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March 2006 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 list, email us at info@langlink.com.
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

What Do You Know About To Know?

Most Spanish students know that conocer and saber both mean to know, but they are not interchangeable.  They are different verbs with very different meanings.  You must go beyond “ to know “ and think – what kind of knowing?

Conocer comes from the same roots as cognition and recognize.  Think of it as to be familiar with, especially with people and places.  ¿Conoces a Paco?  No, no conozco a Paco.  No conozco la ciudad de Mendoza.  (Note the personal “a” in front of people’s names.)

Another use of conocer means to meet.  Mucho gusto en conocerle.  It is also used to mean to be introduced to.  Conocí a mi novio el 14 de febrero. (meaning I met, was introduced to)

In contrast, saber means to know a fact, to know how (to do something) or to possess knowledge.  Don’t forget to put the accent mark on sé, meaning I know.  This distinguishes it from the reflexive pronoun se, meaning yourself, himself, herself.

Mi amigo no sabe el número de teléfono.  El niño no sabe tocar el piano.  No sé nada de la literatura.

When saber is used in the preterite tense (very irregular forms of supe, supiste, supo, supimos, supieron), it adds the special meaning of to find out.  No lo supieron hasta el sábado.  When you want to express a general “I didn’t know that”, simply say No sabía.  (imperfect tense, without any word for “it”. 

Another completely different meaning of the verb saber means to have flavor.  Sabe bien.  It tastes good.  Sabe a pollo.  It tastes like chicken.  ¿Cómo sabe la sopa?  How does the soup taste?

A common idiom similar to "he doesn’t know beans about something"…No sabe ni papa de la filosofía.

For the all purpose nobody knows…No se sabe.  And everyone is acquainted with ¿Quién sabe?

If you’re comfortable with the subjunctive, you can throw in  Para que lo sepa  (for your information, just so you will know) or

Que Luis sepa  (as far as Luis knows), no es la verdad.

Cocina Cooking

Pastel de Ron  (facilísimo!)  A rum cake is a lovely way to end a spicy meal of Latin delights.  This one is very, very easy and has the flavors of Cuba.  Serves 10

1 C. chopped pecans, 1 (18 ½ oz) package yellow cake mix, 1 (3 ¾ oz) package instant vanilla pudding, 4 eggs, ½ C. cold water, ½ C. vegetable oil, ¼ C. dark rum, ¼ C. banana liqueur

Glaze:  ¼ lb. butter, ¼ C. water, 1 C. sugar, ¼ C. dark rum, ¼ C. banana liqueur

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Grease and flour 10” tube pan or bundt pan.   Sprinkle nuts over bottom of pan.  Mix all cake ingredients together.  Pour batter over nuts.  Bake 1 hour.  Cool.  Invert on serving plate.  Prick top all over with toothpicks or wooden skewer.  Drizzle glaze evenly over top and sides.  Allow cake to absorb glaze.  Repeat until glaze is used up.

For glaze, melt butter in a saucepan.  Stir in water and sugar.  Boil 5 minutes, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat.  Stir in rum and liqueur.

