Languages

Do you know if I wasn’t a writer, there are two things I might want to do when I grow up.  (Yes, I said grow up, because I don’t care how old I am, I don’t feel I’ve completely grown up!) Oddly, these two things are completely different.

If you are a fan, you might have already figured out one of these things about me.  I love to make people laugh.  I write characters who make you laugh.  Della’s sassy comments made me chuckle when I’m writing.  And Perry, his crazy antics are for sure always worth a few good belly laughs.  (Remember when he mooned everyone at lunch?) When I get emails from you telling me that I made you laugh, it makes me feel so good.  I love making people laugh so much that if I didn’t spend all my time writing, I might try my hand a stand-up comedy.

The second career I might have pursued, is not so apparent. You probably wouldn’t even guess it.  You see, I love languages.  And yes, I do speak a second language.  I speak Spanish.  No, I’m not Hispanic.  But years ago, I lived in Maracaibo, Venezuela and learned to speak the language there.  I still make a lot of mistakes.  And here’s the sad part, I can’t read or write a tenth of what I can speak.  Being dyslexic, I am what a lot of people call an oral learner.  I learn by listening.  So actually learning a language comes a little easier for me than maybe some people.  And if I wasn’t busy playing with my characters, I would love to learn to speak more languages.

You know, in Reborn you learn that Della speaks Mandarin.  And while I don’t speak that language, I did go to China for ten days.  During that time, I had a translator and she taught me a few words, I could say simple things, like order my food, or ask how someone was doing, or say thank you, and excuse me.  A lot of the times the translator would laugh because I would say something and the Chinese people would be shocked and start talking to me.  They thought I could speak it.  And I honestly think if I had stayed there a month or so I could have learned a lot.

I think it’s sad that here in the United States so few people speak another language.  I’ve read a lot of things about how learning a new language opens up and uses different parts of your brain.  Here in Texas we have a lot of Spanish speaking residents and I get to use my Spanish a lot.  I will admit I love shocking people sometimes.  I will be in a store and two women will be talking about me, maybe commenting about my shoes or purse.  And I will turn to them and tell them where I bought the item.  They are always shocked because being blond with green eyes, I don’t look like I speak the language.

Today, I will give away one copy of Born at Midnight in Spanish.  Maybe you have a friend who is Hispanic and reads better in Spanish, or maybe you read better in Spanish.  Sorry, due to mailing cost, the winner has to have a U.S. address.

Do you guys speak another language?  Are you taking one in school?  I encourage you to do it.  So for now, Adios.