Delving into local social media, I recently came a across the query of a poster considering future settlement on Lake Chapala’s shores.

The person was wondering how important the ability to speak Spanish would be for a new foreign immigrant.

Replies were not unexpected. Many responders assured the would-be settler that it would be a no-brainer since lots of local people have a strong enough handle on English to get by easily.

That is indeed a perk that helps newcomers get their sea legs here. But dependency on communicating in their native language can be an impediment to understanding the mind-set of the host populace and true assimilation into Mexican culture. A lot of personal enrichment literally gets lost in translation.

When my Mexico life started 47 years ago, I was practically a blank slate language-wise, with a vocabulary pretty much limited to por favor, gracias, taco and tequila. I guess I knew the word adios, but without a clue to its nuances.

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