Transitioning Kids into Local Schools: Comfort Phrases that Ease First-Day Nerves
A backpack full of jitters—and two magic words Last August Emma, our seven-year-old, clutched her new mermaid backpack outside the school gate in Sa
Trade Winds & Tongue Twists: Canary-Islands Spanish That Mainland Books Forget
The first time a Canarian surfer handed me a banana at Playa de las Canteras, he winked and said, “Toma, un plátano canario pa’ que no te quede l
Tipping Etiquette: When and How Much in Spanish-Speaking Countries
Written by an expat who has left everything from a two‑euro coin in Seville to a fistful of pesos in Santo Domingo—learning that generous intentio
The Art of Dominican Compliments in Spanish
First encounter with a Dominican halago The sun had barely bullied its way over the rooftops when Doña Mercedes spotted me lugging groceries up three
Teaching “Please” and “Thank You” in Two Languages: Raising Truly Bilingual Politeness
The day “gracias” collided with “thanks” Two summers ago in Santo Domingo, my four-year-old son Liam sprinted toward an ice-cream cart, shoute