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Bilingualism makes you smarter

univisionnews:


New research shows that bilingualism boosts executive brain function and could help stave off dimentia in old age (Photo: flickr)

By: STEPHEN KEPPEL
Channel: Education

Immigrants need to learn English before becoming citizens and Rick Santorum would like Puerto Ricans to speak English before becoming a state. Perhaps it is time to start advocating that English-speakers learn Spanish (or any second language).

According to an op-ed by Yughijit Bhattacharjee in The New York Times this weekend, bilingualism makes you smarter.

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I kinda miss all the super sappy lovey-dovey-ness that went on in Ecuador. I don’t know where this was shot, but I could imagine a little old couple like this in the streets of Quito somewhere. 

ebonineshe:

¡Awww, que preciosa! Aunque todos no entienden el español, el mensaje todavía es súper claro. ^_^

[Awwww, how precious! Although everyone doesn’t understand Spanish, the message is still super clear]

blondebachatera:

“Y me siento un estupido porque no puedo decirte que te amo, a pesar de que te veo casi a diario, no me atrevo a decirte que me gustas, que hace tiempo vives en mis pensamientos, que me muero por besarte, que te amo mas que a nadie, que me gustas que hace a tiempo he esperado este momento de acercarme y confesarte que amarte fue inevitable. Mandame una senal, si sientes como yo. Sacame de este infierno, por favor.”

Todavia querria expresarme en espanol, especialmente con respecto al tema de amor. Yo se que la gramatica no es perfecto! E agora eu estou misturando espanhol e portugues! De todos modos, quiero dedicar esta cancion a todas las personas quien tienen las ganas de decirla. No lo hagas por favor! Just kidding. You should do it. 

Quito! That’s where I was born. I live in NY now and I hope you enjoyed everything my beautiful city has to offer! -makethemcometrue

I most definitely did enjoy every moment I was there! This was my “blog” when I was there. I hope to go back and visit one day, especially to visit my host family. Ecuador is beautiful! C=

 

Final Reflection.

I figured I’d give myself a week to feel the reverse culture shock after entering the United States. Happy to say, I haven’t been rocked to my core. Rather a bit reminiscent. 

My last week in Ecuador was the perfect opportunity to relax, pack, and enjoy time with Ecua-friends and family (after the stress of finals, of course). During that time, I visited the Panecillo [large statue of the virgin overlooking the city of Quito].

Also, the Mitad del Mundo [town called Middle of the World]. The latitude is actually on the equator,  but the longitude is off.

But more importantly, I was able to do my “last” of everything. Like, last fish fry Friday or last family outing. The saddest last experience was my last time helping at the Comedor. (Comedor, meaning dining hall, is where the old folk of the town come to have lunch on Monday-Friday afternoons.)

I was wondering many things as I was preparing myself to come back home, to the United States. (That word has too much connotation. Sometimes home really is where the heart is.) Such as, how I would feel once I got back? Would I remember that you can flush toilet paper here in the United States? Would I feel the need to boil my tap water before drinking it? How much was a taxi here? What is life back with my real family going to be like now?

Granted, my mom doesn’t cater to the needs of every family member and works a lot, I don’t live with my dad, my siblings are way too independent, and no one speaks to me in Spanish here…my family is just as legit as my Ecua-family. I’m learning to appreciate the fact that different is not necessarily bad or good. 

For example, piropos [come-ons] in the US are not nearly as poetic as Spanish ones:

“Mi princesa, reinita, amor, vida, amiguita, corazón, morencita, aire, tesoro, alma, vida, cada momento sin ti es lo peor.”

but there’s also not that obnoxious tsst-ing that comes before all that.

The food—-let’s not get started there. It cost me more for ONE lunch in an American airport than it would have for six lunches in Ecuador (and I didn’t even get a soup)! -_-

Also, I’ve clearly felt the difference from living in small rural community to big city again. Everybody does not know your name. I can also feel the difference in the night life. There is something eerie about all of a sudden being 21 in Philly. 

Alright, that’s enough examples. I feel like I’m getting all over the place with this blog entry. I just wanted to say that I’m comfortably, safely, and gratefully back in the US. Although I’ve been opened up to a world full of newness, I’m not pining to get back just yet. I love talking to my Ecua-family via Skype, and I’m sure our relationship will continue to grow. The tears of separation we cried early Monday morning were real, but life must go on. Lord willing, I’ll be back there one day. (Hopefully during whale watching season.) But until then, this is the close of a chapter. =] Hope you’ve enjoyed

¡Chao Amigos! ¡Qué les vaya bien!

