Marcus Smith Blog

Me…learn to Speak Spanish?

At the risk of making a politically insensitive statement, I offer my deepest apologies for the following article if I offend anyone in anyway.

Our country has long been a melting pot of ethnic diversity and amazing tolerance for cultural differences. Lately, however, our national ethnic stew has taken on the un-mistaken flavor of our neighbors to the south and I’ve developed a terrible case of indigestion. Mexican food just doesn’t sit well with me.

As a mother, I’ve noticed this influence of Spanish culture into my own home life, most noticeably in the programming my 4 year old watches. Dora the Explorer, Diego and Handy Manny are just a few of the shows peppered with Spanish seasoning, and I must say, I’m not sure if I’m for this or against it.

I’ve always been proud of my national heritage, the place where I was born, but lately, my patriotism has suffered a bit. Political correctness and tolerance have gone completely overboard and we are rapidly losing any sense of U.S. culture that may have actually once existed.

Regardless of what side of the fence you may be on this issue, pardon the pun, we all must admit that this trend seems to be here to stay.

With that in mind, I decided to learn Spanish. My kids are already doing it, and I don’t want to fall to far behind them like I did with the pesky computer and all that went along with that societal shock wave.

So I went online, of course, and did some research. There are really some great programs out there that can get the old synapses firing in the right direction to begin learning again. It’s amazing how early on in life we stop adding to our vocabulary and how that portion of the brain kind of just seems to shrivel up and die.

I put a link in my author’s bio for the program I actually ended up using. As this article is not intended to sell you on any particular course, I won’t focus on that aspect of my bilingual journey. What I will focus on is the absolute amazement I have that any of us can actually learn to talk at all. How in the world did early human beings, who were arguably much dumber than we current human beings, even develop ways of communicating effectively with one another?

And the English language with all it’s multiple word meanings and rules, has to be strong evidence that alien beings must have visited with us in the past and played some cosmic practical joke on us Americans! I feel sorry for those who are attempting to learn English as their second language because it really makes absolutely no sense at all! Back to the point though.

I feel that eventually to function in our ever changing society, everyone will need to know both English and Spanish. I will always firmly believe however, that English should remain the national language if for no other reason than to protect the last shred of our cultural identity we have left.

I don’t believe that to be a politically insensitive statement, but I could be wrong. I certainly never thought I would see the destruction of the religion this country was founded upon, so who knows, I guess I better not take the chance. The Spanish population will eventually be the majority and I have no doubt that they will stick together and protect their national heritage unlike we have, so we better get used to it now if we want to survive.

Our children will absolutely have to know Spanish, so I guess it’s okay to encourage them to do so. I’m not sure how we Americans are still getting away with English class being a required course in our public schools while Spanish, German, Italian and so forth are still considered electives. It’s just a matter of time before we get around to it I suppose, our law makers are still busy with killing Christmas you know.

I do understand the idea of people coming to our country and still wishing to hold onto their own culture. What I don’t understand is why I must give up mine to accommodate them.

When in Rome, I suppose…

About the Author

Dora the Explorer, Diego, and Friends-It’s Raining Men

Dora the Explorer Diego Prince / King figure – RARE! $2.99

Meet Diego! (Dora the Explorer), , Good, Cover has mino $1.00

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Dora the Explorer – Meet Diego! (DVD, 2003) $6.50

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LOT OF 3 DORA THE EXPLORER AND DIEGO WOODBOARD PUZZLES $19.99

Diego Cuddle Pillow $18.20 This is a Dora the Explorer Go Diego Go plush cuddle pillow. This Go Diego Go pillow is perfect for sleepovers , traveling or just plain cuddling measuring at 29 inches tall….

Dora the Explorer Table and Chair Set $39.99 This table and chairs set is perfect for any little Explorer or Dora lover!  The colorful set includes a table and two matching chairs with fun die-cut backs in the Dora The Explorer theme. The set is fashioned from solid wood to remain strong and beautiful for years. Built to the latest in safety standards, all pieces, paint and finishes are kept safe for toddlers. The large table …

Nickelodeon’s Dora the Explorer Multi-Bin Toy Organizer $34.99 TB84504DO_999 This charming and functional Nickelodeon Dora the Explorer Toy Organizer makes tidying up fun. Each tier of the organizer serves its own function. The toy box is perfect for storing larger items while the storage bins are great for storing small accessories. It features an adorable Nickelodeon Dora the Explorer inspired design theme that complements other Nickelodeon Dora the Explor…

Dora the Explorer – Save the Day! $2.58 Movie DVD…

Dora the Explorer $4.99 Dora the Explorer…

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Dora the Explorer – Meet Diego [VHS] $4.99 …

Dora the Explorer – Animal Adventures [VHS] $4.99 “Save Diego!” continues to introduce Diego, Dora’s cousin, who is an animal rescuer. The main episode takes place in Diego’s rainforest as Dora and her friends come to his rescue. The VHS includes the first 2 episodes from the DVD….

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Go Diego Go Wall Paper Border Self Adhesive $1.95 …

Dora the Explorer: Meet Diego! $11.04 Dora the Explorer meets some friends and takes a trip on this DVD collection of stories from the popular Children’s television series. Dora the Explorer: Meet Diego has been transferred to disc in its original full-frame aspect ratio of 1.33:1, and the audio, primarily in English, has been mastered in Dolby Digital Stereo. Bonus material includes a bonus episode from the series, and an interactive game. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi Movie Guide encourage interaction and physical activity while teaching simple concepts such as counting, logic skills, and basic Spanish. This volume includes two fun-filled, educational episodes that introduce Dora’s cousin Diego: in Meet Diego, Dora and Boots visit her cousin at the Animal Rescue Center and learn to talk to animals; while in To the South Pole, the trio help a lost penguin get back to his family.

Dora the Explorer $9.63 {^Dora the Explorer} is a 44-song collection of songs from the {@Nick Jr.} cartoon that features the plucky {%Dora} and her sidekick, {%Boots the Monkey}, along with her cousin {%Diego}, her trusty map, and her magic backpack. The show is entertaining and

Dora The Explorer: Animal Adventures $10.99 Synopsis: “Save Diego!” will be the latest Dora the Explorer home video title that will continue to introduce Diego, Dora Format: DVD Color: Color Rating: Not Rated Genre: Childrens Runtime: 99 Year: 2006 Release Date: 2006-06-13

Dora & Diego $3.99 Dora & Diego Glossy Paper Sticker Five different designs of Dora the Explorer and Diego stickers in a set of 24. Sizes are approximate. Nick Jr., toddler, education, learning.

Dora the Explorer: Cowgirl Dora $7 Dora the Explorer: Cowgirl Dora

Dora the Explorer: Dora’s Christmas $9.56 Dora the Explorer: Dora’s Christmas

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Dora The Explorer: Meet Diego $8.99 Format: DVD Color: Color Rating: Not Rated Genre: Childrens Year: 2003 Release Date: 2003-10-07

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Dora the Explorer: Dora’s First Trip $7.1 Dora the Explorer: Dora’s First Trip