what is the series about raquel the lawyer for learning spanish

by Mr. Orval Renner Published 1 year ago Updated 1 year ago 10 min read

Destinos: An Introduction to Spanish

Travel the world with lawyer Raquel Rodríguez as she solves a mystery for a dying man. Watch the complete Destinos series, practice your Spanish, and find new resources for learning and teaching Spanish.

Who is Raquel Rodríguez?

What are the main plot elements of Raquel's story?

Recurring plot elements include Raquel traveling in pursuit of the investigation, letters (primarily to determine last known addresses of people), comic mix-ups, and death (although nobody dies during the series, many characters are found to have died and Don Fernando is on the verge of dying).

What are Raquel's last words to Suárez?

In parting, Sra. Suárez's last words to Raquel prove prophetic: "Life is not all work: you also need to dedicate some time to your heart!" Argentina Arc: Raquel then travels to Argentina to search for Rosario.

Where did Raquel go on her travels?

In the course of her investigation of the case, Raquel travels to a number of Spanish-speaking areas — Seville and Madrid, Spain; Buenos Aires, Argentina; San Juan and San Germán, Puerto Rico; and Mexico — has a number of adventures and mishaps, meets a love interest ( Arturo Puig) and faces a number of melodramatic conflicts.

Where is Raquel from Destinos?

Raquel Rodríguez Orozco (Liliana Abud) — was born in the United States and lives in Los Angeles though she has family in Mexico and has visited there frequently. She is a lawyer contracted by Don Fernando's brother, Pedro, and the Castillo-Saavedra family to conduct the investigation.

What should I watch after Destinos?

Top 5 Series to Watch If You're Learning SpanishDestinos.Extra.Soy Luna.Violetta.Mi Corazón es Tuyo.

What is the secret in Destinos Episode 3?

It revealed that Rosario, don Fernando's first wife, hadn't died in the Civil War as he had thought Raquel describes what happened in Seville when she met the Ruiz family: Miguel, Elena, Jaime, and young Miguel.

Is Destinos good for learning Spanish?

From the producers as the French video series, French in Action, Destinos is an award-winning beginner Spanish video course from the 1990s that will train your listening comprehension and speaking abilities.

What to watch on Netflix to learn Spanish?

So sit back, relax, and let's have a rundown of the very best shows to learn Spanish on Netflix that are streaming right now....Narcos. ... La Casa De Papel. ... Vis a Vis. ... Club De Cuervos. ... Paquita Salas. ... Velvet. ... Made In Mexico. ... Gran Hotel.More items...•

How many episodes of extra en Espanol are there?

13extra (franchise)extraNo. of episodes30 (English) 13 (French, Spanish, German) (list of episodes)ProductionExecutive producerAndrew BethellRunning time24 Minutes5 more rows

What happened Destinos Episode 19?

Episode 19: Finally... when she knocks on the door, there is no answer but a neighbor Comes out on her balcony and tells her that Ángel recently died. His wife died several years ago and Ángel never recovered from his loss. The neighbor directs Raquel to the cemetery where they are both buried.

What did Raquel receive from the travel agency?

Arturo takes Raquel to the airport where she will board a plane for Puerto Rico. Arturo gives Raquel a bracelet as a memento, and she promises to call him from San Juan.

What's the name of the person who Raquel is meeting in Madrid?

Raquel meets with Miguel Ruiz, his wife Elena, and their two sons, Jaime and Miguel, in the Cervecería Giralda. Miguel tells her that, while he knows nothing about Rosario, he has spoken with his mother who now lives in Madrid. She insists that Raquel come to Madrid to speak with her.

Does watching Spanish shows help learn Spanish?

The Best Way to Learn Spanish Meanings Through Actions When learning a new language, the words are often easier to understand when you see them in action. Watching television in Spanish allows you to not only hear the words and the proper pronunciation but also to see the actions that correspond with the words.

Can you learn Spanish by watching telenovelas?

Watching telenovelas is a terrific method to learn Spanish. They allow Spanish learners to learn daily life words and expressions, and they are also a great conversation starter.

Can a child learn Spanish by watching TV?

Research shows that a child learns a language best through live one-on-one conversations. A child can learn a language through TV, but it is not as effective as socializing with others.

What are the recurring plot elements of Raquel?

Recurring plot elements include Raquel traveling in pursuit of the investigation, letters (primarily to determine last known addresses of people), comic mix-ups, and death ( although nobody dies during the series, many characters are found to have died and Don Fernando is on the verge of dying).

Who played Fernando Castillo's wife in Destinos?

Destinos recounts the story of Los Angeles-based lawyer Raquel Rodríguez who is hired by the family of Fernando Castillo ( Augusto Benedico ). He had discovered that his first wife, Rosario, did not die in the Spanish Civil War as he had believed, but had survived and had an unknown child. In the course of her investigation of the case, Raquel travels to a number of Spanish-speaking areas — Seville and Madrid, Spain; Buenos Aires, Argentina; San Juan and San Germán, Puerto Rico; and Mexico — has a number of adventures and mishaps, meets a love interest ( Arturo Puig) and faces a number of melodramatic conflicts.

How long are the Nuevos Destinos episodes?

It revisits the Destinos story six years later as Raquel encounters a new family mystery. The episodes are only 15 minutes long in this sequel, and some major characters from the earlier series, such as Arturo, do not appear outside of flashbacks but may be mentioned or play a role behind the scenes. Nuevos Destinos includes about three hours of video, with an accompanying immersive CD-ROM that allows the user to help Raquel discover what is going on.

