Language, culture, life.
Taking and challenging our minds, Spanish 3 created confident vocabulary skills, connections and love within the classroom. Our first language is so conforming that even the idea of learning a new language or lifestyle is uncomfortable. This year we grew to trust within our small class, found ways in which we all learn and by the end all taking away new perspectives. Both individual thinking and group reading and analysing allowed us to conquer two major topics that followed with books.
1st Book-
El Ekeko: Un misterio boliviano written in present tense describing and cultivating Bolivian culture and traditions into a heartfelt message leading short story.
2nd Book-
Testigo: La Historia de Brayan, past tense story magnifying gang violence within Guatemala city and who then is essentially affected. Life changing events and emotions lead to discovering new life and the journey north for citizenship and safety in the United States. Followed by a documentary following travelers determined to seek asylum and incorporates the dangerous journey that one signs up for when wanting.
Taking and challenging our minds, Spanish 3 created confident vocabulary skills, connections and love within the classroom. Our first language is so conforming that even the idea of learning a new language or lifestyle is uncomfortable. This year we grew to trust within our small class, found ways in which we all learn and by the end all taking away new perspectives. Both individual thinking and group reading and analysing allowed us to conquer two major topics that followed with books.
1st Book-
El Ekeko: Un misterio boliviano written in present tense describing and cultivating Bolivian culture and traditions into a heartfelt message leading short story.
2nd Book-
Testigo: La Historia de Brayan, past tense story magnifying gang violence within Guatemala city and who then is essentially affected. Life changing events and emotions lead to discovering new life and the journey north for citizenship and safety in the United States. Followed by a documentary following travelers determined to seek asylum and incorporates the dangerous journey that one signs up for when wanting.
Themes + Reports
El Ekeko Themes: Bolivia Geography, Religion, Culture, Indigenous culture, Food, Cholitas
Reaching goals of the highest altitude or the acknowledgment of personal discretionary purchases, individuals involved with strong passionate expeditions between six Bolivian indigenous women: Liita, Lydia, Cecilia, Dora, Yanina and Elena climbing Mount Aconcagua, as well as Paco a curious observer teaching that the wanting and wishing of products ends with consequences as well ended us with discovery awareness and perspective of passion.
Testigo Themes: Guatemala, Gang violence, Immigration, Asylum seeking, Human trafficking (coyotes)
The sensitive yet hidden topic of gang violence all over the world yearns to the personal questions of why, how and is there an escape? Testigo referring to a real life story, Brayon experiences a traumatic event that behind the sense eventually was a targeted homicide reaching to the safety of his life in the hands of the choice to flee his home town. 26.3 million individuals seek asylum for the safer, efficient, loving and allowing lifestyles different from what they are surrounded by now. We don't see this struggle and it is not like the fashion/waste problem, global warming or the political war we are facing we all have homes, computers and shut eyes. From 7-23 and up, young individuals are facing death just around the corner, future starvation and all is hidden because of how horrible each story is. Opened eyes appear on my head after watching and gaining a perspective of everyday life for people, ending with the question how can I help?
I found light and understanding in each and every topic we studied. I found the unfamiliarity we all hold with other cultures, languages and traditions urging me to explore and accept.
Reflection
Overall, this year in Spanish 3 I have used this class as a refresher from my everyday life. I have found that the connection between my spanish 2 family has made my confidence and understanding overall faster and more fulfilling. Tremendous growth in my vocabulary advancing, conjugation understanding and mindset within this class allowed for the spark in a study abroad ignited and is now fulfilling my dreams of immersing myself in culture, emotions and exciting life changing experiences. Here's to open mindedness, fluency and love in language. Thank you Jenny!