Americans get a bad rap for not being able to speak a language other than English and that includes their global representative and leader—POTUS or The President of the United States. While heads of state from other countries can give speeches or press conferences in another language (English, more frequently than not) we always see American presidents with an interpreter in tow or just plain speaking in English like to a crowd of Germans at the Brandenburg Gate. Is this image representative of the American capacity to speak another language?

American Presidents Speaking Foreign Languages

Surprisingly, of the 44 presidents that have occupied the office, more than half have had exposure to another language and achieving a level that may not be fluency but certainly enough to read and understand a language other than English. But, this piece of information also comes with an asterisk. Many of the Presidents that have understood another language were taught Greek and Latin which count, obviously, as another language.      

John Adams was the second president of the US, he was a Founding Father, the first Vice-President, diplomat and a 5^th generation descendant of the first Pilgrim settlers. Originally destined to become a church minister, Adams was taught Latin at an early age in preparation for his entrance to Harvard College where he went when he was sixteen. Later, he would also become fluent in French.

Like Adams, 12 of the 23 presidents from the 19^th century were fluent in Latin while some were also fluent in Greek such as Thomas Jefferson (#3) and James Madison (#4). But Greek and Latin don’t really win over crowds. So what 19^th century presidents were fluent in a language that was actually spoken outside of the university?  Well, as mentioned earlier, Thomas Jefferson was fluent in Greek and Latin but he also knew Hebrew (!), French and Spanish. It is said that Jefferson taught himself to read and write Spanish on a nineteen-day boat ride across the Atlantic!

John Quincy Adams (#6) was also multi-lingual speaking Latin, French and German along with a little Greek and Dutch. Speaking of Dutch, Martin Van Buren (#8) has been the only American president to learn English as a second language since Dutch was his first language. Growing up in a small Dutch community in New York, Van Buren learned English during his primary education. Curiously, his wife, Hannah, never lost her Dutch accent.  Apart from Greek or Latin, American presidents would hit a communicative dry spell until Theodore Roosevelt (#26) became president.

Roosevelt was homeschooled and learned French, German, Latin and Greek. Like some other presidents, he passed through the gates of Harvard when classical languages were still  required for getting in (this would not begin to change until 1892). It appears as though Teddy had other things on his mind other than Cicero and he ended up just getting by and would never claim to have fluency in either of the classical languages. With Teddy Roosevelt, the golden age of multi-lingual Presidents would come to an end.

From the 20^th century to the present, language has taken a back seat in the priorities and education of the American President. From Obama (#44) to Taft (#27) here are the Presidents that have fluent non-English language skills:

--Woodrow Wilson (#28) knew French and German.

--Hoover (#31) knew Latin and Mandarin Chinese (from when he worked in China as a mining engineer).

--Franklin Roosevelt (#32) knew French and German. And that’s it.

Jimmy Carter (#39) knows a little Spanish, Clinton (#42) a bit of German and George W. Bush—or just “W”—(#43) knows a little Spanish too which is something he used, more or less successfully, during his presidency. Barack Obama has spoken (or read) Spanish but admittedly doesn’t know it or another language. On the campaign trail he has admitted this by saying “I don’t speak a foreign language. It’s embarrassing”.

 As we can see, the list of presidents that speak or have spoken another language, while on paper, is very positive. But, the result is skewed due to the style of education that was in place in America prior to the 20th century. But even in 19^th century America where people were educated in classical languages, you surely wouldn’t have been able to order a meal at a restaurant in Boston by saying: Ígnósce mihí! Ésurió.

Today, knowing another language is useful for many things and in our increasingly globalized world maybe another 19^th century-style emphasis on languages is needed. Considering that in the US, Spanish is the number two language spoken and in States like California, where Latinos will surpass non-Hispanic whites in numbers, Spanish will continue to grow in importance. Just to give you an idea…in 2050, it is projected that the United States will be the largest Spanish Speaking country in the world and 10% of the world’s population will be Spanish Speakers.        

