Immigrant Double standards

Having lived in five countries over the years and being an immigrant myself, I can’t help but notice that no matter where you live in the world, there always seems to be a double standard: the standard set by the natives and the standard set by the immigrants.

In your home country you expect non natives to respect your laws, your traditions and customs, your language - in all, the whole country’s system and lifestyle. Is it not when in Rome do what the Romans do?

Don’t you feel upset if someone, who is not a native, imposes their way in your country, community and society? I do. It is as if what is yours is no longer relevant.

Constantly in the media we can appreciate how money is spent on meeting immigrants’ different demands on social security, benefits, religion, rights, etc. All of this in order to continue living the way they used to in their country.

The question is, what makes these people so special that -to top it off- the government has to bend over backwards to accommodate?

Surely there is something wrong with this picture. Shouldn’t every person strive to blend in, accept what comes with the country where they have chosen to live?

Conversely, to mention a couple of examples, UK soldiers who have been fighting abroad come back to no home, no job and may be ill or disabled and get very little help from the government, if any. Or children who are living in poverty and depend on the meal they receive at school to see them through the day.

The need to ‘feel at home’ is understandable but the extremes that people go to appear to be something like this: Laws – What laws?; Customs – What customs?; Speak the language – they should learn mine!; Mix with the natives –I mix with my community at my ‘local’; Try the native food - I only eat the food which I buy in my country’s food store.

The double standard occurs when after being ‘law-abiding’ and ‘respectful’ citizens in their home country - who complained about immigration there – now, in their new chosen country, they behave in the exact same manner: they complain, demand, moonlight, cheat the systems, work and pay in the black, tax evade, etc.

Moreover, disappointingly, too many conduct themselves as if the empire still existed, with a ‘conqueror’ attitude with an air of superiority that may have been acceptable in by gone eras but that sadly now have earned us foreigners in Spain the title of “guiri”.

As immigrants we should really see the country we live in as more than merely ‘sun and fun’, and ponder on just how far we actually push this double standard to. Ought we not change and start now?

Kerry Sastrías

www.espanglish.net

Recenlty published in the Euroweekly Edition 1416 Costa de Almería

Your passport to the world

I have often asked myself - Why learn German? To the uninitiated, it sounds aggressive, harsh, and even scary! In all honesty, the language of Goethe struggles to compete with the sexiness of French or the musicality of Spanish. Yet those who speak it say the language has such precision of expression it becomes poetry in motion. As the language of the leading philosophers it is also a language that is capable of expressing states of mind, subtle emotional or rational conditions and even personal traits that other languages have difficulties describing. The word Schadenfreude – laughing at someone else’s pain - is a word that can not be found in other languages. Today, many of those unique German words have found their way into English and they are gradually creeping into the Spanish speaking world with creations such as Zeitgeist, Götterdämmerung or Wanderlust. 

If anything, we are all discovering that in the current economic crisis those who speak German often have better professional and economic prospects. So what are the reasons for this?

Germany has the third largest economy in the world and it is the economic powerhouse of the European Union thus providing ample business and employment opportunities. Don´t be fooled, German is the most widely spoken language in Europe. More people speak German as their native tongue than any other language in Europe and it is the 3rd most taught foreign language. The Japanese, who have the 2nd most powerful economy in the world, understand the business advantages of this and today 68% of Japanese students take German lessons.

If you're looking for employment in the United States, knowing German can give you the edge. German companies account for 700,000 jobs in the United States, and all other things being equal, the job candidate with German skills will easily trump the one without such skills. If you are a student, you know that German is required or recommended by many undergraduate and graduate programs and it will come as no surprise to know that Germany financially sponsors over 60,000 international student exchanges a year.

German presence on the Internet accounts for 8 million Internet domains. Germany's top-level country domain .de is second only to the extension .com. To top it all off 1 in 10 books in the world is published in German.

Finally, German is not as hard as you think and it opens up a whole new world of thinking for you. If you speak English, then you already have an advantage when it comes to learning German as the two languages share similarities in both vocabulary and grammar. If you understand any of this ... “Meine Schwester hat braunes Haar. Sie ist intelligent. Sie studiert Medizin in Berlin. Sie kann gut singen”.... then you already know some German!

Study German at espanglish visit our website at www.espanglish.net. Contact us at info@espanglish.net or call 950.39.00.37 and 950.38.28.76

Estar Motivado ¡Lo más importante para aprender Inglés!: Spanish Lesson 2

Estar Motivado ¡Lo más importante para aprender Inglés!: Spanish Lesson 2

Spanish Lesson 2

Thought of the day: August 13, 2012

Thought of the day:
“ Imagination is more important than knowledge. ”
— Albert Einstein

Pensamiento del día:
"La imaginación es más importante que el conocimiento."
--Albert Einstein

Spanish Lesson 1

Añadir leyenda

Why should my child learn Spanish with a native teacher?

There are many reasons why parents go through great lengths to ensure their children are bilingual. We already know that a multiplicity of cultures and languages represents and incalculable wealth as well as a push forward in our personal and professional development. 

Another language opens doors that are otherwise closed and it also gives one an insight into the roots, values and culture of another country which leads to a better understanding amongst people. This is particularly crucial for those who settle in a foreign country.

