That Surround Sound

AT SPANISH CLASS THE OTHER DAY, we did an activity in which we were to individually categorize a list of words under veo, oigo, huelo, saboreo or siento; I see, I hear, I smell, I taste, I feel. From el mar, the sea, to madrugada, dawn, to papel de aluminio, foil, we were to quickly assign each word to the first sense it evoked in us.

Persons who had assigned majority of the words to sight were said to be highly analytical and observant. Those who, on the other hand, had assigned most words to feeling or sensation were said to be more in touch with their emotions.

From a list of 40 words, 14 brought oigo, sound, to my mind, which was interesting for everyone. Myself included. Why an airplane, a gym class, pigeons, the beach and a laundromat, amidst other things, would elicit sound in me, above all other senses, is a revelation. Perhaps the absence of city traffic allows sounds from my new world to surface more distinctly. Or perhaps, I've just gained back enough quiet time in life to exercise my lesser-used sense of hearing.

Whatever the reason for my possibly true or false sound revelation, one thing's certain: I hear my Spanish and it could sound better. Would it be too fake to put on a sexy accent?

Excerpts from Painting Sounds by Boguslaw Lustyk. Images from polishartworld.com