I’ve just found out that some 100,000 Starbucks workers throughout the United States will begin learning Spanish. Starbucks just signed an agreement with Spain’s Cervantes Institute to offer workers Spanish lessons via the Institute’s online Virtual Spanish Classroom (Aula Virtual de Español), according to a newspaper article.
This is no small endeavour, and obviously Starbucks would have given this a lot of thought. It’s not just professional development for staff, but increasingly an economic necessity, given the sheer number of Spanish-speaking customers throughout the US.
Here in New Zealand, the situation is not exactly the same, but increasingly headed in that direction. We have more and more people in New Zealand, especially in Auckland, speaking languages other than English.
Spanish lessons anyone? We have Spanish classes starting this week and in July. Check out our course timetable for more information on Spanish and other language programmes.
Charlize Theron says she wants to start taking up Spanish classes. The 33-year-old worked with Mexican director Guillermo Arriaga on “The Burning Plain”, and the moviemaker helped improve her Spanish skills by teaching her a string of swear words.
Theron says, “Of course he taught me the dirty stuff! I had this fantasy, ‘cos I’ve always wanted to learn Spanish, that I would learn Spanish before I shot the movie with him, that he would be really impressed with me, that he could direct me in Spanish but of course it never happened”
And the experience has made Theron realise that she needs to start taking Spanish language classes. She adds, “I’m really embarrassed to say that I don’t speak Spanish, I’ve lived in California for eight years and I just think it should be a prerequisite, you should be able to speak Spanish if you live in California.”
Very international this girl. South African American. Named Esquire’s Sexiest Woman Alive in 2007. In late 2008 she was asked to be a UN messenger of peace by the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon. And now she’s learning Spanish…
A while back I saw Charlize being interviewed on Letterman.
Spanish classes are very popular amongst Kiwis. Many choose to kick off the year with some Spanish lessons, in preparation for an upcoming trip to South America or Spain. Some choose to learn Spanish because of business reasons. At Euroasia, we are often asked why Spanish lessons are so popular. Here are some reasons.
Spanish is unquestionably one of the world’s most important languages, spoken not only in Spain but also in most of the Americas, from California to Cape Horn!
The Spanish-speaking countries are exciting places: the cities offer a round-the-clock buzz, while the great outdoors has huge potential for adventurous outdoor activities.
Within the Spanish-speaking world, there is an enormous range of exciting places to visit: in Mexico and Central America, the cities of the Maya and the Aztecs, and resorts such as Acapulco and Cancún; in South America, the cities of the Aztecs (including Machu Picchu), the colourful Andean cultures of Peru and Bolivia, the strikingly varied landscapes of Chile and Argentina, and the cosmopolitan excitement of Buenos Aires. Although some English is spoken, getting around is much easier with a little Spanish.
Spain itself is one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations, famous not only for its Mediterranean beaches, but also for its stylish cities, its well-preserved small towns, and, in the south, its unique Moorish heritage. Not to mention Ibiza, with the hottest nightclub scene in Europe, if not the world!
The Spanish language has been the vehicle of great writers, from both Spain and Latin America. Both areas have also been the home of world-renowned artists and, more recently, film-makers.
New Zealand is increasingly looking to South America for trade links, especially Chile, the most prosperous of the South American states, and the one closest to New Zealand. Spanish speakers will be in demand in the future (in fact right now we have Kiwi businesspeople doing business in South America learning Spanish at Euroasia).
Young Kiwis can work in Argentina, Chile or Uruguay for one year under a working holiday scheme. A knowledge of the Spanish language would obviously make a huge difference to anyone’s job prospects.
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