Will Heikkinen is fluent in Spanish and is close to mastering
Italian. He has lived in Madrid, Spain, and has taught non-native
speakers English in both Madrid and the area near where he lives in
Kennebunk, Maine. He is attending the College of Will and Mary and plans
on majoring in Hispanic Studies with a minor in Government when he
decides on a major. Here are three reasons why it’s a good idea to learn Spanish like Heikkinen:
- Spanish is no longer foreign. Will Heikkinen grew up in New England, not an area known for its high Hispanic populations, but even there, Latin and Hispanic communities are growing. About 16% of the US population spoke Spanish in 2010. By 2050, the percentage is expected to rise to 30. Some analysts predict that by 2060, there will be 128.8 million Spanish-speaking people in the US, likely making it the largest Spanish-speaking country in the world.
- You’ll get a better career. Learning Spanish can help you expand your career. As more corporations around the world are trying to expand into the Latin American market, they’ll need more people who can speak the language. Foreign investment in Latin America was a record $174 billion in 2012, and that figure is only expected to rise.
- You can travel to more places. The next time you go to Cancun, you’ll be able to leave some of the touristy places behind and get a better feel for the country and the surrounding area. There are 329 million native Spanish speakers in the world, and as Will Heikkinen found out, you’ll be able to connect with these people abroad if you speak their language.
