How Spanish Changed my Life. Seriously.

I started taking Spanish classes my freshman year of high school in San Diego. I was fascinated by the idea of being able to communicate in another language. Progress was somewhat slow, but I loved learning.

I continued taking Spanish throughout high school. I had made a goal to be bilingual by the time I graduated. My senior year of high school I put even more effort into it by constantly checking out movies in Spanish from the public library. I would watch them and try to pick up on vocabulary by reading the subtitles.

Still, by June 6, 2006 - graduation day - I was definitely not bilingual. I didn't give up on Spanish, though. My first year of college I was determined to continue studying Spanish.

That year I made more progress than the previous 4 years combined. My professor focused a lot on our accents and how to make our Spanish sound more fluid. I also met with a tutor each week, which definitely helped. Soon I decided that I had progressed as far as I could with my Spanish without leaving the country.

I decided to study abroad in Guadalajara, Mexico. I was only there for 6 weeks, but it was just what I needed to boost my confidence in my Spanish.

Volunteering in Guadalajara, 2007

After my trip, something changed. Now, when people asked me if I spoke Spanish, instead of replying timidly, "Um...un poquito.." I would proudly declare, "Si!!!" Now, by no means was my Spanish perfect, or even as good as it is today, 5 years later. But having that confidence gave me the opportunities I needed to get better.

In my second year of college, one of my roommates was from Mexico City. I was so excited to have someone to practice my Spanish with. My roommate, Claudia, introduced me to many of her friends, and before I knew it, I was out Salsa dancing nearly every Friday night with my new Latino buddies, speaking almost nothing BUT Spanish.

Dancing...like always, 2008

I grew to love those people so much. There is something very endearing about talking to a person in their native language. I found that I could start conversations with complete strangers that I would meet if I heard them speaking Spanish. A whole new world was opening up to me.

After my sophomore year of college, I returned to Mexico to teach English for a while. My Spanish was getting better with every year that I spoke it. And I found that had made amazing friendships with people I may not have even been able to talk to before.

Teaching English in Hermosillo, Mexico, 2008

In 2009, I served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in San Pedro Sula, Honduras. I lived there for 18 months. While there, I met an amazing man named Diego, a fellow missionary, who (much) later became my husband. Our relationship would have been virtually impossible had I not been able to speak Spanish.

As a missionary in Honduras, 2010

Because of the decision I made as a 14-year-old girl to take a Spanish class, my life has been completely changed. I have learned so much about other people and places. I have made wonderful friends, and am married to the love of my life.

At the beach in Lima, Peru, with Diego, 2012

Now, Spanish may not have that kind of effect on your life, but it will change it in some way, I promise. There are amazing, wonderful, friendly people out there who would love to tell you their story. And not everyone gets the opportunity to learn English. Soooo....let's learn Spanish!