How many episodes of Destinos are there?

Its 52 episodes are often used for educational purposes in schools, and are still broadcast regularly on PBS stations as well as many local channels. Destinos was produced by WGBH Boston and funded by the Annenberg/CPB Project, with additional funding by the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation .

Where is Angela Castillo Soto?

Angela Castillo Soto (Yasmín Pereira) — Was born in and lives in San Juan , Puerto Rico. She is the only daughter of Ángel and is a computer programmer by profession. She attended the Interamericana de Puerto Rico in San Germán but now lives in the apartment previously owned by her parents.

Who is Don Fernando?

The stranger, Teresa Suárez, lives in Spain and learned of Don Fernando's existence from a newspaper article. Sra. Suárez claims that Rosario survived the war and that she and Don Fernando have a son. Don Fernando is presently a widower and is in ill health. With his second wife, Carmen Márquez de Castillo, he had four children who are still living: Ramón, Carlos, Juan, and Mercedes. He is a retired industrialist who owns La Gavia, a vast, reconstructed estate northwest of Mexico City, D.F.

Where did Don Fernando receive his letter?

The Beginning: In a large estate called La Gavia outside Mexico City, a very old Don Fernando has been keeping a secret for some time: he received a letter, from one Señora Teresa Suárez of Seville, Spain, stating that his first wife, Rosario, did not die in the Spanish Civil War as he had thought.

Raquel - Presentaciones

Raquel meets Marisa and Marisa meets Raquel. In this video, we get a handy look at introductions, the very beginnings of every social experience!

Raquel - Reserva de Restaurante

Raquel and Marisa give us tips on how to make a reservation at a restaurant in Spanish.

Raquel - Reservación de Hotel

In this episode, Raquel and Marisa teach us how to make a reservation at a hotel in Spanish.

Raquel - La Compra de un Billete de Tren

Raquel and Marisa teach you Spanish vocabulary that could come in handy when purchasing a train ticket.

Raquel - Visitar al Médico

Through a mock appointment, Raquel and Marisa teach us some Spanish vocabulary we might need during a visit to the doctor's office.

Raquel - Diminutivos y aumentativos

Raquel and Marisa explain augmentatives and diminutives in Spanish, which are suffixes that are added to words to alter their meanings, including to indicate greater or lesser size and/or importance or as expressions of affection.

Raquel - Oficina de Turismo

Raquel and Marisa show us what kind of Spanish dialogue might take place at a tourism office when one has recently arrived to a new city.

Overview

Destinos: An Introduction to Spanish, also known as simply Destinos, is a television program created by Bill VanPatten, who at the time was Professor of Spanish and Second Language Acquisition at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign. Running for two seasons, the show began in 1992 and was designed to introduce viewers to the basics of the Spanish language. Its 52 episodes are often used for educational purposes in schools, and are available online from the A…

Format

Destinos uses the telenovela (Spanish soap opera) format to teach Spanish-language communication and comprehension skills. Early episodes have English-language narration in addition to Spanish dialogue, but the English content continually decreases before disappearing entirely. The viewer is introduced to the accents, dialects and cultures of various Spanish-speaking countries.

Main characters

• Fernando Castillo Saavedra (Augusto Benedico) — The patriarch of the Destinos family was born in Spain but immigrated to Mexico following the Spanish Civil War. Don Fernando initiates an investigation after receiving a letter from a stranger, an acquaintance of his first wife, Rosario del Valle, whom he had long presumed killed in the civil war. The stranger, Teresa Suárez, lives in Spain and learned of Don Fernando's existence from a newspaper article. Sra. Suárez claims tha…

Supporting educational materials

Educational material has been released to accompany the episodes. The first episode refers to these as one textbook, two workbooks and audiocassettes. Additional material has been produced since the release of the series.
• Student materials

Plot

Destinos recounts the story of Los Angeles-based lawyer Raquel Rodríguez who is hired by the family of Fernando Castillo (Augusto Benedico). He had discovered that his first wife, Rosario, did not die in the Spanish Civil War as he had believed, but had survived and had an unknown child. In the course of her investigation of the case, Raquel travels to a number of Spanish-speaking areas — Seville and Madrid, Spain; Buenos Aires, Argentina; San Juan and San Germán, Puerto Rico; and Me…

Trivia

• Augusto Benedico died before filming was finished; the ending used previously shot footage of Don Fernando.
• Maricarmen, daughter of Ramón and granddaughter of Don Fernando, is the real-life daughter of Liliana Abud.
• Pati's assistant in the theater production in New York City is played by series creator VanPatten.

Nuevos Destinos

A follow-up story, Nuevos Destinos was produced by WGBH and McGraw-Hill for Annenberg in 1997. It revisits the Destinos story six years later as Raquel encounters a new family mystery. The episodes are only 15 minutes long in this sequel, and some major characters from the earlier series, such as Arturo, do not appear outside of flashbacks but may be mentioned or play a role behind the scenes. Nuevos Destinos includes about three hours of video, with an accompanying …

Other versions

A French-language version of Destinos was produced as Destinos: Une introduction à l'espagnol, wherein the English-language narration was removed and replaced by French-language narration. This version was broadcast on Télé-Québec, in Quebec, Canada from 1997 to 2001.