Learning the language is the most important thing that you do to prepare for integration into Latin America, or for that matter, understanding Latin American culture. How the language is structed affects how you interpret the world around you, and the Spanish language structure your world in a very different way than the English language does. There are many more subtleties in the Spanish language that you need to attend to, and these subtleties are reflected in the nuanced social behaviors of Latin Americans that lend an air of sophistication to their culture that is simply lacking in the English language and North American cultures. For example, it is easier to show signs of respect when you use a different tense to talk with familiars versus non-familiars (tu vs Usted). An important part of the Spanish language is the Subjunctive tense, which is not nearly emphasized to the same degree in the English language but which helps to emphasize what is possible versus what is known. There is a long list of important differences between English and Spanish, and I will do my best to provide you with resources to help you learn the language.