Language Link Online
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April 2003 Online Newsletter...sent every other month
Tips and information about learning Spanish and the people who speak it. Personal attention is what has made Language Link grow, and we value your contributions. Please send an email to the address above to remove if you do not want to receive our news. If you or a friend would like to be added to our online or mail list, email us at info@langlink.com. If you have problems with this format, please let us know.
What's in this edition
Online Lesson, Cocina Cooking, Culture Clips, Language Link's Latest, OJO (special deals), Rhythm & Book Blurbs, Been There, Loved That (reports from participants), Likeable Links
Online Lesson
Although a priest who was one of our students declared that the Subjunctive Mood in Spanish was obviously a creation of the devil, for advanced students it’s impossible to avoid. How many times do you need to express something such as...he wants me to pay the bill soon…I want you to be here at 8:00…if I had more time, I would travel more…it’s important for you to brush your teeth. All these types of statements require a subjunctive verb, most often in the second clause. The basic pattern used in Spanish is in the style of …I want that my daughter be a scientist. I wish he were here. This second example clearly illustrates the "switchy" type verb needed, even though it’s becoming more common to say it incorrectly in English. The trick is to not let it overwhelm you and master it in small doses. A handy memory device is to think of the subjunctive as really WEIRD! W - after verbs of wanting or wishing (Quiero que Ud. llegue a las 8.) E - after verbs of emotion (Tengo miedo que Luis no tenga el dinero.) I - after impersonal expressions which emphasize your opinion, doubt or possibility (Es importante que el niño estudie.) R - after verbs of request (La profesora pide que yo escriba una composición.) D - after verbs of demand or doubt (Dudo que la compañía pueda pagar la deuda.) Practice these with sentences you think you would say often so that you don’t have to grammatically analyze them in your head. A more advanced formula is the speculative…if I had…, I would. This requires the past subjunctive in the first part and the conditional in the second. Remember the "if I had a hammer" song. (If I had a song, I’d sing it in the morning. Si tuviera una canción, la cantería por la mañana.) If I had more time, I would travel more. Si tuviera más tiempo, viajaría más.
Cocina Cooking
Ceviche - A dish very typical of Peru. When eating this in Latin America, only do so in very good restaurants and never off the street. This is healthy, light, easily prepared, and when refrigerated, will keep for a few days.
The lime juice "cooks" the fish. It’s a perfect prepare-ahead appetizer or a light lunch.
1 ¼ lb. uncooked mild white fish filets, and it is quite important that the fish be as fresh as possible. Tilapia or orange roughy are good choices. Cut fish into bite-size chunks. Place in a shallow glass dish, spread out the chunks and completely cover with 1 cup lime juice. Refrigerate for two hours to allow it to marinate. Then add: 2 Tbsp. EACH of finely chopped red bell pepper, green bell pepper and onion. Add 1 Tbsp. finely chopped celery , ½ C. chopped fresh cilantro, 2 Tbsp. orange juice, dash garlic powder, 1 T. oregano, ¼ C. olive oil (2 chopped fresh green chilis optional), dash of salt and pinch of sugar.
Culture Clips
A few misconceptions to clear up about the fascinating country of Peru.
1. Peru is in Central America. Wrong Go South, young man, and find it in South America.
2. Machu Picchu is higher than Cusco. Wrong Cusco is about 11,000 feet, and Machu Picchu is about 9,000 feet. If you’re doing the Inca Trail to reach it, however, you will ascend several passes which are at about 14,000 feet. Machu Picchu is warmer than Cusco, and you will even see tropical orchids growing at the site.
3. Soroche is the national sport of Peru. Quite wrong. Soroche is the term used for altitude sickness. When you fly from Lima to Cusco, you are going from sea level to 11,000 feet in less than one hour. This can definitely cause you to become quite ill unless you closely follow the tried and true recommended remedies.
4. Drinking coca tea is the same as inhaling cocaine. Wrong. Although this tea which is widely recommended to prevent altitude sickness is made from the same coca leaves, it does not produce the narcotic effect of cocaine. Cocaine requires another chemical component to produce the illegal drug. Coca tea tastes and consciously gives you the feeling of any herb tea.
5. Guinea pigs are a favorite pet in Peru. Wrong. No, these animals known in Spanish as cuy are raised for food, and they are considered a great delicacy. They were so widely consumed that in one of the main churches in Cusco, the colonial painting of Christ and the Last Supper features a platter of cuy on the dinner table.
6. The Aztecs were a major influence in Peru. Wrong. The Aztecs from central Mexico never made it to South America, or least not that it’s known. The Incas were the dominant culture in Peru when the Spaniards arrived, but even they were latecomers. There were many earlier highly developed cultures before the Incas, one of which was the Moche civilization whose ceramic portrait vessels are unmatched. In a museum in Lima there is an entire case of these vessels with faces which represent every human emotion…fascinating!
7. It’s hard to get to Cusco. Wrong. There are direct flights from Miami and other cities to Lima, and then you take a 55 minute flight on one of the national airlines (about $170 RT).
See full details of our exciting Peru program, including a week in the Manu Rainforest under www.langlink.com Peru/Cusco section.
