There were so many incredible stories, so many great reasons for learning Spanish, so many entries that would be worthy winners of the Synergy Spanish Scholarship 2009.
In fact, I was so overwhelmed by the entries that I’ll be giving out consolation prizes soon.
As they say there can only be one winner… but in this case we have two.
The first winner is Linda from category 1… How will learning Synergy Spanish change your life?
Her passion and determination just jumped off the page and touched my heart.
Here’s her entry
It is very difficult to fully express in words what learning Spanish would mean to me. Spanish is apart of me, apart of my culture and yet for most of my life it has felt out of my reach. My dad was an immigrant from Mexico to the US. My mom is Spanish. My dad was very proud of our culture but he saw kids in our neighborhood struggle with “broken English”- speaking English mixed with Spanish and he thought it would make it easier on me to learn English first. He wanted me to learn Spanish and thought I would just learn later, when I was older. I wish it could have been that easy, unfortunately, “later” never came.
I, being Mexican and Spanish, my family on both sides speak Spanish and I have always lived in Spanish speaking neighborhoods. I lived the culture and I looked like everyone else but still did not belong because of my language barrier. Learning Spanish was something I wanted ever since I could remember, since I was a little girl playing with friends or spend time with relatives that I couldn’t communicate with. Numerous times through my life I have had Mexican people, like me, talk to me in Spanish expecting that I would understand, expecting I could help. You don’t know how bad it felt to have to say time and time again “I’m sorry, I don’t speak Spanish.” And the look on their faces every time was the hardest to take. Just another reminder of how I didn’t belong, that I wasn’t honoring my heritage by speaking the language. It wasn’t for a lack of trying. I grew up watching Spanish TV and my mom’s novelas, understanding so much but I couldn’t speak it to save my life. I have tried every method and course imaginable and each one left me feeling like it was hopeless, like the time for me to learn had passed me by.
Until I found your method.
Your teaching method has truly given me hope. Your method is the only one that has ever made sense to my mind. There are so many courses out there, that I have wasted money on. They make big promises and when you’re done you find you barely “get by” in the language, like a tourist. I have no interest in being a tourist speaker. I want to truly master the language. I want to live with Spanish in my everyday life no matter where I live. Your course holds a common goal to my own- language fluency and dominance. Your way of teaching is so in tune with how people’s minds work and learn. So much so, that what is taught becomes more like second nature and less like the usual struggle, trying to extract from your mind the words to communicate effectively. Without that “second nature” element to learning, I believe true fluency will always elude language learners. Other courses lack the tools that are necessary to become truly fluent and “advanced”. I love your method and will never use another. I have every course book you have released and would love to complete your other courses but right now I can’t afford to continue with Bola de Nieve or sign up for Spanish Ear Training because my husband has been unemployed.
So, what would learning Spanish mean to me? It would mean I would never again have to turn away someone that needs my help and I can open the door for so many other opportunities to serve my Latino community. It means being able to connect to my heritage, to people in my culture and neighborhood and feel like I belong. It means never having to utter those dreaded words ever again- “I’m sorry I don’t speak Spanish”. It would mean never having to see that disapproving expression on some ones face and feeling that same disappointment in myself. I have now seen my daughter have to do the same. People automatically speaking Spanish to her and her having to say she doesn’t understand. Learning Spanish would mean that my daughters could also learn the language while they are still little and they would never have to feel the same disappointment I have.
When I was 14 years old my dad was on vacation and told me the following week we were going to Mexico for my sister and I to visit my family there for the first time. He told me it was very important that we meet them and see where we come from. I can’t tell you how excited I was to go. My parents would have to translate of course, but I would finally meet the people from the letters, pictures and phone calls and see Mexico for myself. It would have been a special trip. Three days after my dad told me we were going he past away suddenly from a massive stroke. As you can imagine, that had a huge impact on my life and made my goal all that more meaningful to me. Learning Spanish would mean fulfilling a wish my dad had for me, one that I also have for my children and myself. I would finally be able to visit my family and feel closer to my dad when we can talk together and share each other’s memories of him. It would mean honoring my father and our heritage. It would mean fulfilling a lifetime goal and dream. It would mean forever being filled with gratitude for the ability I have been given and the desire to use it to the good of those around me. This is what learning Spanish would mean to me and I know in my heart your method is the path I have to take to get there.
Thank you for your consideration, work and generosity,
Linda Sappington
In category 2: How will your learning Synergy Spanish help others?
