From “Ingeniero multitask” to Magnetic Storyteller: Crafting Killer LinkedIn Summaries in Spanish
The day my “bilingual ninja” fell flat Five years ago I translated my English LinkedIn summary word-for-word into Spanish: “Soy un ninja del marketing, bilingüe y apasionado.” Within a week, three Dominican contacts messaged politely: “James, ‘ninja’ suena raro.” A Colombian recruiter ghosted after viewing my profile for exactly seven seconds (yes, I checked). I’d […]
Signal or Smiley? Cracking the Emoji Code in Latin-American Slack & Email
I realized just how multilingual emojis can be when I joined a Colombian fintech’s Slack during the pandemic. Day one, I posted a progress update and the project lead reacted with a single 👀. In my U.S. startup days, eyes meant “watching,” maybe even “this is sketchy.” I spent the afternoon spiraling. Only at the […]
From “Lo Siento” to “Perdona la Molestia”: Apology Strategies That Actually Work in Latin America
La mañana que volé desde Santo Domingo a Bogotá con un carry-on lleno de mamajuana bottles, I slammed it onto the overhead bin—and one leaked. Sweet, spiced rum dripped onto a crisply suited Colombian exec beneath me. My autopilot English blurted, “So sorry!” He looked puzzled, more by my language switch than the sticky blazer. […]
Make Yourself at Home—But Please Put the Towels Here: Hosting Overnight Guests in Spanish
The first time my college buddy Ryan crashed at my Santo Domingo apartment, I forgot one tiny detail: explaining the regla de los mosquitos. At midnight he opened every window to welcome the Caribbean breeze—and an army of buzzing invaders. By dawn we were both polka-dotted, swatting in rhythm. The fault was mine; I’d fallen […]
Polite Rain-Checks: Saying “I’m Busy” in Spanish Without Bruising Feelings
When “estoy ocupado” killed the invitation—and the friendship My first month in Medellín, a coworker named Laura invited me to her family’s Sunday sancocho. Exhausted after an all-nighter debugging code, I shot back, “Perdón, estoy ocupado ese día.” Her reply was an icy “Bueno, como quieras.” Weeks passed with awkward hallway nods before I learned […]
Spanish Lesson: Using Community Jargon to Earn Your Neighbors’ Trust
The day a single “compai” opened three doors When I first moved into my pastel-painted apartment building in Santo Domingo, I introduced myself with an awkward “Hola, soy James, mucho gusto.” My upstairs neighbor Julio nodded politely, then vanished behind his metal gate. Weeks later, the power cut at midnight. I wandered into the dim […]
Keeping Cool in the Café: Neutral Spanish Phrases for Surviving Political Talk
I learned the danger of loose lips one Friday in a Santo Domingo colmado. I’d stopped for a cold Presidente, only to stumble into a heated debate about the Haitian border crisis. I tried to sound informed and blurted, “Bueno, el gobierno debería cerrar todo, ¿no?” A hush fell. Two regulars stared like I’d insulted […]
Keeping It Respectful: Giving Compliments in Spanish Without Accidentally Flirting
When “¡Qué bella sonrisa!” almost cost me a promotion Two months into a consultancy in Medellín I congratulated my project manager, Daniela, on her presentation. Trying to flex fresh Spanish Vocabulary, I said, “Tienes una sonrisa hermosa cuando explicas los datos.” Her cheeks reddened, the room went quiet, and a teammate later pulled me aside: […]
Power Suits, Guayaberas & Casual Fridays: Dress Codes Decoded in Corporate Latin America
The linen-shirt fiasco that nearly tanked my pitch My first week consulting in Bogotá, I strutted into a boardroom wearing a crisp white linen guayabera—perfect for tropical Santo Domingo but wildly informal against the navy suits lining the table. One director eyed my untucked hem and whispered, “Caribeño, ¿verdad?” I felt the temperature drop despite […]
From Baby Bumps to Little White Suits: Surviving (and Thriving at) Latin Baby Showers, Baptisms, and First Communions
I still laugh at the memory of showing up to my first Dominican baby shower with a six-pack of diapers tucked under my arm like contraband. I’d assumed we’d play “guess the belly size,” hand over gifts, and go home before sunset. Instead, a live merengue trio blasted “Felicitaciones, Mamá” while abuelo led a toast […]