On the other hand, it has been proven that only when learning from a "native teacher", can children really develop the highest level of ability in any language, this is because a perfect accent and flawless diction can only be achieved when learning from a native speaker.

Food for thought when thinking about  the choice of language teacher for your child.

Children who speak English and Spanish have the upper hand

Many studies have demonstrated that children who speak two languages develop skills such as selective listening - the ability to concentrate on important details while ignoring unimportant or distracting information. They are also able to better describe language characteristics and develop strong semantics and storytelling skills. Therefore we can say they are more eloquent speakers. 

A bilingual child has double the capacity to read and write. Therefore their knowledge is broader just by the sheer fact that they have access to more information through literature, history, traditions, conversations, ways of living and access to world media in two different languages. In short, a bilingual child is better able to build their knowledge, as a consequence their thinking is more advanced. This is why they are generally more creative, flexible and open to the world and other people. In addition to this, global companies are always looking for bilingual personel, which means the doors of businesses around the world are always open to bilingual individuals.

Food for thought ..............

"espanglish" accepted by Spain's most prestigious dictionary

The word “espanglish” will appear in the next edition of the Dictionary of the Royal Academy of the Spanish Language, or DRAE, as an example of the contributions of Spanish-speakers in the United States to the language.

Although some claim that the proper Spanish word for this mixture of the two languages would be "espanglés";  “espanglish” more emphatically describes the fusion of languages and cultures.

According to the academy, the inclusion of these types of words in the 2014 DRAE “is an acknowledgment of the importance of the Spanish language in the United States” where the latest census indicates that this country is home to more than 50 million Spanish-speakers.

Spanish continues to be the fastest growing language around the world and is spoken by well over 500 million people today.

¿Por qué aprender inglés con profesores nativos?

Existen muchas razones por las que los padres se esfuerzan para que sus hijos sean bilingües. Sabemos que la multiplicidad de culturas y de lenguas representa una riqueza incalculable y un empujón hacia el progreso personal y profesional. Otro idioma abre puertas que de otra forma están cerradas y trae consigo raíces, valores, cultura y mayor entendimiento entre las personas.

Por otro lado, esta probado que sólo aprendiendo de un profesor nativo, los niños son realmente capaces de desarrollar sus habilidades en inglés al mayor nivel, dado que un acento y dicción perfectas solo pueden lograrse emulando a un nativo. Por lo tanto debe procure que esto suceda.

¿Qué buscan las empresas a la hora de contratar a sus profesionales?

Flexibilidad, capacidad de negociación y para trabajar en equipo, liderazgo… Seguro que más de una vez has oído hablar de estos conceptos, y de la gran importancia que le dan los expertos en Recursos Humanos. Pero, ¿Sabes qué es lo que más valoran? Hays, la consultora especializada en Recursos Humanos ha identificado los 10 puntos más importantes para incrementar nuestras oportunidades de entrar a trabajar en la empresa en la que siempre habíamos soñado estar.

1. Saber idiomas se ha convertido en requisito indispensable para obtener un trabajo. El hecho de vivir en una economía cada vez más globalizada, y la apuesta creciente por la exportación como motor de crecimiento explican por qué es tan importante conocer diversas lenguas. De ahí que haber realizado nuestros cursos de inglés con profesores nativos en Vera, Almería sea una ventaja competitiva para cualquier candidato. Ahora, la diferencia la marca una segunda lengua extranjera, entre las más buscadas: el francés, el alemán y, sobre todo, el inglés.
2. Flexibilidad. La capacidad de adaptación es un aspecto indispensable para profesionales. De hecho, el contexto económico actual obliga a asumir numerosos cambios en poco tiempo. Por eso, responder bien a este escenario juega a favor de cualquier aspirante a un puesto de trabajo.
3. Lealtad. El candidato perfecto no sólo tiene experiencia y una sólida formación, sino también valores que sean similares a los de organización a la que desea unirse. Contratar y formar a un empleado implica una inversión de tiempo y dinero. Es por ello que las compañías buscan profesionales que se comprometan a largo plazo con la empresa.
4. Polivalencia. Contar con un empleado con un perfil profesional diversificado, que pueda asumir responsabilidades en diferentes ámbitos, es sinónimo de tener un comodín en la empresa.
5. Habilidades financieras. Independientemente del puesto de trabajo que se desea cubrir, las compañías valoran que el candidato tenga conocimientos en materia de finanzas y que sepa elaborar presupuestos.
6. Pro actividad. Las empresas no buscan empleados que obedezcan órdenes, sino que sean creativos y positivos, y que propongan ideas novedosas que favorezcan el crecimiento del negocio.
7. Capacidad de trabajo. En los momentos en los que se intensifican los flujos de trabajo, es muy importante que el trabajador responda de manera satisfactoria.
8. Capacidad de negociación. Aunque es imprescindible en los perfiles comerciales, es igualmente valorada en todo tipo de ámbitos, ya que pocos trabajos se libran de las tareas del contacto directo con los clientes, ya sean internos o externos.
9. Innovación. Esta característica es de las más buscadas, sobre todo en el sector industrial y farmacéutico.
10. Habilidades interpersonales. Éstas favorecen el buen ambiente laboral, al tiempo que estimulan las buenas relaciones de la empresa con sus clientes y proveedores.