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Find out more about Ricardo

• 1) Did you grow up speaking this language? Or were you inspired by a trip abroad, an individual or a certain aspect of the culture?

  Yes, I'm a native Spanish speaker.

• 2) Can you name a living, historical or fictional character that you think is the emblematic representative of the language's culture?

  I think 'Don Quijote' by Miguel de Cervantes is still the most emblematic book written in Spanish.

• 3) Is there a typical word, phrase, tradition or expression in the language that you particularly like?

  Yes, it's more a question, "que te vas a tomar?" I learnt it from my parents (Medellin, Colombia). It's a playful way to respond to a compliment and it carries a long meaning, something similar to "what do you want to drink? I'll pay for it".

• 4) Why does speaking this language matter to you?

  It matters because it's my native language which I've learned with, laughed with, grown up with, sung to songs with, etc.

• 5) What is the main difficulty in learning this language and what can help the process of learning?

  I think the main difficulty is to take the first step, the present of your Spanish level is the consequence of your previous practice and engagement with the language, however, I've found that rolling 'R's when pronouncing verbs like 'correr' or any other word including the double RR is a bit of a challenge for some Spanish learners who are native anglo-saxon language speakers. What helps best is practice is rolling your Rs along with breathing exercises, as if you were warming up before singing.

• 6) Provide a valuable anecdote related to your language learning or your days at school?

  I remember my grandma played a crucial part in my early Spanish speaking, reading and writing from age 4 to age 6. I used to spend a lot of time with her back then and there was a very famous workbook for children called 'Nacho Lee' (Nacho reads). I can strongly affirm I became literate thanks to her.

• 7) How has travel or a specific trip helped you to increase your skill and knowledge of the language?

  Travelling within Colombia was essential to expand my Spanish vocabulary due to it being a multicultural country, with 5 main regions with different Spanish accents and slight changes in vocabulary.