Check out this cool article about studies, misconceptions, & advantages when it comes to being bilingual.
http://www.npr.org/2011/04/04/135043787/being-bilingual-may-boost-your-brain-power?sc=tw&cc=share
Solidarity
HOW TO SHOW YOUR SUPPORT & LEND A HELPING HAND
Fun with Spanish: Tongue Twisters
Practice your pronunciation with this tongue twister.
TRES TRISTES TIGRES-
Tres tristes tigres
tragaban trigo en un trigal,
¿Cuál de los tres tristes tigres
tragaba más?
TRANSLATION: THREE SAD TIGERS-
Three sad tigers ate wheat in a wheat field.
Which of the three sad tigers ate more?
PRONUNCIATION:
Treh-s-tree-s-teh-s-tee-greh-s-trah-gah-bah-n-tree-goh
eh-n-ooh-n-tree-gah-l
Koo-ah-l-deh-los-treh-s-trah-gah-bah-mah-s
VOCABULARY:
tigres= tigers
triste= sad
trigo=wheat
trigal=wheatfield
tragar= to swallow whole, eating(only when speaking of animals)
más= more
Cuál= which
de= of
Mexican Manners
Now another installment of a section I like to call “Mexican Manners”. One of the many fun, interesting things when it comes to learning about other cultures is studying manners and customs. If you want to impress Mexicans friends/acquaintances, this section will provide some tips for you.
Today’s Tip is: WATCH YOUR BACK.
I think this is a custom observed in most Hispanic cultures, not sure if it’s observed in other cultures, though. I’ve been with people who aren’t Hispanic and don’t follow the “watch your back” rule. They didn’t mean anything by it, it’s just a custom they don’t observe. In Mexican culture though it’s an important rule. Why? Because, it is considered very rude to have your back turned to someone. This is called “dar la espalda” = give someone your back. It’s considered as a sign of ignoring someone, a physical affront…etc. In all fairness, there are times when you must turn away from someone to talk to someone else, and certain situations when due to positioning, having your back face someone can’t be helped. For politeness sake though, it’s best to keep the location of your back in mind and try to position yourself at an angle where you’re not directly turning your back to anyone. Or if you do turn your back, excuse yourself & try and try not to do it for too long.
USPS to release Latin Music Stars Stamps
USPS plans to release stamps honoring legendary Latin music stars, among them Mexican American singer Selena.
SELENA’S WIKI PAGE:
Mexican Sayings & Colloquialisms
Today’s saying is : “Ponte las pilas” which literally means “Put your batteries in”. LOL to someone hearing this for the first time it might sound weird, but it’s a very common saying. The saying is referring to comparing yourself to being a toy or robot of sorts. This saying is used to mean: get on the ball! , straighten up and fly right! , put some effort in!
A parent might tell their child “ponte las pilas” if he or she brings home a not so great report card.
If a girl has a not so great boyfriend, her friends might say “ponte las pilas” & advise her to look for a better man.
If someone wants a promotion, but there’s a lot of competition they could be told : “ponte las pilas” and you’ll get it.
Mexico with a SciFi flair
Get to know Naica the crazy cool cave of GIGANTORAMOUS crystals! =O Thanks to @MexicoTimes who gave me the idea for this post with their tweet about Naica’s Website : “It’s not Krypton! It’s not SciFi! It is Naica! Meet #Mexico‘s new natural wonder: http://is.gd/jVds1 Will blow your senses!”
ABOUT THE VIDEO: “A team of international scientists explore a Mexican cave filled with giant crystals. With temperatures near 120 degrees Fahrenheit (48.8 Celsius), and over 80 per cent humidity, the cave is one of the deadliest environments on earth. Without specialized suits and equipment, the scientists would die in minutes. Their mission: to unlock the secrets of the mysterious ancient crystals, some of the largest ever discovered.” –DocumentalesMexic0 at YouTube.com
NAICA CAVE’S OFFICIAL WEBSTITE:
Rose Parade: Marching Banda
VIDEO: Marching band “Banda Musical Delfines” from Xalapa Veracruz Mexico performs at the 2011 Rose Parade in Pasadena California. For many, especially if you’re from SoCal, the new year doesn’t officially start till you’ve seen the Rose Parade.
Video, aerial view of the band’s formation spelling “Mexico”:
Parade float with folkloric dancers :
★MeGaSuPer Chido y + 