Way back in the early 19th century a certain Frenchman called Joseph Bonaparte (brother of the one and only Napoleon) became king of Spain.
This came about after the French invaded Spain on the pretext of attacking Portugal but then decided they preferred their Hispanic neighbors instead. The Spanish King Charles IV abdicated from the shame of it all and lo and behold there was a Frenchman on the Spanish throne.
The French dream of conquering Spain was eventually squashed and the Spanish got their country back. I think we can be pretty sure however that Napoleon invaded Spain because he realized just how important and useful it was to learn the Spanish language and he saw no better way to do it that to learning Spanish in Spain.
Seems that Napoleon had the right idea because the ability to speak a second language is a skill that is becoming more and more useful in the modern world, not to mention prized by employers.
Whichever stage of life you are at, learning a language can open all sorts of doors whether you are want to do business internationally, boost your career or even if you are just traveling to another country.
On a personal level learning another language gives you the ability to step inside the mind and context of that other culture.
This is so important in a world where nations and peoples are ever more dependent upon on another to supply goods and services, solve political disputes, and ensure international security.
As you study another language you have to deal with unfamiliar cultural ideas so you learn to adapt to new situations and people much faster. This understanding of another culture leads to more tolerance of other countries and people and therefore a richer life.
On a different level, speaking another language makes you infinitely more employable. If businesses are to effectively compete in a global economy, they must learn to deal with other cultures on their own terms. Companies that plan to do business abroad therefore have a dire need for bilingual or multilingual employees.
After all it's much easier to teach business to a linguist than to teach a language to a businessman!
Spanish is an official language in countries in four continents so it is of no surprise that speaking Spanish is becoming a very valuable tool.
Hispanic culture is vibrant, colorful and enchanting and all these elements are reflected in the Spanish language. As Federico Garcia Lorca said In Spain, the dead are more alive than the dead of any other country in the world.
So who is learning Spanishin Spain these days anyway?
Well for one Americans are starting to study Spanish in droves and lets be honest that's pretty impressive as they're not a bunch known for conquering monoligualism (no offence). Spanish, too, is becoming more and more important in Europe, where it often the foreign language of choice after English.
On the plus-side, Spanish is one of the easiest languages for an English speaker to learn. Thanks to its Latin roots the alphabet is almost identical and pronunciation rules are very similar, that's why so many English speakers study Spanish.
Knowing Spanish can also help you to learn other Latin-based languages such as French and Italian. These languages all share characteristics (such as gender and extensive conjugation) that are not present in English so learning one can help you to learn the others.
There is something very appealing and exciting about the Spanish language - it just conjures up images of sunshine and all night fiestas.
On a more academic note, learning the language allows you to appreciate Hispanic culture more intimately, through literature and film for example, but there are also some very sensible reasons to learn Spanish that involve statistics and stuff listed below.
When deciding on a foreign language for work or school, consider that Spanish is the official language in 21 countries and an official language in the European Union, UNESCO, GATT and many other international organizations.
Today over 300 million people speak Spanish worldwide, making it one of the largest markets for businesses and one of the most useful languages in the world for travel.
Learning Spanish in Spain is a great way to learn the language and be immersed into the local way of life. You get the chance to improve your language skills and explore Spanish culture, what more could you want!
Spain is full of culture and so promises to be a dynamic and enriching environment that's hard to find elsewhere.