Coral

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speaks: Spanish

learns: French, English

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Blah, Blah, Blah

Superstition says that if you tell someone your projects, they'll get jinxed. Maybe that's true , or maybe it's just the pressure we put on ourselves that makes our plans fail. Personally, I’m
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Jan 2 - 1 min. read

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Wintry Mood

Winter afternoons are ideal for procrastinating. Summertime isn't the best season for getting things done either, but there's something about the winter light that can really change your mood and
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Dec 28 - 1 min. read

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Don't Ma'am Me

“Señora” is a term of courtesy used to address a married or widowed woman in Spanish. If you hear someone say, “Good morning, Señora So-and-so,” you'll subconsciously assume the person being
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Dec 30 - 2 min. read

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Hardware Store Heroes

If you find it hard to book a flight or order something over the phone in an English-speaking country, imagine what it’s like to buy something at a hardware store. Even native speakers struggle
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Dec 26 - 1 min. read

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In Search of Dopamine

I got a disdainful look this morning that kept me thinking all day. I was walking down the street, carrying a gorgeous little plant full of flowers, when I crossed paths with an unknown woman. I was
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Dec 23 - 1 min. read

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The Weirdest Tips on Writing

As soon as you read the first tip, you’ll think, “She made them up.” I swear I didn’t, and the guy I heard these tips from is supposedly an editor. So let’s start with the first one. — Yeah, right.
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Dec 19 - 2 min. read

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Fun, Failure, and Other "Fs"

Over the century I’ve been learning English, my approach to it has changed a hundred times. In the beginning, I took classes, did tons of drills, recorded myself (ew), recorded myself as an
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Dec 18 - 1 min. read

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Too Many, Not Enough

I used to have four dogs. One ran away one day and never came back, so now I have one fewer. I bought each dog a leash before it left, so I have an extra leash. I feel like something is off. It's as
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Dec 17 - 1 min. read

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Dialogue

- Hi, bug. Already working? - Could you please announce your presence before walking in so that you don't startle me? - Did I scare you? How's that even possible? I've been whistling all the way here
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Dec 15 - 1 min. read

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New Vocabulary II

It all started with chopping onions. I knew my time was limited before my eyes would begin to burn. I remained calm at first, convincing myself that —even though there's no dissuading an onion from
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Dec 12 - 1 min. read

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I Won't Write about Xmas this Year

I'm not writing about Christmas this year. Even though we're in winter (for northern Earth dwellers, mostly), I can’t go out past six without wearing sunglasses. What’s with the little lights,
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Dec 10 - 1 min. read

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New Vocabulary

I sense that, because of the disarray that learning French is causing in my brain, this is going to be a checkered strife. My memory seems to have an increasing bent toward the English language,
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Dec 8 - 1 min. read

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Long Live Chorizo (Autotuned)

Prickly pear is what I believe this strange fruit is called in English, and rightly so. In Spain we call it higo chumbo (I know it sounds like Tarzan is talking, but it's not). It’s just a funny
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Nov 29 - 1 min. read

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My Grammar

Would you like to hear it with music? Click here.😂 — How old are you, Grammar ? — Very old, honey. I've been around since before Shakespeare. — Who's that? — An old friend of mine. Someone who knew
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Nov 28 - 1 min. read

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Rereading Old Posts (What the Sea Hides)

I found this short story while rereading my old posts. It was the first one I ever wrote in English, which is why I’m fond of it. It feels like a children’s story, but has a moral and everything!
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Dec 4 - 2 min. read

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Bear Stuff 4/4

4 I'm going off topic. This happens to me when I overthink. I'm not hibernating for now. I'd better leave it at that. Wise bears say that only fools rush in, but I'm no fool — I'm just getting a bit
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Nov 24 - 3 min. read

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Aisle of Time

An old man wearing sunglasses and a raincoat walks into a grocery store. The doorbell chimes, and a few of the customers in line turn around. His outfit doesn’t go unnoticed by any of them. Besides
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Jul 19 - 2 min. read

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Some & Any

I have a sore big toe. A woman stepped on my foot this morning as I was walking into a store. I let out a big "ouch" and looked at her, not with any particular intention —just to give her a dead
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Nov 10 - 1 min. read

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Physics and Tomato Sauce

If you’ve ever wondered why your kitchen looks like a crime scene 🗡️ every time you make tomato sauce, blame physics 🧪. Physics allows us to do lots of fun things like sailing , flying or doing a
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Oct 28 - 1 min. read

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Do non-native speakers know the grammar of their target languages better than native speakers?

That question might ruffle some feathers. But whether you’ve subjected your writing to native speakers’ judgment—or vice versa—chances are this question has crossed your mind at some point. I’ll be
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Oct 24 - 1 min. read

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