American presidents are a reflection of American Society and right now the United States is undergoing a tremendous demographic shift which includes migration towards areas that have traditionally not been receivers of immigrants. A clear example today is the fact that Swahili is the most spoken African language in Kansas! In the United States, knowledge of languages will be more and more of a necessity and should not be considered as just another elective in school.

Before, a President speaking another language was a novelty: remember Kennedy’s famous “Ich bin ein Berliner” when he stood up to the threat of Communist Europe? Today, the ability to speak the language of wherever you may find yourself is very practical and considered something positive and welcoming. In the future, for an American president, it may also be politically savvy and essential for survival.

Brazil 2014

On June 12, it's that time again! The 20th edition of the World Cup will take place in South America, in the host country Brazil. This year, 32 teams are participating and they will compete against each other in eight squads of four teams. The first two qualify for the eighth finals. From the eighth finals, play continues under the so-called “knockout system”: winners advance to the next round and for the losers, the tournament is over. After the World Championships in 1950, this is the second time the tournament will take place in Brazil. It will kick off at the new São Paulo stadium with the match Brazil v. Croatia.

• The World Cup is in Brazil early this summer. The games will be played in one of 12 stadiums in the host cities: Manuas, Cuiabá, Brasílía, Fortaleza, Natal, Recife, Salvador, Belo Horizonte, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Curitiba and Porto Alegre.
• The Dutch soccer team's first match is against Spain and will take place on June 13 at 9 p.m. Dutch time. After the Netherlands lost to Spain in the final of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, this match will be very exciting.
• Of course, there will be a spectacular opening and a World Cup song again this year.

It was not entirely intended that Brazil would again host the World Cup. In 2003, FIFA decided that the tournament would be held in South America. After the withdrawal of Colombia and Argentina, it was announced that Brazil was the only remaining candidate. Still, a battle was struck by stating that Brazil must meet the required quality standards. In the end, it succeeded and the games will be played in one of Brazil's 12 host cities.

We all know that Brazil is known for its carnival and for its rythmic atmospheres. Therefore, the slogan of the FIFA 2014 is “all in one rythm,” or everything in one rhythm. Choosing the logo, a masscotte and the ball was done by an Internet poll. The logo is a typical representation of Brazil, it consists of three hands that together represent the World Cup. The hands are yellow and green, the colors of the Brazilian flag. The mascot also has the colors yellow and green. Its name is “Fuleco,” a compound of the words “Futebol” (soccer) and “Ecologica” (ecology). Many Brazilian soccer names also end in -'eco'. Fuleco is a three-banded armadillo found only in Brazil and a very funny detail is that the animal can roll up like a ba when in danger. The soccer ball will be called 'Adidas Brazuca'. Brazuca is a national word by which Brazilians denote the national pride of the way of life. It symbolizes emotion, pride and benevolence.

Spain - Netherlands

Spain and the Netherlands both managed to qualify for the World Cup. The Spanish and Dutch teams have soccer history. In the past, Spain and the Netherlands have played each other 10 times. Surely the most memorable match is the final match of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, where Spain won against the Netherlands in reserve time. Now, 4 years later, the Netherlands will again play the opening game against Spain. Even though statistics show that the Netherlands has a small chance of winning, we believe that the Netherlands will win the match! This match will be played in the stadium of Salvador on June 13 at 13.00 (Dutch time 21.00).

So at the beginning of summer, the 2014 World Cup begins. The opening will take place on June 12. Make sure you don't miss it. This edition's World Cup song will be sung by Jennifer Lopez, Pitbull and popular Brazilian singer Claudia Leitte. The song is called “We Are One,” and expectations are that it will be as much of a hit as Shakira's World Cup hit “Waka Waka. Expectations for Spain's soccer and Latin American countries Argentina and Uruguay are also very high, so be sure to stay tuned!

