During November, the Spanish Club hosted two field trips, enabling students to explore Spanish, Mexican and Cuban culture. From eating at Mercado Little Spain to watching “Vivo” in Roslyn, students fully immersed themselves in the world opened to them by learning a new language.
On November 8, the Spanish Club took the seventh and eighth graders to see “Vivo,” a story that explores the vivid music found in Havana, Cuba, at the Huntington Cinema Arts Center. After that, students went to Besito, an authentic Mexican restaurant in Roslyn, where they enjoyed classic Mexican dishes.
“The film was in Spanish, and it took place in Cuba, so the students listened to it in Spanish with English subtitles,” Spanish teacher Ms. Marguiles said. “That was Cuban, and then conversely the Mexican restaurant, they got to try Mexican foods even though it was just two different Latin American experiences. They got to eat quesadillas and enchiladas, chips and salsa, and then they all tried the traditional cake, tres leches.”
Alongside the seventh and eighth graders, the seniors also participated in their own field trip. On November 21, seniors of both the Spanish Club and International Culture Club traveled to New York City using the Long Island Railroad. There they went to the restaurant Mercado Little Spain, visited the Edge Observation Deck and saw the Vessel, a New York City landmark.
“It really was like a little family going together on a trip,” Spanish Club adviser Mrs. Pincay said. “Everybody was incredibly well-behaved and watching out for each other, so it went really well.”
“I think the view was definitely my favorite,” Spanish Club Treasurer May Tran said. “We took a lot of time taking pictures and everyone really enjoyed it. Even though the weather was really windy and really cold, the view was really worth it. We got a lot of great pictures.”
Teachers enjoy taking students on trips like these to encourage them to take what they learn in the classrooms to real-life scenarios.
“I like the experience because I like to see learning out of the classroom,” Spanish teacher Ms. Deo said. “It’s one of the things all teachers want for their kids. They’re able to take their Spanish and take it into another area, like ordering food in Spanish or watching the movie in Spanish, so it’s a nice thing for us to see the kids using it out of the classroom.”
“Little Mercado had authentic food and all the employees spoke Spanish,” International Culture Club adviser Ms. Mei-Chan said. “I heard some students even order in Spanish, and I was so proud of them for doing that.”
