La Casa Hispánica
Overview
La Casa Hispánica hosts many cultural activities during the academic year, including weekly informal "cafecitos" with the language scholars, movie nights, poetry readings, potluck dinners for students and department faculty, dance performances, and concerts. These activities provide an opportunity for students across the college to enjoy many aspects of Hispanic culture as they practice their Spanish language skills in an informal setting.
In addition, La Casa is a residence hall for two department language scholars (graduate students from Spain and Argentina), an HA, and 16 Reed students, who wish to consolidate their language skills and further explore Hispanic culture. More information on La Casa.
Language Scholars
Essential members of the Spanish department, our two language scholars (one from Argentina and one from Spain) live with students in the Casa hispánica and provide cultural expertise in planning activities. In addition, the Language scholars lead weekly "conversation groups" for students enrolled in the first- and second-year language classes and are available for consultation for all students.
Ana Herraiz Castillo (Email)
¡Hola! My name is Ana, and I’m from Madrid, Spain. I have just completed my Master’s degree in Spanish linguistics at Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, and I’m looking forward to starting my career in the field of Spanish language and literature. I believe my calling in life is to build connections between people from different places and cultures, and that languages are a valuable tool for this purpose. That’s why I’m here! Sharing my culture and language with all of you is a privilege, and I’m just as excited to learn about yours. I’m a curious and cheerful person who enjoys meeting new people and embracing new adventures. I find joy and inspiration in the beauty that surrounds me: in nature, art and the people I encounter. I also love singing and can never resist a good karaoke night! I can’t wait to meet you, Reedies, and to hear your stories!
¡Hasta pronto!
Flor Di Bártolo (Email)
My name is Flor, I’m from Argentina. I was born in a coastal city called Mar del Plata, and when I was 19, I moved to Buenos Aires, where I graduated in Social Sciences from Universidad Torcuato Di Tella. I’m deeply passionate about education. I work as a university teacher and also as a tour guide, which means I love sharing knowledge, telling stories, and connecting with people from different backgrounds. When I was 17, I lived in Tempe, Arizona, where I attended Corona del Sol High School. During that time, I made friends from all over the world and learned so much from their cultures and traditions. At the same time, I got to share Argentine customs with them. That experience taught me that the only way to overcome so many conflicts and differences is to understand that we are all part of the same universe, even if we come from different communities. And that’s exactly what I hope we can do together here at Reed: exchange, learn, and grow from one another. In my free time, I enjoy cooking, doing sports, drinking mate, reading, and having long conversations (and debates!) about almost anything. I believe we shouldn’t experience the world only through our phones and screens, but through real, lived experiences with our bodies, minds, and souls. I’m really excited to meet you all and be part of this community!!
Besos,
Flor