“Better late than never” is what they always say, right?

I really need to work on consistency and timing for my TunesDay posts, but at least I didn’t skip completely!  That’s something, at least.

This week, I compiled some of my favorite mellow & jazzy Spanish songs to keep me focused on learning Spanish and to keep me motivated before I leave to Costa Rica in June with two of my good friends, Diana and Cesar.  The tunes are from all over Latin America and the Spanish-speaking diaspora.  I included a band based in Portland, Y La Bamba.  Honestly, they’re one of my fav bands, and it totally makes sense that they’re based in Portland because their sound is so relaxed & effortless, yet incredibly funky.  For a good English song of theirs, try November.

Anyway, if you don’t know, I’ll be returning to Mastatal, Costa Rica for the third time to work on a bird preservation documentary.  Diana, Cesar, and I have all been to the community of Mastatal twice before through UCI’s Costa Rica Program, and we have the immense privilege to return and work with Marcos, the founder & owner of Finca Siempre Verde.  Once created, the film will be donated to La Cangreja National Park & given to the local primary and secondary schools as an educational resource.  We’re incredibly excited, nervous, and super ready to return to Mastatal and the community that has welcomed us so warmly time and again.

Learning a language is incredibly difficult, and I’m super grateful to my pals, Diana & Cesar, because they will have to be amazingly patient with me as I practice my Spanish in Costa Rica!  Even though I don’t have a lot of time to brush up on my Spanish, I’m confident I’ll get by…maybe.

If you have any favorite Spanish songs, please recommend them!  I’m open to all genres, but if you have any indie/pop/jazzy vibes, that would be tremendous.

pura vida y muchas gracias mi amig@s,

Christina