As we approach the 21st century and the idea of ​​a “global village” quickly becomes a reality, it is essential that we broaden our vision of world and achieve an understanding and appreciation of the cultures of other peoples who share the planet with us. As cultural beings, we were raised with a certain way of bringing order to the world around us. Very quickly, these “cultural filters”, which allow us to make sense of reality and shape it, become fixed, invisible and unconscious; they are part of our worldview which – as unique as we may think – is based on the shared values ​​of a particular linguistic community. This network of basic assumptions that affects everything in our lives (love, family, friendship, raising children, work, sense of community and our place within it, vision of nature, sense of self, etc.) is never questioned until it is brought to our consciousness by the collision with another system, different from ours. Language, the bearer of culture par excellence, opens the door to the world of others and gives us the means to understand other ways of seeing our common world and our common humanity. Why study Spanish? Beyond the argument just made in favor of a truly cosmopolitan vision, there are compelling internal and external reasons for the American citizen. First, we must consider the rise of the Hispanic community among us. The US Census Bureau shows that Latinos residing in the United States total approximately 27 million people and represent almost 10% of the population. Projections indicate that by 2050, almost half of the U.S. population could speak Spanish. This fact has strong implications for employment, not only in the southern belt (Florida to California), but also in all major cities across the country. In the job market, bilingual employees will increasingly have the advantage over other candidates, particularly in the service sector. But employment is only part of the picture. The Hispanic community, proud of its ancient traditions - indigenous and European - its own cultural diversity, strong family values, artistic genius and rich literature, will make its own unique and distinct contribution to the living cultural tapestry of this nation - today and tomorrow. Learning Spanish is essentially learning how to relate to your next-door neighbor and, more than ever, that makes sense..