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August 2004 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 comments.  If you or a friend would like to be added to our list, email us at info@langlink.com or subscribe through our website.

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 recent participants), Likeable Links

Online Lesson - You, you, you! All those "you's" are just not as simple in Spanish.  It's of great help to understand the differences.  First of all, realize that usage of these forms can change from country to country.  That doesn't mean that your Spanish use of them won't be "proper" or not understood, but it may be different than that country's native speakers.  As a basic rule, think of tú (2nd person singular) as the informal form.  If you address someone by their first name, then this would normally be the choice.  Between lovers, among a family, between good friends - all these would use tú.  Usted (3rd person singular) is really an old form from Vuestra Merced, used when addressing the king.  It is sometimes abbreviated as Vd. or Ud.  Think of this in formal situations and with people you don't know or have just met.  And if you've ever wondered why this "you" has the same verb form as he or she, remember that it's as if you were addressing the king, "How is your grace today?"  Contrast that with "How are you today?"  Then there's the plural you, in some circles of English known as youse guys and y'all.  This is the ustedes form (3rd person plural) used in Latin American for both informal and formal speaking to a group of "you's", but in Spain it's divided into the informal you's - vosotros - and the formal you's - ustedes.  However, the usage is more than just different forms.  There's a psychological aspect to it also.  You may have known someone for 50 years, but if he's older than you and a figure of great respect, you might still address him as usted.  In this case if you use his or her first name, you would add Don or Doña.  And it's not always age.  Even if your boss or work superior is younger than you, you might still show respect by using usted.  In all public situations use usted.  This is especially true for women, as it might be considered flirting to address, perhaps a taxi driver, as tú.  But throw all that out the window in some countries.  Costa Rica hardly ever uses tú, even among good friends.  And as for Spain, everyone seems to move very, very quickly to the tú form, in a faster way than in Mexico, for instance. Some South Americans use an informal singular form called vos, and this form is used conversationally among friends. The best advice is to listen, listen, listen.  If you're aware of the differences, you can listen carefully as to which form is used between people when you observe their conversations.  And always err on the side of being formal, as you wouldn't want to risk addressing someone which would be perceived as a lack of respect or being too forward.  Another tip is to remember that tú with an accent means you, and tu without an accent means your.

Cocina Cooking - Two easy recipes that are great do-aheads.      

Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Casserole - Preheat oven to 350.  Spray vegetable oil in large casserole dish.  Mix well cooking sauce of 2 eggs, 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/2 C. half & half, 1/2 C. sour cream.  In another bowl pour in 2 C. green or red enchilada sauce.  In another bowl mix 1 C. diced cooked, skinless chicken strips, 2 tsp. enchilada seasoning and 3 C. shredded Mexican cheese blend.    In another bowl mix 1 C. drained canned black beans, seasoned with 1/2 tsp each of ground cumin and garlic powder.  Make another mixture of 1/3 C. each of canned corn, sliced black olives and mild green chiles, well drained.  Use 12 corn tortillas for layers.  Assemble first layer by spreading 6 T. of enchilada sauce on bottom of casserole.  Top with 4 overlapped tortillas.  Cover tortillas with 6 more T. of enchilada sauce.  Then layer half of the cheese-chicken mix.  Add another layer of seasoned beans.  Then overlap 4 more tortillas and cover with 6-8 T. of enchilada sauce.  Cover with the corn, olive and chili mixture.  Top with rest of cheese-chicken mixture.  For last layer, layer 4 overlapping tortillas spread with 6 T. enchilada sauce.  Pour cooking sauce over entire casserole.  Top with an additional 1 C. shredded Mexican cheese blend.  Let rest for 30 minutes or refrigerate.  Bake for 50-60 minutes until bubbly.  If you have refrigerated it, add 10-15 minutes extra cook time.  Garnish before serving with 2 T. each of minced cilantro and green onion.   Serves 6.  Finish your Mexican feast with....                                Kahlúa Cake - Preheat oven to 350. Combine 1 pkg. yellow cake mix, 1 small pkg. instant chocolate pudding mix, 4 eggs, 1 C. vegetable oil, 1/3 C. Kahlúa, 1/3 C. vodka, 1/2 C. sugar, 3/4 C. water and beat well for several minutes.  Put batter into greased and floured 12 C. Bundt pan.  Bake for 50 minutes.  Cool in pan for several minutes and then invert onto plate.  Glaze while cake is still warm with 1/4 C. Kahlúa and 1/2 C. powdered sugar which has been thoroughly mixed.  Let stand until cool.  If you're feeling elegante, make a swirl design on each serving plate with a raspberry sauce (puree 1 pkg. of frozen raspberries in syrup).

