Language Immersion, Prison-Style (2017)
6 days ago
- #Cultural Exchange
- #Language Learning
- #Prison Experience
- A white woman in her 20s shares her experience of learning Spanish in a federal prison.
- She is serving a 60-month sentence for conspiracy to distribute heroin.
- The prison's population is largely composed of Mexican women with ICE holds, many of whom do not speak English.
- She uses her high school Spanish to communicate and eventually becomes fluent, enriching her prison experience.
- Learning Spanish allows her to connect with other inmates, understand their cultures, and access Spanish-language media.
- She highlights the disparity in media coverage between Spanish-language and mainstream American media.
- Her fluency in Spanish changes her worldview, making global issues more personal and significant.
- Despite the lack of vocational training or educational opportunities, she values the personal growth from learning Spanish.
- She concludes that her time in prison has led to a richer, more humane existence through language acquisition.