Learning to Communicate Without Words: The “Requirement” of Speaking Spanish
December 1, 2013 by kshircliff
Spanish is the official language of the Dominican Republic. The question often comes up from interested potential members: “is Spanish a requirement to go to the Dominican Republic with the Mission: Possible team?” The short answer is no. No, it is not a requirement that members speak Spanish to travel to the Dominican Republic with the Mission: Possible team.
The next question is always, “then how does that work?” Most law students quickly realize that language is almost everything in the legal profession. It is how we make our arguments, draft documents, “rest our case,” and really what we rely upon to make our living. So what happens when we travel to another country, whose official language is Spanish, and the majority of the group does not speak Spanish? In the past few years, the Mission: Possible team has been fortunate enough to have several students who speak Spanish. While the levels of Spanish proficiency varies from a few words or phrases to completely fluent, every Spanish speaking team member is a valuable addition to the group. The 2012- 2013 team consisted of 12 members in total, of which five members spoke some degree of Spanish. In order to help create meaningful connections and make students feel at home, the Mission: Possible Executive Board does everything possible to arrange that each host family has at least one Spanish speaking team member in the house, paired with a non- Spanish speaking member. Carefully pairing students gives the Dominican Republic families the opportunity to be able to connect with their “American children.”
MP Member Katie listens to “la Viejita’s” life story
However, in just a few short minutes after stepping off the bus into the village, the law students quickly realize that spoken language, and Spanish, is not needed to connect with their new families, with the children, with the village. The children of Altagracia are the most eager to demonstrate this point. The children speak a universal language that anyone can understand- they instantly love you, which they show by grabbing your hand and insist by pulling you to play a game of baseball with them. They instantly become your new best friend (especially if you have stickers in your pocket to share). After a few short hours, members no longer rely on their Spanish speaking team member counterparts because he or she is communicating without speaking Spanish. Each team member is making his or her own connection, by making jewelry with his or her new host sister, learning hand games, playing jump rope or baseball with the children. In the evenings, host families teach their “American children” how to dance Bachata, sing traditional songs, and dance.
Though not fluent in Spanish, Jeanne was excellent at teaching
Although many students leave the Dominican Republic and want to learn a little Spanish in preparation for when they return the next year, Spanish is not a requirement to have a meaningful experience during their time in Altagracia, Dominican Republic.
