Though Spanish-language art and media are often translated into English, they can prove far more insightful in their original tongue. You gain access to literature such as "Don Quixote" by Cervantes, Mexican soap operas, Argentine pop songs and Pedro Almodovar movies from Spain. You can finally discover what the Spanish-speaking world really thinks about the U.S. by studying its newspapers, magazines and blogs
Spanish knowledge allows confident travel in most of Latin and Central America and Spain. Because many English-speaking hotels and restaurants deal with dollar-laden tourists, you save money by staying and eating where the locals do. You also open yourself up to experiences and conversations with native speakers who might not otherwise approach because of the language barrier.
If your interest is history, such as discovering family tree information in Peru, tracing Spain's colonization of the New World for a college class or determining historical property lines along the U.S./Mexico border, you'll find many historical documents available only in the original language. In this case, Spanish is required not only to research these documents but to communicate with the keepers of these archives.
The U.S. Census Bureau predicts that Latinos, many of whom speak Spanish, will grow to nearly 25 percent of the U.S. population by 2050. You can communicate and do business with a demographic that's closed to non-Spanish speakers. Many companies realize the potential revenue in this market segment and hire bilingual employees for customer service, advertising and professional services. This provides you with a job advantage and increases your career prospects.
With both English and Spanish skills up to par, you can work as a translator. Particularly valuable in law enforcement and medicine, translators bridge the gap between single-language professionals and their clients. Because this service is often used only when the need arises, you can translate on a consulting basis, working only when you need to.
Because many English-speakers recognize the benefits of speaking Spanish, they look for someone who can teach them the language, which provides you with another career avenue. You can work one-on-one as a personal tutor, teach small groups informally at a local community center or instruct entire classrooms at the high-school and college level. Similarly, you can teach Spanish speakers the joys of English either in the United States or in a Spanish-speaking country such as Mexico.