On learning Spanish

Taken from Spanishclassesinmumbai.in

by Susan Palmes-Dennis

Como esta? (how are you?) como se llama (what is your name)? Dondi vives tu (where do you live).? 

These are just a few of the Spanish phrases that I knew by heart. Not only am I proud of having a grasp of a foreign language but my little knowledge of Spanish (Espanol) proved to be useful to me in my work. 

I took Spanish 1 to 4 in college way back in time. It was easy to memorize and remember then. Now this knowledge that laid dormant in my brain all these years waited for the time when it would be recovered again. Why?  

Working as an assistant teacher in one of the schools systems in the Carolinas I have noticed there are groups of students that converse in Spanish. I know that for sure. They talk among themselves in my class or in the hallways. 

I was surprised that I can understand what they're saying among themselves. I can add one word or phrase to another to make a complete sentence and even some complex sentences. Sort of a “little of this and a little of that.”

I have no idea where it came from. These conversations among young students reminded me of my Spanish classes at Liceo de Cagayan under Mr. dela Torre, I forgot his first name.

Anyway he must be a good teacher because I retained most of his teachings in my brain. Have you heard that lessons learned when a person is young stays with him/her?

Also for five years I attended a weekly Spanish class offered by St. Mark Catholic church here at Huntersville and it was at that time that I recalled that my Spanish was not bad at all and that given a chance I can speak the language.

During that class I can connect one word to another word to express a complete thought. “Makadangul sad (trying hard).” Es verdad no me molesta (it is true it doesn't bother me).

Going back to my teaching work here in the Carolinas, there are some Spanish speaking students that are loud so what I did was to talk to them in Spanish and since then I have not encountered any issues in class.

When I heard these groups of students conversing in Spanish I joined them by asking or striking a dialogue. First they were surprised and after a while I was made part of their conversation. 

They  thought at first I am from Columbia or Venezuela. I told them honestly I am the Philippines and to some Filipinos Spanish is a second language or if at all a known language.  “Poquito habla espaniol (speaks little Spanish).” 

My approach works and because I speak in Spanish to these kids, they sit and pay attention. “Entarse y silencio (sit and silence).” I think these kids embrace me. 

I could only surmise that they consider me as their own. Since then I have not encountered any behavior issues. 

Filipinos are fortunate because of the influence of foreign languages like Spanish and English in our society. We have words in Tagalog or Bisaya that are actually Spanish words.

We use this daily. Examples are plato (plate), kutsara (spoon), tinidor (fork), mantel (jacket), calle (alley), maestro (teacher) and so on. It's part of our heritage from Spain.

Among my siblings it was my late brother Ramon whom most of the time used the Spanish language during conversations. “Entonsis, por favor, despues (please later).”

Others like to add Spanish during their talks out of curiosity, habit or to feel intellectual. Whatever is the reason, it's good for us to try learning Spanish or another language starting today.

Recent medical studies showed the positive effects of learning a foreign language on the human brain. 

Studies by York University of Alzheimer's patients “demonstrated that those who were bilingual had a significant delay in the onset of the disease compared to their monolingual counterparts.” 

Other studies concerning the health of monolingual and bilingual patients' brains showed that the effects of dementia were less advanced in bilingual patients even though their brains showed more brain damage as a result of the disease.

It is not yet late. Try to learn one foreign language a day and you’ll never know when it can be used. It's better to be prepared than to be caught flat footed. Entonses senor?

(Susan Palmes-Dennis is a veteran journalist from Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental, Northern Mindanao in the Philippines who worked as a nanny and is now employed as a sub-teacher and a part-time teacher assistant in one of the school systems in the Carolinas.

Read her blogs on susanpalmesstraightfrom the Carolinas.com and at http://www.blogher.com/myprofile/spdennis54. These and other articles also appear at http://www.sunstar.com.ph/author/2582/susan-palmes-dennis.
You can also connect with her through her Pinterest account at http://www.pinterest.com/pin/41025046580074350/) and https://www.facebook.com/pages/Straight-from-the-Carolinas-/494156950678063)

Growing old with white hair

by Susan Palmes-Dennis

I WAS looking through all the blogs at Blog Her/Life Well Said the other day and I came upon a blog entitled “How to tell if you’re getting old.” 

