| Today, it is becoming more and more appealing to | | | | language is spoken as the native language. This used |
| speak a second language. Spanish is a widely-spoken | | | | to be followed closely by live classes, where at least |
| language, indeed, with conversational Spanish all of | | | | the teacher or instructor hopefully spoke the language |
| Latin America opens up to you, except Brazil where | | | | fluently (and hopefully English also, so he or she could |
| Portuguese is the official language of the country. But | | | | lead the class!) |
| even there, knowledge of Spanish will be helpful, as | | | | Today, with technology advances, and broadband |
| there is some cross-over between the Portuguese | | | | connections to the internet, that is no longer the case. |
| and Spanish - certainly more of a cross-over than | | | | And the developers of online language courses have |
| there is between English and Portuguese. | | | | taken advantage of that to develop tools and modules |
| Your travels become more fulfilling and enjoyable - | | | | within their programs which strive to simulate |
| literally a whole new world opens up to you. | | | | immersion. Some of the more established and |
| For business reasons also - due to globalization - | | | | traditional courses have been slower to do it than |
| possessing conversational Spanish can be a great | | | | some of the more recent arrivals, but that has just |
| asset. Many businesses are expanding abroad, and | | | | forced the established programs to rush to catch up. |
| the markets of South America are really opening up | | | | These tools and modules do a good job of simulating |
| as many of the countries there rise from third-world to | | | | immersion. It is still not the same as sitting down with a |
| first-world status. While everybody talks about the | | | | native family in a restaurant where nobody speaks |
| economic wave in China, savvy companies are also | | | | English and having to fend for yourself ordering, while |
| expanding their presence in Latin America. Economic | | | | absorbing as much of the conversation and culture as |
| development will be strong there over the next | | | | possible, but it is getting close, and all from the comfort |
| decade. This, in part, is why Brazil was awarded the | | | | of your own home or office. |
| next Olympic Games. It is recognition by a | | | | It is also much more efficient, as you do not have to |
| predominantly European-controlled organization that | | | | travel to achieve it. Even if you do plan to travel, and |
| Latin American countries are taking their place among | | | | to immerse yourself in order to learn faster, online |
| the leading countries from an economic perspective. | | | | programs with immersion-type tools make a great |
| All of this is an incentive to learn conversational | | | | preparation tool, at a reasonable cost. Indeed, while |
| Spanish. Traditionally, while grammar, verbs, and | | | | some of the more established Online Language |
| language rules could easily be learned online, people | | | | Schools still try to charge $300 - $500 for their |
| turned to live classes to develop their conversational | | | | premium programs, if you search around you can |
| skills. Indeed, the best way to learn a language is | | | | probably find a great solution for less than $100. |
| through immersion - living in a community where that | | | | |