Cracking The Code

I have always been fascinated by codes. When I was a child I would spend hours scribbling in my notebook trying to create a code that my parents couldn’t crack. So as a child when I listened to native Spanish speakers, to me, it sounded like the ultimate code and from then on I was determined to crack it.

I remember the first time I became truly interested in Spanish, I was in third grade. My neighbor and babysitter had just moved to Costa Rica, and I suddenly realized that millions of people around the world (437 million native speakers to be exact) spoke this beautiful language, I was amazed. So I created these flashcards and taped them on objects around my house hoping to learn some basic words. I also asked my former neighbor to find me a Spanish speaking pen-pal and that is how Lucia, a Costa Rican third grader, and I began writing letters to each other. The language barrier was difficult at first and it would take hours of translating to decode her letters, but I was so excited to figure out what she was saying, I didn’t mind.

Ten years later, we have become great friends (although we text now instead of writing letters) and we have learned each other’s native languages and shared countless traditions and customs.  As I became friends with Lucia, I realized that not only was there a whole new language for me to learn but also thousands of years of history and traditions that accompanied this language.

So when I see the students at the Spanish Clubhouse, around the same age that I was when I first became fascinated with Spanish (or younger!), learning Spanish songs and playing games and “cracking the code” so to speak, I can’t help but smile as I am reminded of my curious third grade self. Curiosity is the driving force of learning and the Spanish Clubhouse is a fantastic way to transform this natural curiosity into life-long learning.  Marissa Y