Learning Spanish is undoubtedly one of the best things you can do to open future doors of opportunity in your life. Spanish is spoken officially in more than 20 countries by over 400 million native speakers throughout the world.
Its importance from a cultural and economic perspective continues to grow as Spain strengthens the relationship between Europe and Latin America and the Hispanic population in the U.S. (predicted to constitute nearly 25% of the population by 2050) plays an ever-larger role in the life and economy of the country.
Knowledge of Spanish in today’s world is rewarding personally as well as professionally. Following are just a few of the benefits you can expect from adding Spanish to your language arsenal:
Travel & Living Abroad
Traveling will become much easier as your fluency in Spanish increases. Virtually all of Central and South America is Spanish-speaking, a vast area of the world that holds some of the most beautiful cultural and natural wonders known to mankind.
Spanish-speaking countries are also attractive places to move to or retire in, usually graced with a relaxed pace of life and affordable cost of living. Mexico is perhaps to the U.S. what Spain represents to the rest of Europe; a laid back, sunny retreat from the stressful, work-centered life.
Employment Potential
Both in the U.S. and Europe, learning Spanish is a direct investment in your career. Many employers pay a premium for Spanish-speaking employees and increasingly require it for certain jobs. Knowing Spanish is especially valuable in international companies that operate in Spain and Latin America.
Gateway to Romance Languages
Learning Spanish will make it much easier to learn other Romance languages such as French, Italian and Portuguese. Many of the basic grammatical rules applied to Spanish also hold true in these languages, making it not only useful as an important language in its own right, but also a tool for future learning.
Teaching Opportunities
Thanks to the strong demand of Spanish in the world (including in previously uninterested markets such as Africa and Asia), knowledge of Spanish will give you the opportunity to teach abroad in virtually any country. Some markets, such as Asia, pay exceptionally well for teaching positions, which many people take on as working holidays or as an easy way to gain a financial foothold in a new country.
Combined with English, you’ll be able to work anywhere teaching the world’s top two languages. Knowledge of Spanish also opens doors for teachers in the U.S., where bilingual schools are a growing phenomenon throughout the country.
Enter the World of Spanish and Latin American Art
Spain has had a long and rich history in the arts, and this profound heritage has produced breathtaking results as Spanish and Indian cultures melded into one in Central and South America. Today, the world of Hispanic art is among the most imaginative and colorful. Music, literature and film produced in Spanish-speaking cultures occupy an ever-larger role on the world stage, and although available in translation are unquestionably best experienced directly.
