I have to tell you, I had no idea there was a Spanish Language version of the Readers Digest.
But it makes sense. Humor in Uniform, Life in These United States, timely articles, easy to digest (ha!) articles on health, nutrition, and politics - these things cross cultural borders.
One of my favorite memories was actually learning Spanish from a neighbor who was learning English. We had an annual subscription from my Great Aunt - we never had to re subscribe, she always renewed our subscription for us as a present for Christmas - and I grew up reading Readers Digest. English Readers Digest, obviously, not Spanish Readers Digest!
Anyway, the Oliveras moved in next door to us. My memory is a little fuzzy, but Senora Olivera was a wonderful woman - always candy in her apron, and always a copy of Readers Digest in her hand. She was using it to puzzle out how to speak in English. Her husband (who scared the heck out of 10 year old me) was an executive for a textile company and, of course, spoke perfect English. (This was obviously before Selecciones Del Readers or Spanish Readers Digest) But Senora Olivera spoke little or no English.
She came to all the street parties, but spoke to nobody. She let me hand out at her house and scarf her candy - I guess a little boy was less menacing in terms of speaking fractured English
One day I borrowed her Readers Digest and was reading it and laughing at Life in These United States. "Please to read it to me" she asked. So I read it to her like my mom had read it to me - working line by line, word by word, following the finger, through Readers Digest.
They moved away after only a year on our street, but I will always remember Senora Oliveras tortillas (never had them before), Readers Digest magazine, and reading outloud in a quiet house.
I still subscribe to Readers Digest, still give Readers Digest as a gift, still re-subscribe my friends to this magazine. It has simply been a part of my life as long as I can recall.
But it makes sense. Humor in Uniform, Life in These United States, timely articles, easy to digest (ha!) articles on health, nutrition, and politics - these things cross cultural borders.
One of my favorite memories was actually learning Spanish from a neighbor who was learning English. We had an annual subscription from my Great Aunt - we never had to re subscribe, she always renewed our subscription for us as a present for Christmas - and I grew up reading Readers Digest. English Readers Digest, obviously, not Spanish Readers Digest!
Anyway, the Oliveras moved in next door to us. My memory is a little fuzzy, but Senora Olivera was a wonderful woman - always candy in her apron, and always a copy of Readers Digest in her hand. She was using it to puzzle out how to speak in English. Her husband (who scared the heck out of 10 year old me) was an executive for a textile company and, of course, spoke perfect English. (This was obviously before Selecciones Del Readers or Spanish Readers Digest) But Senora Olivera spoke little or no English.
She came to all the street parties, but spoke to nobody. She let me hand out at her house and scarf her candy - I guess a little boy was less menacing in terms of speaking fractured English
One day I borrowed her Readers Digest and was reading it and laughing at Life in These United States. "Please to read it to me" she asked. So I read it to her like my mom had read it to me - working line by line, word by word, following the finger, through Readers Digest.
They moved away after only a year on our street, but I will always remember Senora Oliveras tortillas (never had them before), Readers Digest magazine, and reading outloud in a quiet house.
I still subscribe to Readers Digest, still give Readers Digest as a gift, still re-subscribe my friends to this magazine. It has simply been a part of my life as long as I can recall.
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