Latin-American Culture and Current Affairs

Guided by a passionate Uruguayan teacher, participants in this course will embark on a journey through the most iconic elements of Rioplatense culture. From the ritual of drinking mate and the national passion for football, to the vibrant sounds of fusion music with drums, tango, and rock, we will also explore the landscapes, cuisine, and cities full of history and charm. This course offers many opportunities to practice Spanish conversation: we will talk about personal tastes in traditional food and drinks, musical preferences for listening and dancing, and discover new cultural traditions and interests. Students will also exchange opinions about sports, plan social and recreational activities, and travel symbolically from coast to coast, guided by an expert on Uruguay.

Guided by artist Ricardo Rodriguez, this workshop offers a journey through the works of Rivera, Orozco, and Siqueiros, essential figures of Mexican muralism. Designed for intermediate-level Spanish students, it combines history and art to explore how public art became an expression of identity, memory, and community. During this course, participants will analyze the main works and artists of Mexican muralism, an artistic movement that transformed the visual and social landscape of 20th-century Mexico. Through the study of emblematic murals, they will learn about historical contexts, political intentions, and visual strategies employed by artists such as Diego Rivera, José Clemente Orozco, and David Alfaro Siqueiros. The course is designed with an accessible approach to foster oral comprehension, critical reading, and written expression, integrating language learning with cultural knowledge. Objectives: • Understand the origin and development of Mexican muralism as an artistic, social, and political movement. • Analyze the visual and symbolic elements present in the works of Rivera, Orozco, and Siqueiros. • Reflect on the role of public art in building Mexican national identity. • Expand vocabulary and oral expression in Spanish through the analysis and discussion of artworks.