Hola amigos, sólo quería mandarles un mensaje rapidito para contarles de lo chistoso que es mi familia--
Just kidding-- I promised I wouldn't do a whole blog post in Spanish! Hopefully I haven't scared anyone away with a confusing foreign language intro *soplando besos* This idea was inspired by @mrsmica Michelle Ristuccia who has my kind of humor hehe.
ANYWAYYY, in my last blog post, I mentioned that some of my family was visiting from Miami and Costa Rica. I'm happy to say that so far, everyone's having a fabulous time, yay!!
I also mentioned in passing that my first language was Spanish. I've gotten a couple of emails, comments and tweets about my idioma materno, so I figured what better way to further procrastinate revisions than to post a blog about it! After all, this is my blog and it's totally random, as the header states. So I shall blog about totally random things! *tosses confetti*
More Than Anyone Wanted to Know About Diana's Linguistics:
To be clear, my first language was Spanish, but my best language is English. Here's how it happened in my case:
Because of my grandfather's work, my mom went to high school both in Costa Rica and the United States. My mom lived in Miami when she found out I was coming along. She went back to Costa Rica to be with her mom while she was pregnant with me. I'm her first kid, so that seems reasonable.
We moved permanently to the United States when I was two years old. My mom spoke to me in both languages until around kindergarten, at which point it was English only. She read to me A LOT in English.
I never went through ESL classes.
I don't speak with an accent in either language. I'm good at faking accents though *grins*
I dream in English. I think in English. Except if I spend a long time talking in Spanish. Then wonky things happen.
***side note*** Long-time blog followers might have come across a post or two that mention that I was teased and bullied as a kid. If not, now ya know. I was teased and bullied as a kid.
A lot of the bullying happened from issues that are difficult to explain; a lot of it was from my own awkwardness (which, of course, bullying only perpetuated); and a lot of it probably stemmed from me not looking like the peer groups I felt a kinship with and tried to belong to.
This, in part, led to me resenting myself, my heritage, my language, etc. I refused to speak Spanish for a loooooong time. I took French all through high school (and incidentally, I fell in love with the language) and no surprise, I was emotionally mixed up as a teen.
Shocker, right? A YA writer who didn't have a peachy teen experience ~wow and gasp... so original~ :P
Anyway, I don't bring a lot of "issues" onto my blog (I don't think) but bullying is one I try to be open about. Because it sucks. ***end side note***
So, as a kid I didn't want to have anything to do with Spanish.
By the time I got to college, I swung to the opposite end of the spectrum, and became kind of engulfed in learning about my cultura nativa. I minored in Spanish, read Spanish literature, wrote papers in Spanish. I'm the queen of typos two languages.
All through college I was a bilingual instructional aide. I spent three solid hours a day speaking Spanish. Much wonkiness happened in my brain.
There ya have it. More than you wanted to know? Yeah, that's what I thought.
I love having a blog.
Diana Paz Writes... Young Adult Fiction. A blog about what I read, write, imagine, and dream.
!Que interesante!
ReplyDeleteFun *and* honest post. Thanks for letting us in a little to that chapter of your life. Plus, languages rule.
Zai jian.
:)
Gracias Nevets, long time no see! Glad you liked it. And I agree, languages rule. I love learning about culture and language-- all kinds.
ReplyDeleteZai jian to you too :) (That's see you later, right? Wait... googling... *yessss*)
I love that I found your blog. That was really interesting and thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteBullies have been on my mind a lot lately. Not because I was bullied as a child, but because I stood up for those who were being bullied and as a consequence ended up being shunned by the "populars". The key to ending bullying is to eliminate the enviroment where its tolerated. More kids have to stand up for those who can't.
This was so super fun! I'm glad that you're having a great time with family and I love reading a different language, there is something so magical about it!
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Di, it's like we lived the EXACT SAME LIFE! Except, I never spoke Spanish. Well, I did, up until I was about 18 months old. That's when my father passed away. My mother remarried when I was about 3. Both my "parents" had blonde hair and blue eyes. Boy did I wish I did too. I never really fit in anywhere. Looked Mexican, raised by white parents. Parent/teacher conferences were hilarious. My teachers always stumbled over the intro...(blink, blink). Anyway, it was so bad. I guess I blocked a lot of it out. My dad told me I was messed with all the time and started to hate Spanish speaking kids my age. (I don't remember this.) But I do remember avoiding them. And I also remember people asking me what nationality I was and saying Irish, English, French, Dutch, Welsh, and *whispers* Mexican. Yeah...so high school arrived and I learned French. But when I went to college, switched to Spanish.
Crazy, right???
Very cool Di - I never knew that about ya! I learn something new every day;)
ReplyDeleteWow, it sounds like you and Tina share a brain now, lol!
I am so jealous. I have always wanted to be bi-lingual!
ReplyDeleteNever can learn enough about you. And I'm so happy you had a great time with your family.
ReplyDeleteDL- That's awesome that you stood up for those kids who were bullied. It's horrible that bullying happens
ReplyDeleteJen- You're so right, different languages ~are~ magical!
Tina- MY LOVE!!!!! Every time I get to know you better, it's like getting to know MYSELF! I love you so much. I never fit in anywhere either, and both my parents have dark hair and dark eyes-- teachers gave us the -blink blink- doubletake too!! One teacher even convinced me that I must be part Irish and that my parents hadn't explained it to me right!! It's SO CRAZY that we both took French and switched to Spanish in college. :) No wonder it feels like I know you so well. Our subconsciouses are linked!
Melissa- Lol thanks Mel. It's fun learning about you too! And yeah, Tina and I have a cranial connection for sure.
Corey- I love being bilingual, and you can totally still learn! My sister in law learned Spanish as an adult and when she goes to Costa Rica she translates for my brother!
Dana- I did have fun with my family, I love learning about you too sweetheart *SMOOCH* xoxo
Hello Diana P.! And how are you?? I haven't heard from you in such a long while! Have you managed to grab a copy of my book, already? :) Just to jog your memory... I was one of your first followers. :) Pay me a visit sometime, okay? When your blog was brand new, you visited me all the time! :)
ReplyDeleteNever be ashamed of your heritage.
C
Funny/interesting/semi-related story:
ReplyDeleteMy grandfather refused to teach his children (my mom and her siblings) to speak Italian because he did not want them to have an accent and be bullied and teased, because apparently HE was bullied and teased for his accent in the army during WWII.
My mom has always regretted not learning Italian.
I know what it feels like to fall in love with a language--but I think you are a much greater linguist than I am. Also. Please correct my French in my books. Also Also: How did I miss all these posts of yours?!