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Did you know that there are more Spanish speakers in the USA than there are Canadians? And a recent survey says that 61% of US business executives consider it the most important second language to have, the world’s fourth-most spoken tongue of some 6,000.
So what a great opportunity living here provides! Yet, so many expatriates never learn it, even after decades. And I’m not exonerating myself. I speak it, but badly. And since I derive my livelihood from utilizing appropriate language, it’s embarrassing. But more importantly, my lack of fluency prevents me from connecting at a deeper level with who and what I really came here for: benefiting from the richness of Mexican culture beyond folk dancing and fiestas, for example.
This past week we were privileged to have the Ninth Puerto Vallarta International Film Festival sponsored by the University of Guadalajara. Every day there were powerful independent movies to see and directors’ conferences to attend, all in Spanish of course. Not trusting my language ability, I regret to say I attended only one film, “Digna, hasta el ultimo aliento,” featuring the still-unsolved 2001 murder of an internationally recognized activist in her Mexico City office and fueling my own activism. It reminded me how fundamental to shaping public perception this medium is – perhaps especially in Third World countries.
And still on the topic of the festival, my hat is off to the organizers. The press coordinator did a spectacular job of keeping reporters informed. Very professionally done. And my goal for next year is that my Spanish be improved enough to make getting much more involved in this annual event feasible.
Vallarta held its first-ever dog show last month, two days of heartwarming entertainment as proud owners, about 50/50 gringo and Mexican, entered their pets in competitions viewed by hundreds of folks of all ages, many of whom brought their dogs along, too. Organized by the new local pound, or acopio, operational since June, it raised urgently needed funds to develop the animal center into much more than a place to put homeless and sick animals to sleep. And the hope is this annual event will plant the seed of awareness that pet ownership is a privilege well worth the responsibility involved. Plans are already underway for next year’s show, again to be held in March at the sports facility across from the Sheraton, the dates yet to be finalized.
My latest pet peeve about Vallarta’s roads is how many impediments there are to crossing them and safely reaching the sidewalk – bushes, planters, railings, signs, wires, vendors and more. And what’s worse, roadblocks exist at some of the town’s most perilous intersections. One would think that following clearly indicated crosswalk lines would lead them directly to safety. But at the northwest corner of busy Avenida Mexico and San Salvador, they culminate in a row of hedges. And on a similar note, eye-level palm trees on the sidewalk in front of the popular Cine Bahia bus stop block one’s ability to decipher which quickly approaching bus goes where, far too often causing people to risk life and limb by leaning out into traffic to read their directories.
If you have any comments, questions or suggestions about what you’re reading, you’re encouraged to let me know at heather@mexmags.com.
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