There would be so many worthy winners. The one that stood out to me was the Gus Bus entry from Pat.
You see, I believe books change lives.
Books contain the knowledge we need to transform ourselves.
In a time when I was reinventing my life, books that I got free from the San Ysidro library changed my life.
I learned how to teach, how language works and how people learn. I also read book after book in Spanish as part of my own path to mastering the language.
I guess I have a bias in favor of the Gus Bus because it can help kids take a different path in their lives.
Here’s Pat’s entry.
In collaboration with our local food bank we recently added a food bag component. Now children and families can come on the bus and hear a story, check out free books and get a bag of health snack food.
We have been serving the community for over 5 years and have become a trusted icon in these neighborhoods. We have become a one stop shopping for the people we serve, matching families with needed resources in the community.
Due to budget restraints I have had to cut staff, letting go of my fluent in Spanish staff member. I am now on the bus and suffer from not being able to communicate effectively with the parents and children. I have repeatedly taken classes and workshops and continue to stumble along. I need to be fluent so our program can continue to make a difference in the lives of our Spanish speaking families in out community. Last year we served close to 1000 children in our neighborhood sites.
I hope you will find me (and our program) worthy of your generous offer.
Pat Kennedy
Congratulations Linda and Pat, bien hecho (well done)
You used such wisdom in your choice of winners, people who like you want to bless other people and that is what life is all about
Dear Marcus,
You used such wisdom in your choice of winners, people who like you want to bless other people and that is what life is all about, to share the good things we have in life wtih those who are less fortunate. I pray the Lord’s richest blessings on you and your family. I also what to thank you ever so much for the gift of Shortcut to Spanish. My internet has been down for a minute, but now I can once again practice my lessons daily until I get it down pat. It’s not easy for me, but I have learned preservrance, will and determination, will get you where you want to get if you are persistant. Thanks again and be blessed in your future ventures!!!!
Dear Marcus,
You are a very blessed person. I congratulate you first for selecting the deserving persons as winners for the contest and I also congratulate both Linda & Pat on their success. Well there may be many deserving persons but after reading their comments, I was touched and felt very happy for them. I sincerely wish them all the success in their lives. Marcus, I have just started learning spanish and your courses have really been helpful in my day to day life communicating with my co-workers, employees and also outside. I have a real passion to learn spanish to speak fluently and correctly. I heartfully thank you for the gift of Shortcut to Spanish sent to me. Thank you. May God bless you and your family.
Well done to the winners! Their stories brought tears to my eyes – they both really deserve the prize. I hope they are successful in becomming fluent! x
Thank You Marcus for being so kind and offering a gift to everyone who took part. I actually enjoy learning with you. You point out all of the useful stuff that the text books don’t. Excellent!!!!!
Please continue to create these fun courses because everything else I try seems to be less effective. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
YANNIS (above)
you need to right click on the blue audio lesson
save target as
choose a location to save it
press ok
then find the files where you saved them and burn them onto a disc
If you have saved them already – Do you have windows media player to play them?
GOOD LUCK
x
I am very thankful that you let me view and study
the lessons in your emailed course. It will be fun
to practice and learn Spanish using your materials.
So far I have been unable to play or transfer the
audio version of the lessons although I can see
the list of the lessons in blue (links that I cannot
open or copy to an audio CD for playing while I
am driving. Again, thanks a million.
Yannis
Congrats to the winners!!
And again, Marcus, GRACIAS for the first lesson too!!
Hastaluego!
Dear Marcus,
Thank you for the free lessons just for entering your contest. I was so happy to receive them. I felt like I won a great prize! That was so nice of you to let us all be “winners”.
Thank again, Sherry
Muchas gracias, Marcus, well done Linda and Pat, two very worthy winners. Val
Congratulations to Linda and Pat, very moving stories well done. Marcus I am sure they will both do you proud.
Thanks Marcus,
Michael
congrats to linda and pat and thank you ver much marcus for your free lessons i am surely making use of it cause i am starting to get around little in my office. i am understanding a little of what my boss is actually saying and he is very proud of me. Thanks to you.
Muchas gracias Senor
Ven
Oh, and thankyou very much for Shortcut #1, I now almost have the whole quiver..
W
Hi Marcus and Elena
Rightly so, bien hecho to the winners I couldnt agree more with your decision.
Marcus, Im very proud to call you my countryman and never get tired of talking up your methods and theory to any of my friends who ask me how Im going about learning Spanish.