Travel to Spain

One of the best travel opportunities you can have as a tourist is coming to a country like Spain and living in a house or flat just like a typical Spaniard. This kind of experience is unique and incredibly gratifying since you get a perspective that a regular tourist can only dream of. Not living in a hotel means that you’ll have the chance to go to the different neighborhood stores to buy your meat, produce, bread and groceries. You’ll meet and talk to people from the neighborhood in the corner bar while you’re having a coffee and churro for breakfast. But not all is sidewalk cafes and roses…there is a downside to all of this greatness (as there usually is). One day you will have to use the oven, dishwasher or washing machine. It’s then when things start to get a little sketchy and you'll begin to question the wiseness of not staying in that 4 star cubicle.

The Spanish team in Brazil

As we all know, Spain is defending the World Cup at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil this summer. By now it is known that Spain is in the same pool as the Netherlands. Together with Australia and Chile, they form Pool B and the first matches will take place on June 13. Even though "La Roja," the Spanish team, won both the 2010 World Cup and the 2012 European Championship, they still fear a bit for their opponents. Our Orange, of course, is fully focused on getting revenge for the lost 2010 final. But they also fear Chile, currently one of the most dangerous teams in South America.

• It is not yet clear who will be in the Spanish team's selection at the World Cup in Brazil, but there are bound to be many familiar names such as Ramos, Alba, Villa and Piqué.
• It remains to be seen if the older guard like Casillas and Alonso will be in the selection.
• If Spain wins the 2014 World Cup, it will become the third country besides Italy and Brazil to successfully defend its world title. 

This year la Roja is again under the direction of Vicente del Bosque, who was also the coach during the 2010 World Cup and the 2012 European Championship. Since 2008, del Bosque has been in charge of which players represent Spain in international matches and tournaments. And he does it well, given the successful results in recent years. Spain's soccer success keeps coming, including being in the history books as the first team to successfully defend its European title. In fact, Spain also became European champions in 2008, and again the team was led by Luis Aragonés.

It is not yet known exactly what La Roja's selection will look like during the World Cup, but many of the players will most likely be from Spanish soccer teams Real Madrid, Atlético Madrid and FC Barcelona. Notably, the regular players in the national team are Ramos, Alba, Iniesta, Valdén, Villa, Fàbregas, Piqué, Busquets, Pedro and Arbelo. Many of them will be seen during the World Cup in Brazil.

During the 2014 World Cup, the Spanish team will stay at the CT do Caju training center in Curitiba. The training center known as the largest and most modern in Brazil. By choosing Curitiba, the team is also fairly close to the cities where the first matches will be played.

Under del Bosque's leadership, the Spanish team has lost only eight of 85 games in international competition. But before the World Cup really begins, Spain will play one more game, a friendly against El Salvador at the Redskins' stadium in Landover, Washington. There are very many positive expectations from the Spanish team and Spain will of course do everything possible to bring in the cup.

¡Viva España!

It’s May – spring is in full swing and nature has donned her finest splendor. Below you’ll find a panoramic peek at scenic, historic, relaxing, and spectacular gardens around the Spanish speaking world.

Equador, the Spanish name for the word Equator. As such, the country lies on the zero line that divides the world into the northern and southern hemispheres. It is surrounded by Peru, Colombia and the Pacific Ocean. The country has a thriving tradition of national holidays, festivals and celebrations. Colorful and lavish celebrations occur monthly and are part of Ecuadorian culture. These holidays often center on the country's history. Every year on May 24, the people of Ecuador celebrate their independence and commemorate the defeat of the Spanish in 1822. This event is known as the “Battle of Pichincha".

• The Battle of Pichincha is the last battle of the independence struggle between Spain and Ecuador. Every year on May 24, the people commemorate this battle and celebrate their freedom.
• The name “Battle of Pichincha” comes from the volcano Pichincha, which is located next to the capital Quito. The battle took place on the slopes of the volcano, hence the name.
• The celebrations on May 24 consist of parades with children or with military personnel in the larger cities. Through this parade, Ecuadorians honor the country's history and show their pride. There is also much partying, drinking and, above all, enjoying the day off.

Ecuador was first conquered by the Spanish in 1534 under the leadership of Francisco Pizarro. They founded the city “Muy noble y muy leal ciudad de San Francisco de Quito” the very high and very loyal city of St. Francis of Quito, which is now the present capital city of Quito. Through the Spanish occupation, Quito grew into a city of more than 10,000 inhabitants. Despite the growth, the city first proclaimed independence in 1809.

