@AnnaFoster:
Ok.... I have a few un-fun questions....
No esperes a que te presenten. Is there an easy way to grasp why 'a que' is in this sentence?
I guess it'd be "till" in English: Don't wait till you are introduced. Normally this "no esperes a que "x" + verb in subjunctive " can be translated as both "don't wait till "x" happens"/"don't wait (for) "x" to happen".
Estuvieron saliendo = they were dating? If I wanted to say "they dated" would it just be .....salieron por 5 años.... ? And, is it preterit b/c it has a recognizable start and end?
I guess yes, you could say "salieron" and it'd still be clear enough. I'd use the progressive tense though, as it stresses that they dated over and over. And yes, I think that's the reason for using preterit.
Is it wrong to say "she can speak spanish / ella puede hablar español" ? Maybe that's something that doesn't directly translate. Well, if your friend can speak some English, has a mixed background or lives close to the border, he/she will probably understand it and even say "puedes" too. But the "traditional" -and as far as I know the only correct- way to say this is using "saber": Sé nadar de mariposa; mi mamá no sabe ingles; mi hermano no sabe cocinar; ellas saben tocar el piano, etc.