Why Spanish?

It is difficult to measure the value of a language; even harder to put a value on all the fascinating moments that exposure to Latin culture brings. Yet anyone taking the trouble to study Spanish will certainly find a wealth of opportunities for life-enrichment through exposure to the Hispanic culture.

On top of that, Spanish is the second most commonly used language in international communications, after English. Nearly 500 million people speak Spanish, and 21 countries have Spanish as their official tongue. These include countries to which Canadians often travel for business or pleasure, such as Mexico, Costa Rica, Cuba, Argentina, Chile, and, of course, Spain.

In Canada and the US, Spanish is the most popular second language to learn. Around the world, demand for Spanish courses has doubled in the past decade.

For hundreds of years, Hispanic culture has greatly influenced world art, literature and gastronomy, and that global influence continues to grow. Today, Latin rhythms, music and dances are becoming more and more popular. In recent years, many talented Hispanic musicians and actors have become international stars, even household names – Shakira, Jennifer Lopez and Carlos Santana are just three. In the sports arena, professional athletes from Spanish-speaking countries such as the Dominican Republic  and Venezuela have become a major force in North American baseball.

We may choose to study Spanish for any of these reasons, because we want to spend our next vacation on a beach or in a village where people speak only Spanish, or simply because we enjoy the Spanish language and Latin culture.