May 19, 2012
I’ve been speaking Spanish for years and have no trouble pronouncing 99.9% of Spanish words. I know I speak the language pretty well because native speakers have no trouble understanding me and I can communicate what I want to communicate. There is, however, one word that I’ve never even come close to mastering. In fact, when I say it, most people don’t know what the heck I’m talking about. Or, worse, they think I don’t really know how to speak Spanish.
The word I’m talking about is “raro”.
“Raro” means “strange” or “weird” and is commonly used, especially in Mexico.
In English, we might say “Wow, that’s weird” or “How strange”. In Mexico, they would say “Qué raro”.
Now the point of this post isn’t to highlight my Spanish deficiencies but rather to point out a useful technique that many advanced non-native speakers employ. The technique is word substitution.
Instead of beating myself up for not being able to properly pronounce one little Spanish word, I simply make a word substitution. In place of “raro” I say “extraño” or “inusual”, depending on the situation. Sure, it’s not perfect, but it’s close enough.
So next time you encounter a Spanish word you can’t pronounce, find a substitute word and move on. Life is too short to worry over a little word like “raro”.
Cacho’s Spanish Word Blog
May 17, 2012
Einen ganz schicken Schuh hat der Designer Alberto Guardin entworfen. Diese Lipstick-Heels aus seiner aktuellen Pumps-Kollektion finde ich sehr kreativ und wirklich gelungen. Fraglich ist, ob man in diesen Schuhen auch laufen kann.
Shopping, Fashion, Lifestyle & Beauty Blog
May 12, 2012
This past Friday, Univision, the top network for Spanish-speaking viewers, announced that it would launch a new video digital network and three webnovelas.
Webnovelas are similar to telenovelas in the sense that the stories end in cliffhangers, but you will not find these on your TV. Webnovelas will air online and will be able to be seen on Univision’s new digital network, UVideos. UVideos will feature all the video content from Univision’s television networks, and will be accessible via game consoles, smartphones, tablets and Internet-enabled TVs.
Read full article
Hispanic Digital Media
May 16, 2012
May 14, 2012 | by Rebecca Villaneda
It’s no secret the Hispanic consumer’s dollar is a gold mine.
New products, TV shows, and most recently, a news channels are being created to get the Hispanic consumer’s attention.
Social media has become a powerful tool in helping companies attract the Hispanic community. Multiple reports, including one by the PEW Research Center, show that Hispanics log on than more than any other ethnicity.
Read full article
Hispanic Digital Media
May 11, 2012 | by Antoinette Alexander
Woonsocket, R.I. — CVS/pharmacy is taking a greater step toward targeting the Hispanic market with the launch of its new Spanish-language website.
Like the English-language site, the Spanish version, located at http://es.cvs.com, enables shoppers to manage their prescription account, get health information, purchase products, access coupons, etc. According to a MediaPost article, Google indicated that the new CVS Spanish website consists of 67,000 pages, most of which are product SKUs.
Read full article
Hispanic Digital Media
May 15, 2012
Heute vor 72 Jahren war der Tag, an dem in den USA der Verkaufsstart der Nylonstrümpfe mit einer großen Werbeaktion inszeniert worden ist – der Nylon-Day („N-Day“). Der Ansturm auf die sündhaft teuren Strümpfe war riesengroß. Nylonstrümpfe können aber noch viel mehr…
Shopping, Fashion, Lifestyle & Beauty Blog
May 14, 2012
…is up to you, only up to you, and not up to anyone else. Look after yourself, do things you like, love yourself (and other people will love you more as a result)
…means being peaceful
..is about stopping a lot
…is about realising all the reasons you already have to be happy
…is about giving up ideas about things you don’t have or aren’t doing that you are convinced will make you happier when you are already actually quite happy as it is
…is about giving more to get more
…is living in the present, not the past, not the future
…is about positivity
…is getting out and about
…is getting unstuck
…is moving, but not striving
…is just relaxing and not trying too hard
…is saying, OK, why not, that should be interesting
…is letting go
…is realising all crises are impermanent (and so is everything else)
…is listening to the birds, or the wind in the trees
…is walking up a new hill
…is giving the person you are with all your attention
…is thinking I was writing this post on another secret ‘in the works’ blog project of mine, then suddenly realising I am writing the draft post here on Notesfromspain.com by mistake instead, and deciding to publish it here anyway. I’ll add a pretty photo to the top too, of the super-happy guy who skates around the statue of the devil in the Retiro park. Hopefully the photo or the words will make someone happier. Maybe I’ll explain all the points one by one on my new secret blogging project if anyone is interested. Or here. There are no mistakes after all! Un abrazo, Ben
What makes YOU happy?
