Language Link Online

Spanish Language Immersion Programs in Latin America and Spain
www.langlink.com  Toll Free 800.552.2051
Full details of all programs on our website

July 2001 Online Newsletter...sent every other month
Tips and information about learning Spanish and the people who speak it. If you have any comments to share, please send them. Personal attention is what has made Language Link grow, and we appreciate your contributions.  If you do not want to receive our news, please send your remove request to info@langlink.com.  If you or a friend would like to be added to our online or printed mail (newsletters twice a year), please email us. If you have trouble with the format of this newsletter, please let us know and we will send you a text only version.
What's in this edition
On Line Lesson, Cocina Cooking
Culture Clips, Language Link's Latest
OJO (special deals), Rhythm & Book Blurbs
Been There, Loved That (reports from participants), Likeable Links
On Line Lesson
In this lesson we'll give you some phrases which are helpful with technology.  Remember that in these areas, the vocabulary is developing often too quickly for the dictionaries.  English is sometimes substituted, as that is often the source language of the new vocabulary.
La máquina de fax (pronounce it with the long "a"), un fax (the document itself), el tono de fax
- Me hace el favor de enviarme un fax?  No he recibido el fax.  Traté de enviar un fax, pero nunca
recibí el tono.  Quiero enviar un fax, por favor.  - Hay problemas con la máquina de fax?  - Cuál es el número de fax?  El fax salió muy borroso (fuzzy, unable to read), y no puedo leerlo. - Sería posible enviarlo otra vez?
la computadora (in Latin America)  el ordenador (in Spain)
la contraseña - password  - Cuál es la contraseña?
la arroba - the "at" sign  - Dónde está la arroba en el teclado (keyboard)  Keyboards can be
    configured differently in Spanish, and this may be on a different key than marked on
    the keyboard itself.
enviar un email, enviar un mensaje por correo electrónico
urgente, atención inmediata, por favor - when something is really important
- Cómo puedo copiar (copy)?  - Cómo puedo editar (edit)?  - Cómo puedo cambiar (change)?  - Cómo puedo archivar (file)?  - Cómo imprimo (print)?
el servidor - server - Mi servidor tiene muchos problemas.  Necesito hacer un cambio de servidor.
- Dónde está el café de internet (or tienda de internet) más cercano?  Where's the nearest internet place?
- Cuánto es por minuto, por hora?
- Cuál es su dirección de email (electrónica)?
- Hay una computadora disponible (available) ahora?
General computer vocabulary
imprimir - to print, la impresora - printer, hacer una copia, guardar (to keep) una copia,
el sitio web - website, regresar - to go back (atrás is the button)
haga clic, or haz clic - command for click, el ratón - mouse, el icono - icon, descargar - to download, ejecutar - to run, arrastrar - to drag, la casilla - box on forms, marcar to check, el portapapeles - clipboard, detener - to stop, bandeja de entrada - inbox, libreta de direcciones - address book, el destinario - person message is sent to, redactar - to write text, negrita - bold, la barra - the / sign, punto com - dot com, el navegador - browser, el enlace - the link, el módem - modem
Cocina Cooking
Salsas aren't just made of tomatos, but often of fruit. Take advantage of great summer mangos.  There are many, many varieties of mangos in Latin America, but the trick here is finding even one which is close to being ripe.  The flesh should give lightly when pressed.
Mango Salsa - perfect for grilled chicken or fish
1 ripe mango, diced into 1/8 inch pieces, 2 tablespoons lime juice, 2 tablespoons orange juice, one jalapeño pepper (seeded and finely chopped).  Combine all in a glass bowl.  Let it stand for 15 minutes to allow the flavors to develop.  Will keep for several days in the refrigerator.
Culture Clips
As opposed to our last issue dealing with past cultures, let's look at current technology in Latin
America. The internet is growing daily in these areas.  It is not as common for people to have their own computers, however, and internet cafes or computer stores which rent computer time and web access are very common.  Costs are very reasonable.  If your current email account is not web based (check with your server), you can open a free one through something like www.hotmail.com.  Then just find out where an internet cafe is located, pay for 15 minutes of time, and you can directly access your mail.  Expect to pay extra for printouts of information.  If you have any problems with access of your mail, often you can use the backdoor site called www.thatweb.com.  This is a great way of staying connected, and you can both read your received email, as well as send.  Carrying a laptop for internet access is more complicated when traveling.  Very often the 800 number you would use for access is not available free of cost in other countries.  Also, telephone systems, especially in some countries in Latin America, are not always well developed.  Sometimes the whole system can be down for several days, phone lines can be difficult to get, and costs are much higher than in the U.S.  Not all middle class families have telephones.  If you can't detach from a phone, you can use a cellular phone programmed for foreign use.  It is sometimes cheaper and easier to buy or rent a cell phone once you are in the country, then add a calling plan to whichever country you will be calling a great deal.
Almost all our schools offer email access for students.  Some do charge a small fee.  But if you
think Latin America is behind the times technologically speaking, take a look at the splendid facility of our program ILISA in San José, Costa Rica.  This school offers computer labs, unlimited internet access, and is quite technologically sophisticated!  To see full details of the ILISA program go to
www.langlink.com and click on Costa Rica.