Culture Clips

    Barcelona!  Just the name is exciting, and I’m loving my stay in this invigorating city in northern Spain.  It has style, class, history, excitement, beauty, and I now understand why people get hooked on its architecture.  In the U.S. we’re just starting to elevate architects to the status of big celebrities (think Geary’s design for the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao), but the tradition has been around for a long time in Barcelona.  One of the most interesting architects hasn’t even been alive for the last 80 years, but the buildings of Antonio Gaudí (1852-1926) continue to amaze.  His buildings are fanciful and exhuberant, and they continue to characterize Barcelona’s cityscape and influence contemporary architects, sculptors and designers.  I knew I had to explore his work when I read the phrase “the next generation of architects continued to understand gaudian thought “, as I have always though having your name turn into an adjective is a great achievement in life!  I know that I’ll have a tour of the well known Sagrada Familia cathedral included with a city tour, so instead I head for something on a smaller scale, a private residence designed by Gaudí and known as Casa Batlló.  Building was started in 1904, and the house is the culmination of Gaudi’s naturalist architecture.  His love of nature was based on attentive observation of the forms of plants, animals and mountains.  He concluded that if one looks for function, as in nature, then one arrives at beauty.  It’s one thing to talk about these things in the abstract, but I was quite overwhelmed when I actually entered the house.  The outside was startling, covered with pieces of colored glass ceramics.  It is multistoried, with jutting bays of carved stone, wood, and leaded glass.  Upon entering, however, there is such a sensuous feel, and the terms irrational and organic come into my head.  There is a magnificent variety of structural forms found in nature, but almost nothing linear.  It is unlike anything I have ever seen, and although I find it slightly dizzying, it is greatly exciting.  I must see more and know that I will make a special effort to see everything Gaudí designed in Barcelona.  Next on the list is the famous Park Güell, as, of course, I’ll have to have my friend take my photograph there.  It will go up on my office wall next to me at Machu Picchu or with one foot on each side of the equator outside of Quito.  As I walk along the street I notice the wonderful tourist buses which are all over the city.  That one has a Gaudí motif!  I just can’t seem to get my head away from his images.  I end up by doing some shopping at the Corte Inglés for some books and Spanish guitar CD’s, and when my purchase is wrapped, I see that the shopping bag is done as an homage to Gaudí.  He’s really inescapable!   The culmination is at dinner, however.  The hour is quite late, typical of Spanish dinners, so at 10:30pm I’m struggling to keep my eyes open as dinner is served at this well known restaurant.  My eyes are widely opened, however, as I see that the dinner plates are in the style of Gaudí.  I didn’t have to make a decision to explore this architect…he came to me at every turn in this exciting city of Barcelona.   Tomorrow night I’ve been invited to attend a concert sponsored by International House of Barcelona, and it will be held in an old medieval church in the Barri Gotic, the largest of the still existing Gothic areas in Europe.  Even more fascinating architecture, and I will find myself grateful that the Spanish language has been an entry ticket into so many unexpected and wonderful worlds.

Language Link’s Latest

            We now are offering a software program for learning Spanish available through our Spanish Learning Tools section on our website.  Tell Me More is an award winning program, and you receive a discount and free shipping when ordering with our special Language Link code.  We felt it important to add this choice, since our other programs are an online access (Rosetta Stone) and the Pimsleur audio series.

     If you have teenagers in your house, please consider one of our summer programs for young people. This year we are offering programs in Spain, Costa Rica and Mexico.  We have also added two Surf and Spanish programs in Mexico and Costa Rica which are more like camps for teens, as they include residence stays instead of host families.  There’s no better gift to give a child or grandchild than another language!

     The summer season will be particularly busy this year.  We’re not at a waiting list point, but especially in Guatemala we predict that may happen soon.  If you’re considering summer study, please don’t wait too long to register.  We hate to tell you there’s no more room. 

     Since some students like to plan their dates around significant cultural festivals, here are some which are upcoming:

April 9 – April 16.  Semana Santa or Holy Week.  Celebrated in Antigua, Guatemala, Oaxaca City, Mexico; Seville and Córdoba, Spain

April 25-30. Seville April Fair in Seville, Spain.  Seville’s biggest annual party. 

May -  May Crosses, Córdoba, Spain.  Large crosses adorn parishes and the locals party in the streets

May - San Isidro, Madrid, Spain.  The world’s largest bullfight festival plus many cultural events and parties. 

May -  Feria de Córdoba,  Spain.  Cordoba’s festival of flamenco and all things Spanish

June 24 - Incan festival of Inti Raymi, Cusco, Peru.  Sun festival which celebrates the winter solstice.

July - Running of the bulls, Pamplona Spain.

July  – Guelaguetza, Oaxaca City, Mexico.  Folk music and dance festival.

July – Guitar festival, Córdoba, Spain

July – Jazz Festival, San Sebastián, Spain

OJO (Special Deals)

We’re extending an offer in a way to use your Spanish skills conducting tours.  See  www.bepaidtotravel.com  If you do enroll in one of their courses, let them know you are a Language Link graduate and they will give you a discount of $100 off the tuition!

Our Language Link contest for a free study trip to Cuernavaca, Mexico, continues for another few months.  This is a superb place to study...everyone loves it!  Just go to our website to enter.

Many of our schools provide students with opportunities to participate in extracurricular activities at dramatically reduced prices contrasted to the mainstream tourist. While in Ecuador you can spend a week in the Galapagos (on a yacht of course) at a cost of approximately one-third of what you would pay to book the trip in the U.S. The same goes for an incredible week in the Amazon Jungle, arranged by the Academia de Español in Quito. In Peru, Amauta arranges trips to Machu Picchu or the Inca Trail at prices much lower than those advertised widely in the U.S.  The bottom line is that all these schools are very smart when it comes to directing their students to common tourist activities at oftentimes incredibly low prices. So, attending one of the schools that is on your roster can be the quintessential "two for one" for any aspiring world traveler… a great experience in language learning and an opportunity to see the great sights of the world at a very affordable cost. (Thanks to Dewey Stark for highlighting this idea to us.)

