Dominican House-Plant Shopping: Light and Water Requirements in Spanish
Mi Primera Maceta Dominicana: a Chlorophyll-Fueled Wake-Up Call The first time I tried to buy a house plant in Santo Domingo I asked for “una planta para la sala” and thought I was done. The vender, a sun-worn guy in flip-flops, shot back a volley of questions: “¿De sol o de sombra? ¿Cuánta brisa entra? […]
Colombian Mobile-Plan Upgrades: Data-Rollover and Roaming Spanish
My first Colombian eSIM almost stranded me in Medellín’s José María Córdova airport. I’d spent a decade in the Dominican Republic, so I swaggered to the kiosk certain I could skate through another Spanish interaction. Then the paisa agent fired off a question: “¿Vas a querer que tu paquete se renueve solo o lo cargas […]
Colombian Outdoor-Gear Warranties: Cracking the “Garantía de Fábrica” Code
Three years ago I was halfway up the fog-soaked switchbacks of Cerro Quitasol, outside Medellín, when the right shoulder strap on my trusty hiking backpack gave a dramatic ¡crack! I was still a recent arrival from Santo Domingo, only just learning how Colombian Spanish bends, stretches, and occasionally ignores the textbook rules I thought I’d […]
Dominican Flamenco-Fusion Classes: How Dance-Step Commands Can Help You Learn Spanish Across Borders
El Primer Zapateo: My First Tap on Dominican Soil The first time I tried a flamenco-fusion class in Santo Domingo, the teacher—an ex-bailarina from Cádiz who now mixes palmas with bachata footwork—clapped her hands and shouted, “¡Marca el tacón y desliza, corazón!” I froze, left foot in mid-air, mentally translating while everyone else executed the […]
Navigating Colombia’s Digital “Carné de Vacunación”: A Real-World Bootcamp to Learn Spanish on the Fly
Ten years in the Dominican Republic have tattooed more than sand-tinted memories on my skin; they’ve etched Caribbean Spanish into my tongue. Yet last month, while I logged onto Colombia’s new digital vaccination-card portal from a café in Medellín, I realized language learning never clocks out. The barista leaned over my laptop, saw the government […]
Dominican Wedding Dress Rentals: Fitting and Alteration Spanish
La boda donde aprendí que “gastar” no siempre significa “to spend” I still remember the smell of fresh coffee mixed with aerosol hairspray the first time I tagged along with my Dominican friend Lissette to pick up her rented wedding dress in Santiago. Ten years in the country have trained me to keep my ears […]
Dominican Condo Renovation Permits: Municipality Counter Dialogue for the Savvy Expat
A Morning at the Ayuntamiento The sun had barely cleared Santo Domingo’s pastel skyline when I strolled into the Ayuntamiento with a rolled-up blueprint, still smelling of printer ink, tucked beneath my arm. I was convinced everything was in order for my condo renovation—until the security guard cocked an eyebrow and asked whether I had […]
From Santo Domingo to Bogotá: Crafting the Perfect Spanish Elevator Pitch for Latin-American Career Fairs
The Morning I Forgot My Name in Medellín Ten years of life in the Dominican Republic had convinced me I could handle any Spanish-speaking situation. That illusion dissolved one bright August morning in Medellín when I strode into a tech career fair, extended my hand to a recruiter, and—nothing. My brain short-circuited. I introduced myself […]
Colombian Microbrewery Tours: Describing Hops, Malts, and IBUs
Una primera cerveza en Medellín No long-haul flight feels shorter than the one that ends with a cold pint. Last February I landed in Medellín, traded my carry-on for a pint glass at Cervecería 20Mission, and heard a paisa bartender ask, “¿De una, parcero, una IPA bien lupulada o más suavecita?” In that moment, all […]
Dominican Eco-Tour Guide Jobs: Interview Questions & Answer Samples
My first brush with Dominican eco-tour guiding happened on a sweaty Tuesday when I was coaxed into interpreting bird calls for a group of German backpackers in Los Haitises National Park. I had been chasing coconut-water shade for hours, secretly rehearsing the word guaraguao—a red-tailed hawk—in case anyone asked. A ranger overheard my mumbling, handed […]