Stuff To Know About Cancun, Mexico
Conversational Spanish
Language
The original inhabitants of this part of Mexico were Mayan and although Spanish
is the official language, most of the indigenous population still speaks their
native tongue. In the past few years, people from all parts of the world have
settled here, giving this region a cosmopolitan atmosphere. It is fairly easy
to encounter English, German, Italian and French- speaking people, especially
in hotels and in larger towns, such as Cancun, which has grown into a prime
tourist destination, attracting visitors from all over the world. Nowadays
you'll find that many languages are spoken and English is fairly
commonplace.
Even so, you'll want to know some basic phrases. In
many countries the locals truly appreciate those who make an attempt
to speak their language, and consider boorish those who don't. Mexico is
no exception, so give it a try - even
if your pronunciation isn't perfect, the mexican people are friendly
and will help you learn.
Learning to speak some Spanish
We've put together a printer-friendly list of a few
Basic
Spanish Phrases to help you get by,
and there are many good phrasebooks you can purchase before your trip,
as well as software, and even websites that are extremely helpful.
If you have the time before your trip, a couple of "shortuts" to
learning we really like include the Interactive ScreenSaver from TravelWords.com
- it uses the repetition of a screensaver to "imprint" some basic
words and phrases in your mind - pick it up at
TravelWords.com. Another idea that
we think is great is offered by TransparentLanguage.com - it's a "Word
A Day" email
(in several languages you can choose from) to help you learn. To
sign up for their Word of the Day go to
Transparent Language's Free Word Of The Day.
As important as learning
some of the lingo is, it's also important to understand
the culture. Like many european countries, Mexico is a place where the
pace of life is much more laid-back and relaxed - rarely will you find
anyone in a hurry, or anyone who understands why you'd be in a hurry, so
your best bet is to relax and enjoy it. A perfect example is restaurants
- in the US we often get the feeling that we are expected to hurry up and
finish our dinner so that our table can be cleaned up for the next person.
In Mexico, if you want to sit there all night no one will bother you. In
fact, it's considered very rude for the waiter to bring you your check,
so you'll have to ask for it ("la cuenta por favor") when you're
ready to leave.
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