The battle of Pichincha dates back to the year 1822 when the Ecuadorian independence fighters defeated the Spanish army on the slopes of the volcano Pichincha. This volcano is located next to the capital Quito at 3,500 meters above sea level and is still active. After this military victory, the country joined the republic of Greater Columbia until 1830, when the republic fell apart. Officially, then, Ecuador became an independent republic in 1830, but the Equadorian people consider May 24 to be the true Independence Day.

On May 24 in Ecuador

On May 24, then, all of Ecuador and also the tropical Galapos Islands are in a celebratory mood. Schoolchildren march in their school uniforms through the smaller towns and honor the country's history. In the larger cities there are military parades and they are watched by tourists, visitors and the Equadorian people themselves. In the Galapos Islands, there is a special parade. This parade is also walked by school children in uniform, but the student with the highest average gets the privilege of carrying the Equadorian flag. This is quite an honor and people work all year for it.

Ecuador's Independence Day is not the country's most fascinating holiday, but it does showcase the country's history and the pride of its people. It is a perfect opportunity to mingle among the locals and if you do travel through Equador or the Galapos Islands during this day, find a hole in your itinerary and stop for a moment to enjoy this historic day.

This Spanish Formula One driver Fernando Alonso was born on July 29, 1981 in the city of Oviedo, which is located in the northern region of Asturias.

Alonso is of course known for all his victories in karting and Formula One, but mostly for the speed with which he managed to find his way to the highest branch of motorsport.

• In Spain, a country with no Formula One tradition, his successes have led to a real “Alonsomania” and Fernando Alonso is a national hero.
• A funny detail is that the Asturian flag has the same colors as the Renault team, light blue and yellow. The grandstands were totally transformed into a sea of light blue spectators during the Spanish Grand Prix.

At age three, Alonso was already a fan of cars. His father built a little car for his eight-year-old sister, but she found it anything but interesting. For little Alonso, on the other hand, it was love at first sight. He started karting and by age six it was clear that it was not just a hobby. Then came his first victories: in 1988 in Pola Liviana where he won the children's championship and two years after that, the then nine-year-old Alonso won the youth championships in Asturias and the Basque Country.

Until 1998, Alonso was active in karting and by then had many victories to his name. In 1999, he made the switch to single-seaters and immediately became champion of Spain at the Nissan Euro-Open Series. A year later, Alonso drove for the Astromega team in the international Formula 3000 championship. After this season, Alonso signed a Formula One contract with the Minardi team and makes his debut in the Australian Grand Prix on March 4, 2001, as the third youngest F1 driver in history. During his time at Minardi he wins nothing, but he often outperforms other drivers during qualifying runs, so he joins Renault as a test pilot in 2002 and is promoted to full pilot in 2003.

As a Formula One driver with Renault, he gets his first podium finish at the Malaysian Grand Prix, third place, and a few weeks later he is second, behind Michael Schumacher at the Spanish Grand Prix. In August, he does finish first at the Hungarian Grand Prix and eventually scores points in 12 of 18 Grand Prixs which is ultimately good for fourth place in the final standings of the world championship.

The Youngest Formula One World Champion

2005 and 2006 were the heyday of the Formula One driver. In 2005, at the age of 24, Alonso became the youngest world champion in Formula 1 history. Starting in 2006, things don't go so well but in 2012 and 2013 Alonso finishes in second place in the world championship. Alonso has been driving for Scuderia Ferrari since 2011 and is currently fourth in the world championship. At the last circuit in Bahrain, Ferrari did not do very well. The next Grand Prixs are in China, Monaco and Barcelona. “From there we should do better and take podium places,” Alonso said. Ferrari has the resources, the potential and they control everything. We will see!

