Blog | Ecela Spanish

Cultural Tidbit: Día de la Canción Criolla

Check out this video of a popular Marinera-style song and dance. While the rest of the world is focused on the great beyond, preparing to celebrate Halloween and All Saint’s Day, many Peruvians are living purely in the moment and celebrating their heritage with the Día de la Canción Criolla. This national holiday was established […]

Modismo del Día (Lunfardo): No tengo un mango

Lunfardo Saying: No tengo un mango. Literal Translation: I don’t have a mango. English Equivalent: I don’t have a single dollar; I’m broke.

Cultural Tidbit: All Saint's Day

All Saint’s Day is coming up, and with it the reminder to take a moment to think about lost loved ones and ponder what life after death may be like. The most famous celebration of All Saint’s Day probably takes place in Mexico, where the holiday is known as the Day of the Dead or […]

Cultural Tidbit: All Saint’s Day

Vista de Viernes: Decorated Cemetery

Testmonial: Luiza Fassarella Cassaro (Spanish + Volunteer)

Mi experiencia en el voluntariado de Ecela Viña, fue maravillosa. A mi me encanta todos los animales, entonces no podría haber hecho otra cosa mejor que este voluntario durante mi permanencia en Ecela Viña Del Mar. Ayudar a los perros de PAEC reconstruyendo sus caniles, les dando comida, jugando, limpiando y principalmente les dando amor […]

Language Learning: Animal Language

As a student learning Spanish, I remember being really amused to learn that animal “speak” differently in different languages. This is mainly because the way that we hear and transcribe sounds is affected by the conditioning of our native tongue. Here are a few examples: guau guau = woof miau = meow bee mee = […]

Modismo del Día: Tan cierto como dos y dos son cuatro

Spanish Saying: Tan cierto como dos y dos son cuatro. Literal Translation: As sure as two and two are four. English Equivalent: It’s a sure thing; As sure as the day is long; As sure as God made little green apples

Cultural Tidbit: Green, Earthquake-proof Housing for Chile

You may remember reading in the news about the devastating earthquake which affected 500,000 Chilean homes and businesses in 2010. While the first efforts went towards helping the survivors and containing the damage caused by the 8.8 magnitude quake, soon attention turned to rebuilding on a large scale. Obviously one big concern when rebuilding after […]