Name the Spanish speaking country these people are from!

1. My name is Roberta. I live in Europe and I speak Spanish with my mother and Catalan with my father. I like to dance flamenco.  I am from ______________.

2. I am 17 years old and I live near the United States. My uncle lives in San Diego. My father always listens to mariachi music on the radio. I am from ______________.

3. I live in a country famous for beautiful beaches. Many tourists visit my father’s hotel every year. The island I live on is shared with another country. I am from ______________.

4. My country is most famous for its exotic animals and plants. We are located in Central America and have a huge amount of tropical birds. I love to hike in the jungle with my uncle. I am from _______________.

5. I live where Latin America meet South America. We are famous for our canal which allows people and goods to travel more quickly. I am from _____________.

6. My country is very long! In the north we have a desert and in the south we have snow! Like most people I live near the middle in the capital city of Santiago. I am from ______________.

7. My father is a cattle rancher as my South American country produces a lot of beef. I am a huge soccer fan! I am from ______________.

8. I live on an island in the Caribbean. My island is a territory of the United States and I speak both English and Spanish perfectly. My sisters and I are all good dancers! I am from ______________.

9.I live in a small country with 15 million people. We are famous for our ancient Mayan Ruins. Many people in my country still speak indigenous languages. I am from _____________.

10. My name is Rigoberto and my favorite singer is Shakira because she is from my country! We also have many cities that are famous for their colonial architecture. I am from _______________.

Answer Key:

1. España
2. México
3. Dominican Republic
4. Costa Rica
5. Panamá
6. Chile
7. Argentina
8. Puerto Rico
9. Guatemala
10. Colombia

The tango reached a wider audience in the early 1900s, when it was brought to Paris, France by Argentinian sailors. By the years leading up to World War I it was a worldwide sensation. Upper class Argentinians back home that had previously turned their nose up at it due to its associations with criminals and the lower classes, now embraced it and the previously lewd lyrics were cleaned up. By the early 1930s the tango was in its golden age and no one person better epitomizes this era than the singer Carlos Gardel.

Born abroad in 1890, Gardel moved to Argentina at the age of two and grew up in the Abasto neighborhood of Buenos Aires. After having started his career singing in bars and private parties he soon rose to fame with his beautiful baritone voice and photogenic features. He began touring internationally in the 1920s and was wildly popular throughout Latin America. Unfortunately, his life was cut short when he died in a plane crash in 1935. His death at a young age has immortalized his image in Argentina. Luckily many of his recordings are still available for listening today. To view an original video clip of Gardel performing one of his most famous songs, Mi Buenos Aires Querido click here.

The tango remains popular today and tourists in large numbers descend on Buenos Aires every year to visit various venues in which to view live tango or even take lessons themselves. Opportunities to view the tango vary from impromptu dances on the streets to formal sit-down dinner shows featuring a variety of dancers and musicians. A student of mine who has recently returned from Buenos Aires highly recommends Bar Sur as THE place to go to see live tango in Buenos Aires.