"More than a cluster of words or a set of grammatical rules, a language is a flash of the human spirit, the filter through which the soul of each particular culture reaches into the material world." - Wade Davis
Language Link's Latest
ANNOUNCING THE WINNERS OF OUR ONLINE FREE STUDY TRIPS! From a random drawing the winner of a trip for 2 weeks free classes and lodging at CLIC of Seville, Spain, is Mike Politi of Bisbee, Arizona. He is one of our past students and has studied in both Costa Rica and Mexico. He finds Spanish a necessary tool in his work with Legal Defenders. The other winner is Jane Kelly, an attorney from Houston, Texas. She has never participated in a Language Link program, but her comment on our site was that it was hard to decide which program sounds best. She wins four weeks of free classes at Intercultura of Costa Rica. We send thanks to all those who entered and who gave us valuable input on our remodeled website. We had over 400 entries! Congratulations to the fortunate winners! We will add another free trip opportunity soon and any enquiries which come in through the website will be automatically entered.
We have a new program, Eureka, in Madrid, Spain, which we felt would appeal to our students as classes are limited to 7 students. They also offer affordable air conditioned studio apartments and entire apartments which are only two minutes from the school. And a new location of another excellent school in Cordoba, Spain, will be coming soon.
If you’ve ever wanted to combine classes at a professional cooking school while learning Spanish, we are putting together packages of cooking classes at Villa Bonita and Spanish classes at SLI of Cuernavaca, Mexico. Villa Bonita has been featured in Bon Appetit, as well as the Food Channel. It is considered one of the best vacation-cooking schools around. We will be adding the information on these packages soon under the Mexico/Cuernavaca section of www.langlink.com.
OJO (Special Deals)
The school in Cusco, Peru, has been bought back by the original owner and has resumed its former name, Amauta. The good news for you is that the cost of classes has been reduced by 10%. More money in your pocket for a few extra pisco sours, the national drink of Peru.
See the next section for a special offer just for our readers.
Rhythm & Book Blurbs
Increase fluency at home with THINK SPANISH magazine! The magazine brings a cultural and language learning experience into your home each month. The team of worldwide writers deliver topics on travel, culture, people and more! Each article includes a bilingual glossary. Also enjoy monthly lessons and grammar reviews. Exclusive offer for Language Link Readers: 2 months FREE and FREE grammar guide! Order the 12 month subscription online and enter Langlink under special instructions at checkout: www.readspanish.com 1-800-741-0773
Susana Baca is the premiere Afro-Peruvian performer. She has a new album out titled "Espíritu Vivo". Baca comments, "The tracks on this album may arouse a number of emotions; they were not sung purely for the pleasure of making music, but to convey with drama and joy, that life is stronger than ever and continues with a Live Spirit."
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...
Amauta of Cusco, Peru "I loved my teachers Vivianna and Katy. Both were invested, helpful, friendly. Was pleased to find all of my arrangements happened smoothly (airport pickup, etc.). Info provided was very helpful." Jennifer Hyatt, Professor, Vermont
"Great programs, good teachers, and a wonderful way to meet new and interesting people from all over the world. I went to school in Peru and met people from Holland, and have since traveled with them, and plan on going to Easter Island this summer. Thank you." Helen Miller, Insurance Sales, Florida
Academia de Español Quito of Quito, Ecuador "The Activa Program was a fantastic and diverse way of learning, and a great way to directly apply what you learned. I could have continued for weeks without getting bored or tired. It was a great experience with wonderful people at the Academia, and it was definitely not my last time to take classes there in Quito." Ulrike Kuehl, Lufthansa Flight Attendant, Germany
El Bosque del Caribe of Cancún, Mexico "It was an excellent school. The instructors were truly gifted. I was amazed at their ability to take people with differing abilities and integrate them into classes where so much learning occurred. I give the school my highest recommendation. It's a wonderful school in an interesting place." Ann Holt-Harris, Artist, Illinois
IH Barcelona of Barcelona, Spain "My instructors were excellent and thoroughly explained (in Spanish, of course!) the meanings of words and involved us in a lot of interactive work with small groups. I also arranged for private lessons with an outstanding teacher. The school is very well run, with friendly office personnel, and there were social excursions at least three days of each week. The excursions were very enjoyable with a Spanish tour guide, and I was able to get to know students from other countries. My host family was terrific. With the executive accommodation, I had a private bath and breakfast, and Carmen prepared a variety of breakfast foods and cafe con leche each morning. She also had students from other countries during my stay, so Spanish was the language that all of us spoke when we were together. I would highly recommend IH Barcelona to any other student who would like an excellent environment for learning and cultural experiences." Ruth Wehling, Sales Representative, Illinois
Intercultura of Heredia, Costa Rica "The method of teaching is very helpful, and instruction from my three professors was very imaginative and made classes fun while learning. My family was wonderful! Very caring and always helping with everyday tasks and Spanish. I intend to stay in touch with them and plan on returning to their home after graduation. Gina Wesson-Hill, Student Health Care Worker/Personal Trainer, Texas
General comment "I studied in three different countries and made arrangements on my own. After talking with Kay and reading many of your newsletters, I realize how many opportunities I missed through solo planning." Charles Jones, Virginia
Likeable Links
An atlas and general information on the world:
www.infoplease.com/atlas/
General information on Peru:
http://travel.peru.com/travel/English
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/pe.html
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/destinations/south_america/peru/
http://www.peru-explorer.com/
http://www.cuscoperu.com/
http://www.aboutcusco.com/cusco/
We hope you enjoyed our news. Please visit us at the NEW www.langlink.com. Or if you like a real voice, call us at 800.552.2051. We're on Central Standard Time with office hours 9:00 to 5:00.
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!