All the best to you and your family.
Will
After reading the two winners I was embarrassed I submitted a request. I couldn’t agree more both stories struck a cord of need and I’m glad for them. Thanks, Vince
Congrat’s to thw winners! Enjoy,Enjoy!!
To Marcus , whoa you had a tough time picking but you got it right. Perfect pick. Thank you for your genirosity and the huge gift with the shortcut. Much appriciated.
Thanking you.
Alet
Congratulations Marcus, on picking 2 well deserving winners. I am sure they will do you proud.
Congratulations also to Linda and Pat. Must say my reason was pathetic in comparison.
Thank you for the gift, shortcut to Spanish. Regards Sheila
It must have been so difficult to decide on who should receive the Synergy Spanish Scholarship 2009, but it does highlight how many nice, genuine people there are in the world, what a wonderful oppertunity for Linda and Pat.
Thank you for the very generous offer of Shortcut to Spanish.
I purchased Shortcut to Spanish some time ago and found it extremly helpful in my quest to learn spanish, which is why I know how useful it will be to all those who you have made it available to. I hope they get as much from it as I did and still do.
Best wishes to everyone who took part.
Thanks again Marcus
Many many thanks for the free first course, I am enjoying using all the lessons you have sent and I also want to congratulate the two very worthy winners of the scholarships…well done Pat and Linda!!!
Thank you so much for offering a multitude of scholarships!!! You have enabled each one of us to go out into the world and make it a place full of understanding and enhance the lives of others!
Mucho Gusto!
Muchos Gracias, Marcus!!! Thanks for the opportunity you gave us for the scholarships…I believe you made a wise choice with the two winning entries…they touched my heart as well. Also, thanks for the gift….Shortcut to Spanish…it will definitely be of great help in my quest to become much more fluid in Spanish.
¡Dios te bendiga…y tu familia tambien!
Congrats to Linda and Pat well done u 2. I hope you learn Spanish, and use the language confidently. Maybe you can update us with your progress!!
Thanks Marcus for the free first course of Synergy.
Julie
Thanks so much , Marcus. Someday I’d like to visit a Spanish speaking country, and this will really be a blessing!
Congrats to the winners, well done. I believe im a winner too by just signiing up to learn spanish. We all are winners in our own way. Therefore lets put our all in it because believe it or not when we all look back we can say to ourselves well done.
Thank you Marcus,
CONGRAT’S to Pat & Linda!! Use those Spanish lessons to bless others!! =)
And bless your socks off Marcus! You have a good heart…
Paz…
Paul Jones
Hola!
Congratulation for the two winners!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Brahim Abdel Madjid
from Chad
congrats to the two well as for me im one Zimbabwean who cant afford to go to an inter-cafe too expensive but i am working at a 5 star hotel too many spanish clients some leave their newspapers and novels now that i got an idea at least i canhabla pikinini thaks to you
Hola Marcus , thanks for making this “let me say WONDERLFUL SURVEY ” and congratulations for the two winners , they really deserved it.
Hasta Pronto!
Hola Marcus,
Excellent choices, I coulndt agree more afte reading them.
Please would you be kind enough to email me with your full list of language courses and their prices, because I do have 3 tapes and a book, but would love to purchase more tapes and books. I would rather do this than download material as I am not good at that.
I just love your way of teaching, and really eager to get going. PLEASE will you email me on [email protected] in the future, because I dont use hotmail anymore and it was only by chance I have just read this latest email.
We are off to Mexico for a holiday tomorrow and cant wait to use the little bit of spanish I have learnt from your lessons
Many thanks in advance
Millie
wow! i am glad the people who won did win! I have only done the free courses, not the paying ones, as I am in Australia, and under 18!
I didnt submit an entry either, because I think that I am only learning Spanish because I want to be bilingual (or Trilingual?? I speak german too), and because I love different cultures.
When I am older, I would like to travel all over the world, and when i go to those places (including Spain and Mexico), I want to be able to communicate.
For now, I don’t know anyone who speaks Spanish, but I would like to! I am very thankful for the lessons that I have already done.
Great job, Marcus, you have me well on the way to speaking Spanish properly!