Culture Clips - Seville, Spain...even the sound of Sevilla is romantic.  Imagine yourself on a stroll through this lovely city. You start on the pedestrian street of Sierpes, filled with life and activity.  Feel the sun warming your face as you walk, as the number of sunny days in this jewel of the south is phenomenal.  Layers of history will surround you at every turn, so you make a mental note to notice them. Who walked here before you?  In ancient history the city was known as Hispalis, a cultural center occupied successviely by Phoenicians, Greeks and Carthaginians.  The Romans followed in 205 B.C., and you think about being in a place which was the most civilized place west of Italy in those years.  While mulling over all these cultures and people, you wonder which wine the Romans drank.  That thought makes you duck into a corner bar to order a fino (fortified sherry).  It is perfectly complemented by the olives on the bar, and you think about the promise of tapas later in the evening. After leaving the bar you come to the Plaza of San Francisco, the site of a market in Muslim times, the Moors having arrived here in the 8th century.  Thinking of the Moors you head toward the Alcázar, the oldest and richest palace complex in all of Europe.  Started in 913, it enjoyed extensive additions, particularly in 1364.  You learn a new word - Mudéjar, referring to the style of architecture describing the skills of builders of Muslim origin, but living in reconquered Spain.  The beauty of the geometry in the stuccowork and tiles is staggering, and you remember that the religion of the craftsmen forbade the depiction of any living creature, hence geometric lines and curves in intricate designs.  You clear your dizzied head by a walk in the exquisite gardens.  You feel the tranquility from the flowing water and the symmetry of the plantings.  Refreshed, you walk out for a walk by the elegant Giralda Tower, embellished with graceful Moorish art.  In 1568 four Renaissance figures and a huge pinnacle were added.  The Spanish verb girar means to turn, and this pinnacle is moved by the wind, so the sevillanos call it La Giralda. Deciding then to pay homage to the Christians who retook the city in the 13th century, you walk into the magnificent Seville Cathedral, the largest place of worship in Spain and the third largest cathedral in the Christian world.  "Let us build a church so great that those who see it completed may take us for madmen".  Taking four centuries to complete, it is the last resting place of Christopher Columbus, so you stop by his tomb and tip your hat to him for his boldness.  (All the while, you can't help but notice the heavy abundance of gold which you know came from the Americas.)  Deciding it's tapas time, you head for the Barrio de Santa Cruz.  The narrow streets look like every picture you've ever seen of Spain...whitewashed walls, balconies, and bright geraniums spilling over everywhere. On the way you notice posters about the Feria de Abril, a week long party with fabulous flouncy dresses, horse and carriage parades, and drinking and dancing until dawn.  It's definitely in your date book!  By now it's getting close to 10 pm, so you know that the bars will start filling up.  You join friends at a table which is soon filled with at least twenty small plates, all with an intriguing assortment of seafood, meats, potatoes, and combinations you've never tasted before, such as espinacas con garbanzos, spinach and chickpeas.  You decide your favorite is puntillitas, deep fried baby squid.  Calamari lovers, eat your heart out!  By midnight things are really lively, but no one shows any signs of heading home.  The thought crosses your mind...when do Spaniards sleep?  You're ready to say hasta luego, because you know you'll need energy tomorrow...still so much to see!  Perhaps a stroll by the Río Guadalquivir, or maybe the Parque de María Luisa, and then you can't miss the Plaza de España.  Your history buff friend exacted a promise that you would visit the Archivo de Indias, since 1785 the main archive on the conquest and colonization of Spain's American empire.  Yes, you're captivated by all there is to do, but most of all by the stylish and proud, yet relaxed and fun-loving atmosphere of this place. It's said that it takes a stone heart to resist Seville, and you know exactly why.  (See details of our Seville program at www.langlink.com.)

