Destinos

Did You Know?

• Augusto Benedico died before filming was finished; the ending used previously shot footage of Don Fernando.
• Maricarmen, granddaughter of Don Fernando, is the real-life daughter of Liliana Abud.
• A French-language version, Destinos: Une introduction à l'espagnol, was broadcast on Télé-Québec from 1997 to 2001.

Format

Destinos adopts the telenovela format to teach Spanish communication and comprehension. Early episodes include English narration alongside Spanish dialogue, but the English content gradually decreases and eventually disappears. The series introduces accents, dialects, and cultures from various Spanish-speaking countries. Its 52 episodes cover Spanish grammar including present, future, imperfect, preterite, perfect, pluperfect, participles, and the present, imperfect, and perfect subjunctive. Regional usages appear, such as both extrañar and echar de menos for 'to miss someone.' After the early episodes, conversations proceed at near-normal speed. Spanish subtitles are available on VHS and DVD, but no translations are provided. The series frequently reviews earlier episodes, which can make it feel lengthy but aids retention. Don Fernando, though on his deathbed in the first episode, never actually dies.

Main characters

Fernando Castillo Saavedra, played by Augusto Benedico, is the patriarch born in Spain who immigrated to Mexico after the Spanish Civil War. He initiates an investigation after learning from a stranger that his first wife Rosario may have survived the war and that they had a son. He is a retired industrialist and widower living at La Gavia estate near Mexico City. Raquel Rodríguez Orozco, played by Liliana Abud, is a lawyer born in the United States who lives in Los Angeles and has family in Mexico. She is hired by Don Fernando's brother Pedro to investigate, traveling to Spain, Argentina, Puerto Rico, and Mexico. Ángel Castillo del Valle, born in Seville in 1937 and died in 1991, is the son of Rosario and Don Fernando. He grew up in Argentina believing his father died in the war, later moved to San Juan, Puerto Rico, and had two children. Arturo Iglesias del Valle, played by Arturo Puig, is a psychiatrist born in Argentina, half-brother to Ángel, who assists Raquel and develops a relationship with her. Angela Castillo Soto, played by Yasmín Pereira, is Ángel's daughter, a computer programmer living in San Juan.

Supporting educational materials

Accompanying materials include a student textbook, two workbooks, and audiocassettes. The textbook is titled Destinos: An Introduction to Spanish, published in 1991 by McGraw-Hill. Workbook/Study Guide I covers Lecciones 1-26, and Workbook/Study Guide II covers Lecciones 27-52. Audiocassette tapes are available for both sets of lessons.