I feel that “Where did you learn Spanish?” is a question that I often get asked as an interpreter. With me, it’s a little more complicated to answer than with most people. While some can point to growing up in a Spanish-speaking county (Latin America or Spain), a study abroad opportunity, or perhaps an extensive foreign work placement, I point to my elementary school education within the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD).
Back in the 80s and 90s, bilingual education was commonplace in California. It worked because all our education was in Spanish until the third grade, when English was first introduced. Then, in fourth grade, we would begin taking our standardized tests in English and Spanish, and by fifth grade, we would be fully immersed in English. As a result of this process, it helped me to be fully fluent in both languages.
Even though our official education in English did not officially start until third grade, I began to learn English well before then. I often joke that I learned English while watching “I Love Lucy” and “Saved By the Bell” reruns, but there is some truth behind that statement. One of the things that would frustrate me as a child was when written notes would be shown on the screen during a cartoon, and I was expected to read it in English; it was way worse when the message was in cursive handwriting. This was common in “Looney Tunes” and “The Chipmunks.” Often, I had no clue what they were saying, but I enjoyed the visuals. Little by little, I feel that I learned the language through consuming media in English.
Because of my unique upbringing and education, I’m not a true heritage Spanish speaker, but I am also not considered a Native speaker. I remember learning to read in Spanish in first grade and falling in love with reading. I also remember loving to write about what I was reading in Spanish. I think it was in fourth grade when I started to read and write more in English, exclusively doing so in fifth grade.
In middle school, I did not study any Spanish; honestly, I hardly spoke it outside of the home. It was only when I started high school that I once again studied Spanish. I signed up for “Spanish for Native Speakers.” Taking this class reminded me of how much I loved Spanish; I even won at the medal level, the only freshman to have done so. (Only a Senior won the statue at the level above mine.)
I continued with my Spanish classes in my Sophomore year. However, the Native Spanish II teachers were, well…not the best. Toward the end of my Sophomore year, I spoke with my previous Native Spanish I teacher, who was starting an AP Spanish Literature class and allowed me to enroll in her course. I loved that class, read so many classic Spanish and Latin American authors, and did well. I took both the AP Spanish Literature and the AP Spanish Language exams and earned a 5 (highest score) on both exams.
I kept practicing my Spanish at home and during service trips to Mexico with Azusa Pacific University and First Presbyterian Church of Downey (where I was a youth intern and later an assistant youth pastor). A year after I started working at The Walt Disney Travel Company, I joined what was then called the Hispanic Sales team (the name later changed to the multi-language sales team, and finally the international sales team). My first few weeks there were eye-opening because I realized I did not know the particular travel vocabulary. I learned a lot not only from my co-workers but also by paying attention to travel agents and businessmen/women from Latin America.
Of course, I eventually attended the Southern California School of Interpretation and developed a more robust professional and legal Spanish vocabulary. Now, I say words, and sometimes my mom doesn’t even understand some of the higher register legal words I use.
My Spanish is still ever-evolving; I pick up many words from all the different Latin American countries represented in Immigration Court and additional seminars. My Spanish has been acquired by paying attention to the Spanish speakers around me.
Interpreter Lyfe 