Language Link's Latest - Announcing our latest contest winner!  Congratulations to Micah Howard of Asheville NC.  Micah, a 26 year old investment counselor, studied with us in 1999 while a college student and says that it was was one of the best experiences of his life.  He's very excited about studying for two weeks in Córdoba, but his wife Kelly (another Language Linker) insists on going along, too.  And there's good news for the rest of you.  CLIC of Seville, Spain (one of our very best programs) is offering Language Link students another two week trip for classes and homestay.  What an exciting place to study!  Submit your name through the contest box on our website.  For this prize we are going to start again with entries, so do submit your name again.  You have very good odds of winning!

We've just received news that IH Riviera Maya of Playa del Carmen, Mexico, will be offering combination classes of Spanish & Cooking or Spanish & Diving in January of 2005.  What a great winter getaway.

We now have our 2004 print newsletter posted on our website in PDF form.  This is an 8 page newsletter with longer, more in depth articles than our online newsletter.  This edition's theme is travel.  Have a look and print it out.  We are no longer mailing these, as our list was over 10,000!  If you would like us to print out a copy for you and mail it by regular mail, please let us know at info@langlink.com. 

OJO (special deals) - A nice little perk is being offered by CLIC of Seville.  Register for at least four weeks of classes for any dates at CLIC of Seville before the end of October and receive a complimentary full day weekend excursion.  You might see the famed Alhambra in Granada or some other fabulous place.

Most of our Latin American schools will honor 2004 prices if registration is done by November 1, even if your study dates are in 2005.  Keep that in mind if you're planning to study after January, and you can save a few pesos. 

Rhythm & Book Blurbs - Lila Downs is a rising star in Mexican music.  Her vocal prowess and unique musical arrangements are gaining international attention.  Her newest album is Una Sangre:  One Blood.  Others are La Sandunga and La Línea.  Her signature sound is described as funky, hip, jazzy, intellectual, traditional, and cutting edge.

Just published is the first English language comprehensive biography of Pablo Neruda.  Titled Pablo Neruda, Adam Feinstein has written a detailed and accurate account.  This Nobel-prize winning Chilean writer became a household word through the Spanish-speaking world through his love poems.  His life reads like an amazing adventure story.

Been There, Loved That

CLIC, Seville, Spain - I was very pleased with my instructors and felt that they were very good at all aspects of teaching Spanish.  I also found the school administrators to be very helpful. E. Brueckner, Graduate Student, Pennsylvania

CLIC, Seville, Spain - I liked all the instructors - really open and with real personalities. - A. Kukle, Student, New York

Intercultura, Costa Rica - A wonderful program!  Well organized, fun, memorable and economical! - M. Garczynski, Elementary Spanish Teacher, California

Academia de Español Quito, Ecuador - I deeply enjoyed my experience in Ecuador.  Everything was wonderful, and I definitely left feeling that I had learned a considerable amount of Spanish. B. Meier, Marketing Manager, New York

IH Riviera Maya, Playa del Carmen, Mexico - My teacher was excellent.  She used activities as well as the workbook to get the lesson across. - A. Davidson, Student, Texas

www.langlink.com - Congratulations on your website!  It is comprehensive, lucid, easy to navigate, and filled with inspiring ideas and information on how to actively make dreams come true. - K. Surdin, Illinois

Likeable Links 

www.andalucia.com/cities/sevilla.htm - Information about Seville

www.red2000.com/spain/sevilla/ - Seville's festivals, nightlife, gastronomy and photos

www.luxurytraveler.com/seville.html - History of Seville

http://sg.travel.yahoo.com/guide/europe/spain/seville/history.html - More history of Seville

www.sol.com/en/modulo.asp?IdContenido 170&IdProvincia=41 - Feria de Abril

www.flamencoshop.com/sevillanas/home.htm - The sevillana dance

www.2camels.com/destination32.php3 - Travel journal of the feria

We hope you enjoyed our news.  Please visit us at www.langlink.com, or if you would like a human voice, call us at 800.552.2051.  We're on Central Standard Time with office hours 9-5.

Kay G. Rafool - Executive Director, Christina Henderson - Asst. Director, Language Link, POB 3006, Peoria IL 61612 USA, fx 309.692.2926, tel worldwide 309.692.2961, toll free 800.552.2051, info@langlink.com        ¡Hasta luego!

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