Rhythm & Book Blurbs

Book – Opening Mexico by Julia Preston and Samuel Dillon, Pulitzer Prize winning reports for the New York Times.  The presidential elections will soon occur in Mexico, and it’s a fascinating time in the history of Mexico’s democratic transition.  This is an extraordinary book on the collapse of the PRI with a thoroughly researched background of Mexico leading up to this event.  You’ll learn that PAN means more than bread in Mexico.

Music – La Pistola y El Corazón by Los Lobos.  Sung completely in Spanish, this lively album represents the best of tradicional Mexican music.  A variety of styles from the son to the huapango are all accompanied by acoustic instruments.  The verses are printed in the liner notes in Spanish and in English…a great way to polish your pronunciation and refine your listening comprehension.

Purchase these selections easily through the Language Link Shop.

Been There, Loved That

Comment on a contest entry    Learning a language without its culture is like reading a recipe for a great dish, but without getting to taste it.  My experiences with Language Link schools have been the equivalent of a "full meal." Robert Ashley, Teacher, Red Bud IL

            Academia de Español Quito, Ecuador   (Leader of a college group who have studied through us in Guatemala and Costa Rica also)    Well, let me start by letting you know how great a trip this year was! Thank you so very much for all your hard work in putting this fantastic 18-day adventure together.  - Nancy Cloutier Davis, Professor, St. Charles IL

I just returned to Ecuador, a year and a half after studying at the Quito school. I worked alongside native speakers for 3 weeks, and was well equipped to hold my own. Now I'm ready to follow my dreams in the Spanish speaking world! - Marilyn Smith, Environmental Education, Brooklyn NY

Intercultura at Sámara Beach, Costa Rica  My instructor in Playa Sámara was the best Spanish profesor I have ever had.  Because of him my Spanish improved immensely in just one week.  – Andrea Keith, College Student, Houston TX

ILEE Buenos Aires, Argentina   The learning process was fantastic because the instructors were so professionally qualified, and they were exceptional motivators. – Robert Pirtle, Professor and Business Consultant, Tallahassee FL

Spanish Language Institute of Cuernavaca, Mexico (Executive Program) – An integral part of my experience was my stay with a Mexican family (a must!).  The interaction provided continued opportunities for practice and reinforced each day’s learning.  Additionally, Cuernavaca is an excellent location for language immersion, as there are many nearby and interesting places for excursions. – Connie LaFlamme, Global Brand Management, Miami FL

We stayed with a wonderful host mother, and she is the best cook in the world.  We had paella, chilaquiles, chiles rellenos, flan, etc.  Herb and Laurie Evans, Attorney, Real Estate, Eugene OR

PLFM of Antigua, Guatemala – The most wonderful part was the flexibility of the learning experience.  We took the opportunity to travel with the teachers so that we learned a lot more than Spanish.  My teacher was also a professional guide, and he gave us insight into history, politics and Mayan culture.  Linda Schleicher, Labor Relations, New York NY

Likeable Links 

A great comprehensive site relating to Gaudi and other artists in similar genres

A complete list of all the must see buildings in Barcelonaby famous architects

This site offers all types of Gaudi and Barcelona tours, even by helicopter

A wonderful guide to the city (complete with dining guides, tourist attractions, and traveling tips)

This is actually an apartment rental guide but it has some really wonderful links to the city, places to visit, local weather conditions, and detailed maps

Shopping and city guide to Barcelona, Spain

Comprehensive Guide to Spain

 

We hope you enjoyed our news. Please visit us at www.langlink.com. Or if you like a real voice, call us at 800.552.2051. We're on Central Time with office hours 9:00 to 5:00.  
Kay G. Rafool, Exec. Director / Meredith Butler, Asst. Director, Language Link, P.O.B. 3006, Peoria, Illinois 61612 USA, Fax 309.692.2926 Worldwide 309.692.2961 Toll free 800.552.2051 info@langlink.com       

¡Hasta luego!

Contact Language Link: Kay Godfrey, Director Latin American Office Meredith Butler, Director US Office 2008 W Kellogg Avenue West Peoria, IL 61604 USA

Toll free: 800.552.2051 World telephone: 309.673.9220 Fax: 309.673.9221 email: info@langlink.com

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