On being bilingual

Just for fun, here are some random questions I get about being bilingual.


1)  You are bilingual???
Yup.  I'm blonde.  I have blue eyes.  And I speak Spanish.  I do tend to stand out like a sore thumb when hanging with a Hispanic, international crowd...it's true.  I embrace it, though.  I like to surprise people :)


2) Do you dream in Spanish?
I get asked this question a lot, and I always answer that it depends on where I am and who I'm with.  If I am in Spain, I will probably be speaking Spanish, if I am in the US, I am probably speaking English.  If I am talking to a Spanish friend, I speak Spanish.  If I am talking to an English-speaking friend I'm probably speaking English.  I have had a few dreams where I am speaking in the "wrong" language to someone, but is always works out :)  I usually narrate my dreams in English, though.


3)  What is your "accent" or country you speak like?
Spain. Imagine a Spanish-speaker who learned English as their second language who speaks English with a British accent (are you still with me?)  It's kind of like that.  That's always the first question native speakers ask me:"Where did you learn Spanish?"  Always.  Sigh...I've gotten good at explaining it. :)


4)  Do you eavesdrop on people's Spanish conversations?
All the time.  Mostly in stores where people assume I am a monolingual blonde.  But honestly, "Honey, do you think they have these jeans in a 34?" does not make for very interesting eavesdropping. :)

5)  Does your personality change when you speak Spanish?
I am more direct and a little "harsher" in a weird way.  But, I suppose that's because Spaniards are very much like that.  My voice is also lower.

6) Do you ever forget words in one language because of the other?
Um, not really.  But if something was explained to me in Spanish for example, I have to think for a minute of some of the English words.

7)  Which language do you prefer?
English is my mother tongue, and it is a beautiful language.  There are intricacies of it that I don't have with Spanish.  But I think all poetry is more beautiful in castellano.  And ALL works are literature are better in their original language.  Always. :)

Any of your out there bilingual?  What languages do you speak?

**el que sabe dos lenguas vale por dos**