Addicto a Pandora

     For someone who loves a language she can't really speak yet, anything that smells remotely of español is intriguing. Enter Pandora, popular internet radio station, and slightly less well known foreign language teacher.

   It started with just some harmless throwback Ricky Martin radio stations. Time moves on, other musicians are found...the next thing you know, I'm singing along to a song...and I don't know what the words mean. But yet, I feel as if I know the song? This my friends, is the power of foreign language. Somehow the passion and excitement of the meaning of the words can transcend the power of comprehension. And thank goodness...because sometimes you just want to have a good time, regardless of the language.

   Sure, I'm sure there's plenty of people out there with Heroe, or Esto Es Africa on their iPod, but the world of online Spanish music is so much broader. It's an interesting realization when you get to listen to music from past trends, suddenly understanding that music was made, produced, and sold worldwide...yet never got played in your hometown. Again, it's like a whole other door gets opened.

   In addition to looking ridiculous while singing along, the various accents explored in each song (yes, different countries, and different regions, and even different towns have slight alterations in speech. Welcome to culture, ladies and gentlemen.) help pronunciation like nothing else can. Let's face it: pronunciation is important. Common phrases, swear words, and more lingual factoids can be picked up easily with music, with the melody helping you to remember. Musical instruments, styles, and  influences from all over the world wind their way into Latino and Hispanic music. Personally, the Spanish advertisements end up being particularly helpful. The language is usually direct and easy to understand...and every product advertised sounds much more interesting in another idioma.

   Hopefully you now have absolutely no reason to feel ashamed about listening to an unhealthy amount of Carlos Santana, Shakira, or in my case, Fiel a la Vega. ¡Buen escucha!