Miguel de Cervantes is one of the most famous figures in Spanish literary history, his greatest work “Don Quijote de la Mancha” is generally considered to be the first ever modern European novel; and such was his influence on the Spanish language, it is often referred to as the “lengua de Cervantes”. Given the prestige of his work, many of the circumstances surrounding his life, his death and his burial are somewhat surprising.

Although the don Quijote novel enjoyed some success at the time it was released, it did not provide Cervantes with the fame or recognition that he enjoyed posthumously when the work was re-discovered. This Spanish literary great ended up passing away at the age of 69 on April 23^rd 1616, on the same day as William Shakespeare, without a penny to his name. He asked to be buried within the Trinitarians convent in Madrid, a religious institution that had been responsible for paying the ransom needed to release him from slavery after his capture by pirates.

Cervantes' Burial Site in Madrid

This convent, which still exists in the literary quarter of Madrid, is to be searched by historians who have long been campaigning to look for the bones of Miguel de Cervantes. Ground-penetrating radar will be used by forensic archaeologists to investigate the area underneath the convent. The exact burial site’s precise place has been lost throughout the course of history, with it being almost four centuries since his death, because of various stages of development on the convent, but historians are confident that the quality of the technology is sufficient to find Cervantes’ bones.

Luis Avial, who has worked on a number of excavations of old Spanish Civil War burial sites, will oversee the work. The first stage of the process will be scanning the ground underneath the oldest section of the convent with the use of georadar. If the initial scans manage to reveal a likely location of the bones, then an excavation will take place to recover them. It is thought that Cervantes is not the only person buried here, however, injuries that he suffered in battle will make it much easier to identify his remains.

Cervantes sustained musket wounds during the 1571 naval battle of Lepanto. He was shot in the chest as well as in the arm, which left him with a withered left hand for his whole life. A historian, Fernando de Prado, stated that the injured hand and the damaged ribcage, alongside knowledge that Cervantes only had six teeth left in his mouth when he died, will make identifying the body a much easier process.

Madrid City Hall has commissioned the project and provided an estimated €100,000 to cover the costs of the exploratory work. The culture councilor Pedro Corral acknowledged that the operation was not guaranteed to be a success, but that it was essential to try and find the remains of the man who is recognized across the world as the creator of the modern novel, and that a discovery of Cervantes’ bones would prove to be a significant boost for the city’s tourism industry. 

Seville's colorful fiesta

In the second week after Easter, Seville traditionally celebrates its colorful fiesta for one week; the Feria de Abril. During this traditional fiesta, the immense grounds situated in the 'Los Remedios' district transform into a collection of everything Andalusia stands for such as tapas, flamenco, horses, bulls and much more. Wander through this special fiesta and be immersed in an extraordinary Spanish and Andalusian culture.

The origins of the Feria de Abril date back to the year 1847. This was the year the first Feria de Abril was held. Initially it began as a livestock fair where prizes could also be won. Small tents, also called ''casetas,'' were placed so that the trade in which people were interested could be realized more in a private atmosphere. These tents grew in popularity because of their cozy and festive atmosphere. Then more and more services were added in the form of selling entertainment and food and drinks. In the year 1973, the former location became too small and moved to the current site in the "Los Remedios" neighborhood. Each year the Feria de Abril gained more and more fame and grew in popularity. To this day, it has become the largest traditional fiesta in Seville, and one of the largest traditional fiestas in Spain.

Prior to Monday night, also called the night of fish "Noche del Pescaíto," it is a tradition to eat fried fish, pescaíto frito, at dinner. The Feria de Abril then traditionally kicks off on Tuesday at midnight, when the thousands of lights on the gate and grounds come on. The lights stay on for six days and turn off again at midnight on Monday, followed by a huge fireworks display along the Guadalquivir River.

The grounds are decorated with paper lanterns, and the ground is covered with a yellow-colored sand that is also traditionally used in Seville for gardens and bull arenas. During this week, the grounds consist of more than 1,000 private and public tents. These are scattered throughout the various streets that bear the names of famous bullfighters. The private tents often belong to wealthier families or are shared with the neighborhood. Therefore, no two tents look alike and each one is unique. There is also a large fairground on the grounds with more than 500 attractions for young and old. The "fiestas" therefore go on well into the night and freeze the ordinary life of Seville during this one week.