Notes from Spain: Ben Curtis on Travel, Life, Culture, Spain
May 13, 2012
May 11, 2012
One from my photo archives – Cadiz old town is one of the most intriguing places in Spain, it transports you to different eras at every turn. Go and see it some time!
Over at Notes in Spanish: More Photos, and Fun Spanish Food and Snacks Vocab
Notes from Spain: Ben Curtis on Travel, Life, Culture, Spain
May 10, 2012
Hola!
Three years ago I wrote, or spoke, a follow up to my book Errant In Iberia. It’s an audiobook, that I sold on this site for a while. I’ve decided to open it up again, this time for free download. If you listen, do leave a comment and let me know what you think of it. I haven’t actually listened to it again since recording it, and many things have changed since then – perhaps it’s time I wrote or spoke another sequel!
This post contains the original “Madrid Confessions” download files and bonuses.
Step 1: Download The Audio
Download your “Madrid Confessions” Audiobook in the format you prefer:
Version to use with iPods/iPhone (includes chapters bookmarks):
Enhanced Audio with Chapters
Normal mp3 version for use with other players:
Standard MP3
(Right-click on the links ’save link as/save target as/download link’ to download the audio to your desktop. Once on your desktop you can listen to the audio on your computer or pass it to your mp3 player or iPod.)
Step 2: Get the Bonuses
Bonus 1: ‘Marina Confiesa’
For the Spanish learners and aficionados amongst you, Marina and I also recorded a special short Spanish podcast, ‘Marina Confiesa’, in which Marina revealed her own confessions!
To download this special Spanish audio, use this link:
Marina Confiesa MP3
To get the transcript, use this link:
Marina Confiesa PDF
(Right-click on the links ’save link as/save target as/download link’ to download the audio/transcript to your desktop. Once on your desktop you can listen to the audio on your computer or pass it to your mp3 player or iPod.)
And if you don’t know it yet, there’s lots more real Spanish audio like this at Notes in Spanish!
Madrid Confessions – Photos
Here are some photos that go with the narrative of The Madrid Confessions…
First of all, the pink flat from chapter 2, here as it was when in the hands of the previous owners…
… what we did to it soon after purchase!
Here is the bottom of the plaza near the Bernabeu stadium (seen behind) where the horrible scenes nearly occured in Chapter 6:
And here is a view of the run-down bullring near Toledo where the ‘Hemmingway’ events took place (with the bar at the top of the stands at the back):
Below is me with my Royal Enfield in India (Chapter 7). The organisers of the ride insisted we wore this protective motorcross body armour, which is a very sensible idea given the terrain and driving conditions in India, but made us look ridiculous compared to the local riders who went around in flip-flops!
And an example of the meditative, mesmerizing landscapes we rode past:
There’s more on that trip in my Enduro India podcast.
One more podcast you may enjoy is ‘The Institute of Cold‘ – it’s another story from recent years here in Madrid that could well have been a chapter in ‘The Madrid Confessions’. (This story was read from a script, unlike The Madrid Confessions).
Saludos from Madrid,
Ben
Notes from Spain: Ben Curtis on Travel, Life, Culture, Spain
