spanish? How long have you been studying Spanish? Between high school classes, college classes and you own efforts you could easily have a couple years already under your belt. During this time you have likely built up a good Spanish vocabulary, along with a basic understanding of Spanish verb conjugation. But can you speak Spanish?

Why is speaking Spanish so hard? Would you feel comfortable approaching a native Spanish speaker and starting a conversation? Why not? Why is it so hard to speak Spanish even after years of study?

If you stay focused you will surely accomplish your goal of speaking Spanish proficiently or fluently. And you have total control over whether you reach that goal in a year or two or a decade or two. I hope that the techniques that I have outlined in this report will enable you to accomplish your goal as quickly as you desire.

You are also welcome to pass this report on to anyone who you think may benefit from this report. However, I do ask that you do not make any changes to this report if you pass it on to anyone.

And now for my favorite
Learning-Spanish technique: Get a Latin Amor

This technique may get you in a lot of trouble if you are already married or otherwise in a committed relationship. In other words, this suggestion is only for the single people.

If you really want to learn Spanish quickly, find a “significant other” that’s a native of a Spanish speaking country. Preferably, someone that speaks very little or no English. This way you will be forced to listen to and speak Spanish.

I don’t know if it was Peter Pan who first said this one, but I am going to borrow it. It is imperative that you believe in yourself and your ability to learn this beautiful language. I cannot overemphasize this point.

I am a strong believer in the power of thought. This is a technique that has not only helped me to learn Spanish, but it has also helped me immensely in everything that I have ever set out to do in life. I encourage you to use this same technique – not only in learning Spanish – but with any goal that you wish to accomplish.

Practice Makes Perfect is more than just a saying. It’s a language-learning reality. When we were children we were completely unaware of the emotion called “embarrassment.”

Throughout my teenage years and adult life, my mother would tell me about a story – a true one – that when I was four years old I had wanted a drink of water, and I asked “wah wah – wah wah.” My sister, on the other hand, barely two years old at the time would say “mother may I have a glass of water please.”

From the very beginning of your learning-Spanish journey, try your best to imitate native speakers. Try to imitate their pronunciations, their intonations, etc. This is not something that you should delay. In fact, this is one of the most important facets of learning any language.

Have you ever had someone come up to you and speak in what sounded like a foreign language. Maybe the person was asking for directions or some other information. And after the person rambled on for a while, you realized that the person was not, in fact, speaking a foreign language. He or she was actually speaking English. But his or her accent was so thick that you initially believed that the person was speaking a foreign language.

There are a number of on-line resources that can assist you in learning Spanish. Many of them are free. One of my favorites is www.MyLanguageExchange.com. My Language Exchange is an on-line community of language learners. You can meet people who are learning virtually any language at www.MyLanguageExchange.com.