It inspired me to write my answer to that question. I can say I'm getting old because of the white or gray hair.

Much has been written about this topic and in fact there is another site that discusses how to fight against graying hair. Here, I will tell you my personal experience on how to deal with aging, specifically graying hair. 

First it is safe to assume that human beings want to maintain their youth. There are a select few who face creeping old age with calm and zero fear. 

As a woman I am one of those who's always conscious of their looks. It is human nature. Naturally, we would like to preserve our beauty or whatever beauty is there to preserve. 

In fact some signs of old age are scary to many others. It can cause distress and fighting it off would cost a fortune. 

Let me share then to you my own battle with graying hair. It was 10 years ago when I came across a few strands of gray hair in my hair brush. I was in denial about it but the more I brushed, the more gray hairs kept falling off my head.

When I started having white hair in high school, I didn't mind it because it was too few and far between. Back then, there's a “twissor” or tweezer that I used to pull out the white hair. It was a form of therapy for me especially during weekends.

When I was with my daughters and nieces, I bonded with them by letting them pull out my white hair. Problem is they pulled one strand too many and the white hair was enough to fill a small bowl.

When I was on TV, my hair's glossy look is maintained by the ever lovely Carla Salvana alias “Kilay 2000.” Carla, a native of Jasaan town in Misamis Oriental, northern Mindanao, Philippines remains my favorite hairdresser. 

I asked him one day where the strands of my white hair were and Carla would reply “it is all over madam. It was bullseye.”  Since then, I've been dyeing my hair every six months. 

To one used to having glossy black hair, blonde hair, strawberry red hair, brunette hair or whatever hair color, the presence of white or gray hair may at first be disconcerting and unbelievable. From six months, it became three months and so on. 

When I arrived in the US, I noticed that I had more gray hair. There's no Carla in the US and the cost of dyeing my hair may cost a fortune.

I've been reading on this subject and I came across an article entitled “The Science of Graying Hair.” In it, the writer said the human hair produces a strong hormone called catalyses that functions as an oxidative catalyst. Catalyses decomposes hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen.

In aging, the person's catalyses level lowers and the hydrogen peroxoide doesn’t break down and so can’t protect or build up hair follicle.”

Genes has something to do with the lowered catalyses level also. I did notice my mother’s hair turning white early on. So I think that's the reason why I had white hair early. 

Other studies would point to malnutrition and anemia as the culprits. My hemoglobin level is low so I guess that also led to my hair going white early.

I presented that problem to Carla Salvana six years ago and his answer was funny that even until now I recall it. “Madam- the problem with you is you look for white hair- don’t look for white hair so no worries.” It makes sense.

Still the question haunts me today. Will I still dye and hide my whitening/graying hair, deny its existence or just flaunt it? 

The many nights I've thought about it, the more I recalled Carla's answer. And come on guys, it's not only the hair on our head that grows white, it's also in our private parts.

Nobody told me about it, at least my mother never told me about it. So having lived quite a life, I embraced my growing old and I don't have any worries about it.

White hair is a sign of wisdom after all. Again, only the brave ones face this stage of life with calm and zero fears. For others, it's still a question of whether to dye or not dye one's hair. What about you, Gerva Celeredad?

(Susan Palmes-Dennis is a veteran journalist from Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental, Northern Mindanao in the Philippines who worked as a nanny and is now employed as a sub-teacher and a part-time teacher assistant in one of the school systems in the Carolinas.

Read her blogs on susanpalmesstraightfrom the Carolinas.com and at http://www.blogher.com/myprofile/spdennis54. These and other articles also appear at http://www.sunstar.com.ph/author/2582/susan-palmes-dennis.
You can also connect with her through her Pinterest account at http://www.pinterest.com/pin/41025046580074350/) and https://www.facebook.com/pages/Straight-from-the-Carolinas-/494156950678063)