Daniel Buys's Blog
Yo Quiero Aprender / 11.05.08, 02:08 PM
“Yo quiero aprender” is Spanish for “I want to learn.” This is the Spanish phrase I have used the most over the past two months living in La Villita. I deeply desire to know more Spanish. Each day as I am surrounded by people speaking with one another in Spanish, I realize what a significant difference it would make in my ministry to be able to speak to them in their own language. To my advantage, opportunities to learn and practice Spanish are not hard to find around here. The native Spanish speakers here are very eager to help me learn their language. Many of them have expressed how encouraging it is to have someone learn their language rather than constantly badger them to learn English. On that same token, many of them are eager to learn English and enjoy practicing speaking with me. We seem to have a sort of language exchange, teaching each other our own native language. However, this exchange is more than just words. To learn someones language is to learn their culture, and this fosters a connection beyond the primitive conversation shared by two people learning new languages. I must add that such a connection requires significant effort. It requires a deep level of humility to go to someone and try (very feebly) to relate to them in their language. This is something I certainly have not yet attained. Yet, it is something I desperately want to work towards. I want to be able to relate to my neighbors and that means I might look foolish…a lot! But hey, yo quiero aprender.
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