1. Spanish is the second most commonly spoken language in the world.

2. For English speakers: Spanish is spelled phonetically and many of the words are similar to English, so it is easier to learn than other languages.

3. For Americans: Spanish is America’s second most spoken language. If you live in New York, Florida or the Southwest, chances are there’s a Spanish-speaking population nearby. Now you can integrate with your hometown communities more than ever before, and practice your Spanish without ever leaving your home country.

4. Spanish is a Romance language ???? so learning Spanish will make it easier for you to learn several different languages within the Romance category, like Italian and French, because their languages are so similar!

5. Knowing Spanish will allow you to travel all around the world. There are 28 different places in the world where Spanish is either the primary language or the largest secondary language, including anywhere from Argentina to Belize to Morocco to Trinidad and Tobago.

6. Job Opportunities. In our increasingly globalized world, there are millions of companies looking for people who can speak other languages, particularly Spanish because its worldwide prevalence. In addition, you will be eligible to work within all of the different parts of the world described in #5. Traveling abroad and work all in one? Count me in!

7. Higher income. Knowing Spanish will make you a more valuable, effective, and higher-paid employee in almost any industry.

8. Gain access to rich Spanish art, music, literature and film. Movies like El Secreto de sus ojos? Pablo Picasso’s Guernica or The Weeping Woman? Don Quixote or literally any novel by Gabriel Garcia Marquez? Shakira’s new song? Finally you can understand these pieces in their original native form.

10. Also for Americans: Think about your future kids (even if that is an unpleasant thought). By 2050, the U.S. will be the largest Spanish speaking country, according to the Association of Spanish Language Academies. That means that if you have children in the next few decades, they will likely speak the language or at least have friends who speak Spanish. Now, you will need to understand what your children and their friends are saying to one another behind your back when they’re not speaking English!!

Guest post: Rebecca DiLuzzio is a Duke University student who is studying a Minor in Spanish. She has been a Pueblo Ingles volunteer teaching English to Spaniards in previous summer and will be joining us this summer to immerse herself in Spanish and take full advantage of her 8-days in Spain.

If you start learning Spanish, you can participate in PUEBLO ESPAÑOL, the most effective Spanish immersion program in Spain!

Pueblo Español is all about full Spanish immersion! With expert staff, Diverbo facilitates over 100 hours of conversation in and 8-day period. The schedule is carefully designed so that you are constantly being challenged to use Spanish in a variety of contexts: one to ones, telephone sessions, meetings, group activities, meals, mingling with locals etc…