ANNOUNCEMENT

So I've been keeping this to myself for a few years now, but it's gotten increasingly difficult to hold in (as is the case with most secrets). I was worried people wouldn't understand. But I'm sure it'll feel good to get off my chest, so here goes: I am in love.

… with the Spanish language.

(Did I scare you, Mom? Hehe)

I think I fully realized it when I was home for Christmas and missed Spanish like crazy. There were so many times when one of my siblings would say something, and I longed to respond with a (usually somewhat snarky) “ojalá.” I had to check the impulse, though, because it wouldn’t have been funny... Anyway, as they say, absence makes the heart grow fonder, so by the time my flight to Madrid rolled around, I was so excited to see (/hear, obvi) Spanish again!   

Since we first met, I’ve liked how polite Spanish can be. The fact that it has a separate verb tense for the formal "you" is largely responsible for that. Or, take its words for “excuse me.” If you want to squeeze past someone on a train or bus, you say “con permiso,” literally, “with your permission.” To get someone’s attention, it’s “perdona” or “disculpe,” both of which carry a formality that the English seems to have lost. On an equally gracious note: when you are introduced to someone for the first time, they’ll tell you that they are “encantado/a,” or “enchanted” to meet you! And then, when you leave, regardless of whether you will ever see them again, it's “we’ll see each other” yayy. If the Spanish language were a person, I am quite certain that it would also pull out my chair for me at a restaurant and carry my heavy suitcase up the stairs.

One hand is mine,
one hand is Spanish's.

Spanish is also very forgiving. Have you forgotten something, or lost something, or dropped something down the stairs? Nope, you haven’t! In all of those cases, the thing being forgotten or lost or dropped is the subject of the sentence and thus arguably shoulders the responsibility, while you (you poor thing!) are simply the person who happened to be on the receiving end of the misfortune.  

And finally (although this speaks to culture as well as to language), Spanish has a way with women. There are a million ways to say “pretty,” all of which are used without batting an eye. Women are greeted by friends, acquaintances, and even strangers with an “hola, linda” or “¿qué tal, guapa?” or “hola, bonita” to name just a few. I consider myself pretty immune to flattery, and even I fell hard haha.

For all of these reasons and many more, I’m head over heels for Spanish (and happy to be safely back to Madrid!). I must say, though, that when I was (incorrectly) informed that Spanish didn’t have a verb that signified “to bake,” we almost broke up. But then I consulted with one of my best friends, wordreference.com. It kindly provided “hornear,” and I was officially over the moon once again. 

I'll be here in Madrid with Spanish until the end of June, so come visit us if you have a chance. (: Hope everyone had a lovely Christmas! 

Besos (y feliz año a todos),

E.