Gracias, Coco
HOLA MARCUS, I WAS IMPRESSED BY LINDA’S LETTER. AM HAPPY SHE WON. I DID NOT WRITE ANYTHING BECAUSE COULD NOT LIVE MY TRAGEDY AGAIN.MY STORY IS LONG AND AND HARD TO BEAR. .IT SHOWS HOW STUPID A PERSON CAN BE.I WANTED TOLEARN SPANISH TO FEELINTEGRATED IN THE LIFE AND CULTURE OF A PERSON VERY IMPORTANT TOME,THE LESSONS I GOT FROM YOU WERE OF GREAT HELP, BUT UNFORTUNATELY I DONT HAVE THE MONEY TO BUY YOUR WHOLE COPURSE. I AM GRATEFUL THE LITTLE I GET. ILIVED A DREAM THAT FAILED. I DONT GIVE UPBUT I FEEL BAD I CANNOT PAY AND HAVE IT ALL. I AM THABKFUL TO YOU MUCHAS GRACIAS JUDITH
Well done Pat and Linda. You deserve it.
Marcus, thank you very very much for the gift. That itself is a great.
And Congrats all participants.
Marcus, you are doing a great job. Keep it up.
Great stories, great choice of winners. Pat and Linda, let us know, in Spanish of course (:-) how you have progressed AFTER finishing the course!.
I might join you on the Gus Bus to spice up my Spanish too!
Marcus, keep it up and thanks for doing what you do.
Hellen
Congrats, Pat and Linda, you guys deserve it!
Hola, Thank you for the free course. Your love of this language is very evident. I too, agree with your choice for the winners. Gracias
Thanks for taking the time to look through all our entries and for picking two very deserving winners. Cuidarle, Fran
I agree with your choices 100%.
Great choices! Both entries bought a lump to my throat and a tear to my eye.
I’m sure both Linda and Pat will use their gift to the full. Good Luck to them both and I’m continuing to improve my Spanish daily. Thanks to you and your excellant teaching, I am giving your name and website to al my poor non Spanish speaking ex english pats here in Spain.
Muchas Gracias
Congratulations Linda and Pat,
This world needs all of us to make a difference. “To whom much is given, much shall be required.” Thank you, Marcus, for freely giving to all of us. May you and your family be richly blessed.
Gloria Noles
Congratulation to you, Marcus, finely you can choose the right two, Linda and Pat.
Congratulation to both of you Linda and Pat. Yes, both of you really deserve it.
Thank you very much Marcus, for the gift.
Muchas Gracias.
Chutima Sevikul
Thank you for offering scholarships. I believe you read all the entries and gave it to the most deserving of us all I am certain that the the gals Linda and Pat will put it to good use. Thanks again Marcus for your generosity may the good Lord continue to bless you and yours.
Marcus, your lessons in Spanish have opened up a whole new world for me and I’m eternally grateful to you for your patience and well thought out lessons. Gracias Esther
Congratulations to Pat and Linda. I am very happy for you both-you deserve it. Make the best use of it and I hope I will hear the success stories later.
Thanks Marcus for the gift ‘Shortcut to Spanish’
Hi Marcus,
Thank you thank you thank you for the little surprise in my inbox today! I can’t wait to get started with Shortcut to Spanish!
What a generous idea!
muchas gracias!
WOOOOO HOOO!!! You just made my day, week, month and year!! I am soooooo excited about this and promise to be a dedicated diligent student! I can not thank you enough for this generous opportunity. Your investment in me is an investment in our program and community. Words can not express the joy I feel when I think about the doors I will be able to help open for our Latino families by being able to speak Spanish. I look forward to reading to the children on the bus in English and Spanish! Our immigrant population continues to grow in our town (42 different languages are spoken in our school system), this opportunity will help me be an advocate and voice for many families both on and off the Gus Bus.
Like Linda, I am forever grateful!
Gracias,
Pat
Dear Marcus,
“Thank you” is just not enough.
My prayers of thanks and tears of joy just don’t cover the depth of gratitude, happiness and humility I feel in my heart to receive the blessing of this scholarship from you. Because of your generosity and talent, all obstacles between me and my dream of being a Spanish speaker have disappeared.I truly believe in your work Marcus, and with this scholarship and with the time I will be dedicating to your lessons, I know, this time next year I will speak Spanish fluently. How happy that knowledge makes me! With the many ways that I mentioned learning Spanish meant to me, I don’t think I can even fully comprehend the great extent and various ways which speaking Spanish will enrich my life and the lives of my family and those around me. For all those gifts, seen and unforeseen, I will be forever grateful to you.
Best wishes to you and your family.
Sincerely,
Linda