Study Spanish Abroad

Why Study Spanish?
The most common reason for studying Spanish is the profusion of people who speak it. More countries in the world have Spanish as their first official language than any other language. With over 300 million native Spanish speakers, it is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world, along with Chinese and English. Spanish is also becoming an increasingly important language for international business and politics, particularly as Central and South America expand economically and develop global markets.

Another reason for studying Spanish is the increased level of understanding you can achieve when visiting or living in Spanish speaking countries. You will learn more and gain greater cultural understanding if you are able to understand the native language. Knowing Spanish can also give you an advantage if you wish to go on to learn other languages such as French, Italian, Portuguese, and Romanian (the Romance languages) as well as their common ancestor, Latin.

If you are familiar with Spanish, you will also gain access to a rich body of Spanish-language literature, from Miguel de Cervantes’ great classic Don Quijote de la Mancha to modern literature such as Cien Años de Soledad by Colombia’s Gabriel García Márquez. Other famous literary figures who wrote in Spanish include Spain’s Arturo Pérez-Reverte and Federico García Lorca, Argentina’s Jorge Luis Borges, Peru’s Mario Vargas Llosa, Chile’s Isabel Allende and Pablo Neruda, and Mexico’s Octavio Paz and Carlos Fuentes.

A Little Background
Spanish, is known as a Romance language and is part of the Indo-European family of languages. Spanish is mostly descended from Latin and displays marked similarities to its geographic neighbors, particularly French and Italian. Due to the Moorish influence in Spain, all words in the Spanish language with “Al” have Arabic origins. The Spanish language has evolved in the many different countries where it is spoken, with different vocabulary and accents used, but you will be able to understand and speak it anywhere in the world once you have acquired proficiency through study abroad.

How to Study Spanish Abroad
You can study Spanish in a wide variety of programs and locations, ranging from a two-week immersion program with a family home-stay to a full year academic program in a prestigious university. There is no better way to broaden your horizons and expand your language skills than to live, study, and experience another country and culture firsthand. With more than 300 programs listed with Spanish as the language of instruction, you can find study abroad programs of almost any duration on IIEPassport.org – for example, programs that last one quarter or a semester, summer or January term. Many programs are surprisingly inexpensive, and include an array of cultural enrichment activities like visits to museums, archeological sites, theater, film festivals and sporting events. Adventurous students can visit Costa Rican rainforests and Mayan ruins and explore the Andes and the Galapagos Islands while learning Spanish, while the business-minded can apply for internships in modern cities like Barcelona, Buenos Aires, Santiago, and Mexico City.

Career Opportunities
The career opportunities for those who speak more than one language are varied and exciting. The demand for Spanish speakers is particularly high as the prevalence of the language continues to grow. Spanish speakers are valued in all sectors, including government agencies, non-profit organizations and private companies. Potential jobs may include teaching, translation, interpretation, journalism, social services and healthcare positions, international business, and many more. Companies frequently like to hire bilingual employees, particularly those who know Spanish, for customer service jobs. Marketing and advertising agencies also frequently hire employees who can speak more than one language, as do social service agencies and international organizations such as the United Nations. An increasing number of companies want to hire bilingual candidates in order to enhance their ability to do business in a global marketplace.

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ONLINE RESOURCES
Funiding for Study Abroad:
http://www.iie.org/NSEP
http://www.iie.org/gilman

PRINTED RESOURCES
IIEPassport: Academic Year Abroad
IIEPassport: Short-Term Study Abroad
Study Spanish in Mexico

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