Language Link’s Latest
    ALERT!  We're still dealing with a wait list in Guatemala, but we can start taking reservations there beginning July 23.  This program has its own website at www.plfm-antigua.org.
    All our other programs still are available on all summer dates, as many of our schools have recently added on to their facilities and increased their capacities. There are registration forms in each school's section at www.langlink.com. Kay will be making a trip in September to visit schools in Argentina and Chile.  If you have any suggestions, please send them on.

"The limits of my language mean the limits of my world."  - L. Wittgenstein

OJO! (a commonly used symbol in Latin America for Keep an Eye Out!)
On Sept 1 tuition at SLI of Cuernavaca will rise to $175 per week.  We also expect prices to rise in several other programs beginning January of 2002.  Study now for the lower prices.
Employment opportunity -We have a second group of Chinese students going to Cuernavaca.  Perhaps a stretch (English, not Spanish!), but our connection in Dalian City, China, is looking for four American English teachers starting in August of this year.  No certification or experience necessary, but you must have a college degree. The pay is the best in China at a monthly salary of $700 including a modern apartment and yearly three month paid vacations.  After one year of teaching a return ticket to visit home is provided.  If you're interested, please send us an email and we will send you the contact information.
Rhythm & Books Blurbs
    Summer is a good time to reread a classic.  One of the real cornerstones of archaeology are the books about the discovery of Mayan cities - Incidents of Travel in Yucatan and Incidents of Travel in Central America, Chiapas and Yucatan, by John Lloyd Stephens.  They are readily available in paperback and it's amazing to learn of these great adventures and the very beginning of archaeological thought in this area.  Sometimes we take preservation for granted and do not realize that only a century or so back, the tropical jungle was reclaiming these sites and completely hiding them from view.
    Two excellent CD's are out by the Cuban female singer, Omara Portuondo.  Our favorites are the album Palabras and the very first one - Buena Vista Social Club Presents Omara Portuondo.  Lyrics are sung in Spanish and printed and translated into English also.  This is a time tested way to improve pronunciation and vocabulary.
Been There, Loved That
Our students are so helpful to us in sending in evaluations of the schools they visit. We'd like to share these with you...
    ILISA of San José, Costa Rica  "2-3 max in my class.  Great and much more professionally run than any school I've ever done.  Great building, excellent staff and cafeteria with wonderful view, instructors very professional."  Dr. Greg Powell, Physician, Ohio
    Academia de Español Quito of Quito, Ecuador  "A fantastic, professional school.  Teachers & administrators are top notch!  Highly, highly recommended."  Katie Rusnak, Non-Profit Youth Development, Washington DC
    CLIC of Seville, Spain  "The educational experience exceeded my expectations; my classes were small and the teachers outstanding.  The cultural events were frequent, informative and provided the opportunity to use the language we were learning.  Very well-equipped apartment was reasonably priced and perfect for our needs.  Thanks, Kay, for arranging this wonderful experience for us.  I will be going back and you will certainly hear from me again."  Dr. Charles Kordula, Surgeon, New Jersey
    Fórmula Sí of Madrid, Spain  "Everything was professionally conducted and the staff was extremely helpful in accommodating my educational and logistical needs.  The small class size, vibrant staff and central location made my lessons in Madrid both effective and enjoyable."  Preston McGowan, Graduate Student, Pennsylvania
Likeable Links
Useful language-learning websites--
www.freetranslation.com
www.lingolex.com
Free chatrooms where you can practice you Spanish conversational skills:
www.languagebox.com
Lists many helpful sites, has stories, prayers and essays in English and Spanish:
www.languages-on-the-web.com
We hope you enjoyed our news. Please visit us at www.langlink.com.
Or if you like us live, call us at 800.552.2051. We're on Central Standard Time.
Kay G. Rafool, Executive Director/Marcy Slane, Assistant Director
Language Link, P.O.B. 3006, Peoria, Illinois 61612 USA
Fax 309.692.2926 Worldwide telephone 309.692.2961 Toll free 800.552.2051 info@langlink.com
Hasta luego!

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