On April 17, Irvington’s Latino club MEChA alongside Señor Ballado’s AP Spanish/Spanish 4 class hosted their annual cultural event, Españolandia. Students came in at 7 am and transformed the gym from an empty to a vibrant celebration filled with color. Students in lower level Spanish classes, Spanish 1 to 3, were able to immerse themselves into Latin American culture by taking part in games, eating traditional food and listening to music. Additionally, everyone there is required to speak Spanish. If anyone was caught speaking English, they would immediately be sent to the carcel, which is no bueno.
From karaoke, piñatas to sports, marriage and more, the activities were designed to reflect various aspects of Latino culture. “Everything is centered around Latino culture. This is really important for Spanish students because it gives them a chance to practice everything they’ve been learning throughout the year. And there’s no way to fake it because you’ll be sent to jail if caught speaking English,” said Mecha vice president, Diego Padron-Jovel (11).
One of the most talked about sections this year was the series of relationship themed booths. While La Iglesia, the church, has always been a staple part of the event, this year students introduced a twist: adding a speed dating booth before it and a divorce booth on the other side. This setup quickly became a crowd favorite with students moving through each station, though not necessarily in sequence. Teachers even participated, making this one of the most entertaining parts of the event.
Other than the relationship themed booths, the wide variety of games kept the students engaged. Shilpa Vaddadi (10) stated that, “The music and food really add to the vibe,” and mentioned that her favorite game was pin the tail on the donkey.” Freshmen, Saanvi Chordia (9) and Tavleen Kaur (9), shared a similar excitement, “I like how they have something for everyone like the henna booths and bouncy house.”
As for the students running the booths, they got the chance to show off their creativity. Hannah Wang (10), who ran the Pictionary Booth, explained that, “We tried their best to incorporate Mexican culture through the vocab words by using food.” She also highlights the extensive process it took in order to get selected to volunteer, which included various rounds of interviews.
Aside from the activities, one thing that everyone agreed on was the amazing food. Hamsini Koganti (12) really emphasized the variety and popularity of the food like tacos and papuasas, “The food here is really good. These tacos are definitely the best ones I’ve had in my entire life.”
Overall, Españolandia this year remains a success for teachers and all participants. This event continues to provide an immersive cultural experience without ever leaving the school.
