Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa Massey University’s Spanish Programme were visited by Spanish students from Lindisfarne College and Iona College last month to share in an immersive learning experience.
The students enjoyed two workshops on Hispanic film and culture, along with the chance to exercise their Spanish language skills by conversing with Dr Celina Bortolotto and Senior Tutor Francisco Gonzalez Bonilla who led the event.
Iona College student Isobelle says she had a great experience visiting Massey.
“We really dove into different cultural differences and languages in South America. I learned a lot about the culture and living circumstances there and found it interesting to learn about the comparisons and geography.”
The sentiment was shared by student Coco, who says she enjoyed the day and the chance to visit the Manawatū campus.
“It was a great time, the lecturers were all extremely nice and taught me a lot. They were eager and enthusiastic about educating us, and all the students adored them. The campus was huge, and we were given a tour of the Sir Geoffrey Peren building. We also played several games that put our Spanish skills to the test.”
The teachers from Lindisfarne College and Iona College both have a long-standing relationship with the Programme, with one being an alumna of the university and the other a recipient of the 2018 Prime Minister Scholarship of Latin America who travelled with the Programme for a month of training at the National University of Colombia.
A month prior, the Spanish Programme were visited by a group of Spanish students from Havelock North High School, with their teacher also being a Massey alumna who has been linked to the Programme for more than a decade.
The students enjoyed five workshops that explored Hispanic art, history, cinema, translation and general culture. A highlight from the day was learning Bachata, a style of dance originating from the Dominican Republic, which proved popular with the students.
Dr Bortolotto says it’s always a fantastic day when they have students visiting.
“We really enjoy having these visits from students interested in diving deeper into Hispanic cultures. It’s a great way to get to share special customs, traditions and significant history, while also having fun. We all learn a lot, ¡bienvenidos!”
Massey’s Spanish Programme
The Spanish Programme has been running for over 25 years at Massey. Since being established in 1996, the Programme has provided pathways into learning more about the culture and the language, along with assisting in opportunities overseas to allow for cultural immersion experiences as part of the Prime Minister’s Scholarship for Latin America scheme.
The Spanish Programme extends beyond the borders of Aotearoa New Zealand, with international students learning via distance study as well as Australian students through an agreement signed with the University of New England in Armidale, New South Wales. This makes the Massey Spanish Programme the only online Spanish programme teaching across New Zealand and Australia.
Learn more about studying Spanish at Massey:
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