Learning Spanish is a Necessity in Miami

"You need to make sure your child can speak Spanish," Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama said in Powder Springs, Georgia, according to a CNN clip posted on YouTube.

As a Miami resident, I find Obama's assertion to be a great idea, but I know that problems can arise when this suggestion is put into practice.

Miami is a cultural center for Hispanics. Even though a person can easily associate Miami with Cuba, a country 90 miles away from the Florida Keys, Hispanics from all over -- Guatemala, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and more -- have established homes, businesses and connections in this city.

Anywhere you go, you can definitely see Latin flavor and influence in Miami. If you take a drive to Little Havana, you can soon find yourself on Calle Ocho, where an annual festival celebrates Latin music and heritage; drive anywhere and open your ears and I guarantee you'll hear Spanish spoken at a cafe, in a bookstore -- anywhere.

Miamians, you know what I'm talking about.

A minority is in the near majority in this city; according to InfoPlease.com, which cites the 2000 U.S. Census, nearly 66 percent of Miami's population is Hispanic.

Spanish runs Miami. The language gives this city the character and soul it is known for. The language is almost a trademark.

But Spanish -- a language that makes Miami so distinct and unique -- has the potential to cause problems for visitors and even residents.

I am of Cuban and Puerto Rican descent. I speak Spanish, although not well; and even though I occasionally mix my I's and my me's and mess up my tenses, I can understand Spanish conversation. If I am at a churrascaria and the menu is in Spanish, I can read it and order with ease.

My knowledge of Spanish came with my family and how I was raised, but I oftentimes find myself having to speak it in order to get what I need or even help people because they don't know how to speak English.

I ride public transit and I'll oftentimes come across inexperienced riders who are lost on the bus. When they ask for directions in Spanish, the bus driver will usually say, "I don't speak Spanish" (or "Habla ingles"). Once in a while I'll assume the role as translator and help bus riders figure out how to get to work or home -- and sometimes, I'll find a bus driver who doesn't speak English well, and I'll "turn on" my Spanish if I need to ask a question.

While I feel good that I've helped people, it can be frustrating. I sometimes find myself doing double-takes; are we even in America? Even though I'm used to it and know I have an advantage because I can speak the language, sometimes I just don't want to speak it. I don't think I should have to speak it unless it is absolutely necessary.

It always reminds me of when I visited New York City; the place seemed so disconnected from the rest of the United States, but the fact that so many cultures meshed into one spot is the very thing that makes it distinctly American.

Barack Obama's suggestion would probably elicit mixed reactions here. Many residents speak Spanish out of necessity, like me; others feel that because Miami is still part of the United States, everyone should speak English.

I agree with Obama; immigrants should learn English if they live in America. But in Miami, that just doesn't happen as much as we would like.

This city, like the Big Apple, is almost like its own universe. It is an isolated community that bears a definitive culture that cannot be found in any other city or state.

Miami is an anomaly. I am sure Obama understands that Miami is a special case. I cannot say if he was thinking about the city when he spoke in Georgia, but I do know that voters here should open their ears to what he is saying. I think kids do need to learn about other cultures (and be mindful of them) while not forgetting their own.

While we are all Americans, we must remember that we are indeed a melting pot. Language should not be a barrier here; if anything, it needs to unite us.

Whenever I come across a non-English speaker here in Miami, I can only tell myself that this is what makes Miami what it is; it's only a mixed blessing I'm used to.