Sevillanas

 Walking through the streets of the Feria de Abril, you see people socializing, eating and drinking. Everywhere there is spontaneous Sevillanas dancing and in every corner a different flamenco song resounds. Tents have to stay open during the tour of the horses where horse and carriage, and riders ride by almost majestically. An atmosphere that feels Spanish.

The ladies look their best and wear the most diverse, colorful and striking flamenco dresses; green with polka dots, frills, purple and all equally beautiful. The flamenco dress goes extremely carefully with the flower in the hair, the jewelry one wears and the manila scarf (a large scarf with fringes used as a skip). The men wear what is known as a traditional short suit. The sombrero is also part of this, of course. The suit consists of a vest, vest, blouse with pleats or fringes and suspenders. The pants are long slacks under which boots with socks are worn. The colors of the suit consist mainly of dark shades because of the windblown dust of the streets.

Not only are the colors of the party overwhelming, but also all the food smells make the Feria de Abril a great success. It is common to eat tapas at the many tents, each with its own tapas specialty. One can enjoy many typical Andalusian dishes such as Andalusian gazpacho, the aforementioned fried fish ''pescaíto frito'', anchovies in vinegar ''boquerones en vinagre'' or many other tapas dishes. All this is done while enjoying a flute of beer or a glass of wine. Thus, the real atmosphere of Seville's colorful fiesta can be tasted.

Spring has sprung and that means Mother's Day is here again! In most countries, Mother's Day is celebrated on the second Sunday in May, but in Spain and Portugal, the celebration is on the first Sunday in May. So "Día de la Madre," the Spanish name for Mother's Day, is on May 4 this year. Nowadays, this day is more of a commercial thing, but the idea behind it remains the same in every country: to spoil mothers by having breakfast in bed, presents and taking over caregiving duties for a day.

• In the Netherlands this year, Mother's Day falls on May 11 but in Spain it is always celebrated a week earlier. This year, "Dia de la Madre" falls on May 4.
• The celebration of Mother's Day in Spain is more like a celebration of a family birthday. The whole family gathers and many gifts are handed out. The day is dedicated to mothers, of course, but socializing and being with family is equally important.

Mother's Day has several origins. In ancient Greece, worshipping mothers was already part of the ceremonies for "Rhea," the "Great Mother of the Gods," and in Great Britain the day descended from the Christian holiday "Mothering Sunday" which takes place on the 4th Sunday in Lent. It was not until 1644 that there was a Mother's Day in Great Britain with no church background. In America today, Mother's Day is a commercial thing. Here, the celebration dates back to the 19th century after a female judge from Philadelphia started a publicity stunt for Mother's Day, a day that was to be dedicated to appreciating mothers.

So on May 4, Mother's Day is celebrated in Spain. Many stores and boutiques are decorated weeks in advance and the shelves are full of the well-known Mother's Day gifts: chocolate, flowers and greeting cards. But homemade gifts and cards are much more appreciated by mothers. Therefore, school children also start making a Mother's Day gift a few weeks in advance. A few hours a day they spend crafting at school. Cutting, pasting, coloring and painting, everything is done to make the perfect gift. Of course, with a little help from their masters and teachers. When Sunday finally arrives, breakfast is often made by the father and children. While doing so, the crafted Mother's Day gifts are given and the Mother's Day poems are read.

In Spain, it is normal for Mother's Day to be celebrated with the whole family and not just the family. Therefore, mothers also receive gifts from other family members and it is a fun and festive celebration with the whole family. May is also the month when the Blessed Virgin Mary (the mother of Jesus) is honored, which often coincides with the celebration of Mother's Day.

Mother's Day in Spain does not differ that much from the Dutch celebration. Except that it is celebrated on a different day and is often combined with honoring the Blessed Virgin Mary, the intention is the same. This day is dedicated to pampering mothers, but most of all to coziness with family and relatives. The best way to celebrate Mother's Day is often by simply spending time with her.