P.S. I was debating whether I wanted to continue this blog after my return home or make another one. I opted for the latter. I like Tumblr a lot. So my new/other tumblr is www.ebonineshe.tumblr.com, if ye be interested.

There is actually a virtual tour of the University on the website. But I took pictures for myself. Although it’s a small campus, it’s enough. We go to classes during the day and elsewhere at night. If we were fortunate enough to see the sun poke its head out through the clouds that day, well, life got a little bit brighter. As I end this semester, I end on a reflection of where I spent the last four and a half months. I hope you enjoy. =]
Zoom Info
There is actually a virtual tour of the University on the website. But I took pictures for myself. Although it’s a small campus, it’s enough. We go to classes during the day and elsewhere at night. If we were fortunate enough to see the sun poke its head out through the clouds that day, well, life got a little bit brighter. As I end this semester, I end on a reflection of where I spent the last four and a half months. I hope you enjoy. =]
Zoom
There is actually a virtual tour of the University on the website. But I took pictures for myself. Although it’s a small campus, it’s enough. We go to classes during the day and elsewhere at night. If we were fortunate enough to see the sun poke its head out through the clouds that day, well, life got a little bit brighter. As I end this semester, I end on a reflection of where I spent the last four and a half months. I hope you enjoy. =]
Zoom
There is actually a virtual tour of the University on the website. But I took pictures for myself. Although it’s a small campus, it’s enough. We go to classes during the day and elsewhere at night. If we were fortunate enough to see the sun poke its head out through the clouds that day, well, life got a little bit brighter. As I end this semester, I end on a reflection of where I spent the last four and a half months. I hope you enjoy. =]
Zoom Info
There is actually a virtual tour of the University on the website. But I took pictures for myself. Although it’s a small campus, it’s enough. We go to classes during the day and elsewhere at night. If we were fortunate enough to see the sun poke its head out through the clouds that day, well, life got a little bit brighter. As I end this semester, I end on a reflection of where I spent the last four and a half months. I hope you enjoy. =]
Zoom
There is actually a virtual tour of the University on the website. But I took pictures for myself. Although it’s a small campus, it’s enough. We go to classes during the day and elsewhere at night. If we were fortunate enough to see the sun poke its head out through the clouds that day, well, life got a little bit brighter. As I end this semester, I end on a reflection of where I spent the last four and a half months. I hope you enjoy. =]
Zoom
There is actually a virtual tour of the University on the website. But I took pictures for myself. Although it’s a small campus, it’s enough. We go to classes during the day and elsewhere at night. If we were fortunate enough to see the sun poke its head out through the clouds that day, well, life got a little bit brighter. As I end this semester, I end on a reflection of where I spent the last four and a half months. I hope you enjoy. =]
Zoom
There is actually a virtual tour of the University on the website. But I took pictures for myself. Although it’s a small campus, it’s enough. We go to classes during the day and elsewhere at night. If we were fortunate enough to see the sun poke its head out through the clouds that day, well, life got a little bit brighter. As I end this semester, I end on a reflection of where I spent the last four and a half months. I hope you enjoy. =]
Zoom
There is actually a virtual tour of the University on the website. But I took pictures for myself. Although it’s a small campus, it’s enough. We go to classes during the day and elsewhere at night. If we were fortunate enough to see the sun poke its head out through the clouds that day, well, life got a little bit brighter. As I end this semester, I end on a reflection of where I spent the last four and a half months. I hope you enjoy. =]
Zoom Info
There is actually a virtual tour of the University on the website. But I took pictures for myself. Although it’s a small campus, it’s enough. We go to classes during the day and elsewhere at night. If we were fortunate enough to see the sun poke its head out through the clouds that day, well, life got a little bit brighter. As I end this semester, I end on a reflection of where I spent the last four and a half months. I hope you enjoy. =]
Zoom Info

There is actually a virtual tour of the University on the website. But I took pictures for myself. Although it’s a small campus, it’s enough. We go to classes during the day and elsewhere at night. If we were fortunate enough to see the sun poke its head out through the clouds that day, well, life got a little bit brighter. As I end this semester, I end on a reflection of where I spent the last four and a half months. I hope you enjoy. =]

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