question for roatan man - spanglish

[swisstrav]

hi
i feel i need to study some spanish. im also an avid diver/semiprof photographer. this seems to make the bay islands just ideal for me.

studying in the morning and go diving in the afternoon. plan to stay for approx. 3 months. im not on a tight scedule

for my studies, i think, there are not much possibilities. i can do it ether in roatan or utila. plan to stay in appartement or resort. what will be very inportant to me are the diving facilities. im diving quite a few years (have accumulated a few dives) and don´t mind diving solo for shooting. ie this is the prefered way for me just staying in one place and waiting for that picture. also getting some whalesharks is on my todo list.

besides that, if in need, i could also imagine to do some guiding or getting an instructor rating.

and yes, in the evenings i don´t mind mixing with people for a drink or two ;-))

so, taking all this into consideration, when should i go? where should i go? what should i look for? your recommendations are very wellcome.

swisstrav (who could inprove his english too)

 

[Doc]

Your English is just fine.

There are much better informed members here than I who can clue you in on Spanish Classes on the islands. I dive a lot of other places, and yes- I love my Bay islands, but I am not wearing blinders to the many other wonders and islands in the Mar Caribe.

Understand this: I had 6 years of intensive Spanish classes in the US taught by Spaniard Castillians and Mexican Nationals. I have worked for governments in Central America. I can read and understand any Spanish newspaper and watch any TV News broadcast. Sabado Gigante or any Soap Opera? All I can do is sit there and stare at the incredibly hot women clinging to overweight middle-aged bald guys. I have no clue what is being said nor do I get the joke, but maybe even a guy like me has a chance with one of these hotties! The color comics are a mystery as is any crossword puzzle.

When I try and speak Spanish, they smile graciously, and largely I am understood, but I have no clue what they are talking about when they speak strictly amongst themselves. We all know that "street spanish" is different than any classroom, but there are three distinct Bay Island variants that even I have noticed (and that would be just on Roatan). Colloquial and contemporary phraseology and words evolve at the rate of satellite television.

They Bay Islands are an English speaking heritage governed by a Spanish speaking government. More and more so, you will find mainlanders, derisively known by the locals as "the Spanish" working hard on the islands and becoming part of the melange of cultures. The Bay Islands really have no extant surviving culture. If they did, it would be much like Cayman Island- that's where they were all from. The purest remaining native line would be on Guanaja because of difficulty of access and the lack of tourism development dollars.

There is also a growing population of Garifuna as well as imported black people from all over. It strikes me as odd how the Jamaican Reggae/Rastafarian affectation has taken a pervasive control over the young people of all races and the FM stations. Add a little "gangsta" to the mix and you'll split a gut laughing at the odd and occasional "pimped out" cars that are seen, usually stationary as they are broken down due to potholes.

Mixing an intention to get a DM or an OWSI is mutually exclusive from partying at night.

You will find that most all dive ops appreciate and tolerate accomplished solo divers, especially one such as you who understand what it means to "Go slow, see more", the Bay Islands mantra. The cool stuff is macro and patient divers with perfect buoyancy and excellent observational skills are well rewarded. Many less experienced typically decry the "lack of fish". You will like the diving and the ambience provided by the convivial residents and typical visitor.

It's all about to change, I would go now. Utila is truly the final frontier.

Spanish Language educational opportunities? Others will chime in.

 

[Hank49]

I think you'll need to be one of the "gifted" (which I am not) who can learn a language fast if you're only staying there three months and want to learn Spanish.
I found it much easier to learn though than Filipino and Ilonggo. I have a couple books and a Spanish (Honduran) wife who has five kids. I'm surrounded by Spanish but haven't mastered it.

 

[hopefulist]

I studied a few weeks this summer with the Central American Spanish School which has bases in La Ceiba and on Utila and Roatán; I did a week in La Ceiba and a week on Utila (I dove in the mornings and studied Spanish in the afternoons). Their website is:

www.ca-spanish.com

My instructors were excellent but, compared to my other language school experiences, Utila was a lousy immersion environment so the language learning was pretty restricted to my 1-on-1 tutoring time; English is the common language and I think I heard as much German and Dutch as I did Spanish on Utila. In La Ceiba and other mainland destinations the Spanish immersion was 24 hours a day and my language skills progressed much more quickly. Keep in mind it's really pretty tiring to get up early and be off diving till 11 or noon, then grab a quick lunch and spend 4 hours in class. I completed my Advanced Open Water so I had both diving and Spanish homework.

Hope you find just what you're looking for!

 

[Jamdiver]

There is also a growing population of Garifuna as well as imported black people from all over. It strikes me as odd how the Jamaican Reggae/Rastafarian affectation has taken a pervasive control over the young people of all races and the FM stations. Add a little "gangsta" to the mix and you'll split a gut laughing at the odd and occasional "pimped out" cars that are seen, usually stationary as they are broken down due to potholes.

The 'affectation' as you put it, for reggae music and Jamaican culture is probably due to the fact that most of the population originated from Cayman and Jamaica.....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roatan

The main permanent population of Roatan originated from the Cayman Islands near Jamaica, arriving in the 1830's shortly after the end of slavery in British territories disrupted the economic structure that had maintained Caymanian culture. Caymanians were largely a seafaring culture and were familiar with the area from turtle fishing ventures and other activities. Former Caymanian slave-owners were among the first to settle on the seaside locations throughout primarily western Roatan. Former slaves continued to arrive during the 1830's and 1840's, and altogether, the former Caymanians became the largest cultural group on the island.

 

[swisstrav]

many thanks for your thorough pictures of the island. divewise it seems to be my spot. however learning spanish sounds not so promissing. although we are used to learning languages from early school, i realize that after 3 months i will not speak spanish perfect.

however my english started out the same, after 3 months i was able to understand a conversation more or less and did not starve because i could not order food.

so let's see how i progress. at the moment i'm surching for an exciting way to get there.

it could be via asia or the direct way east to west.

will also find out what's better, roatan or utila? or with my time to spend maybe both!

many thanks again and just keep typing your recommendations.

best ragards from switzerland

 

[shadowdiver]

Check out Casa Calico in West End, Roatan. They are offering Spanish courses, and I am pretty sure there was an accomodation deal also.