Classes

Classes have finally begun in earnest. Everything here is taught in Spanish (no cop-outs for the lazy), so most people take as few units as possible. I’m taking 12, which gives me some wiggle room for later on in the quarter. The classes are:

Director’s Seminar (2 units):
A once-a-week class focusing on local politics, art, and culture. The professor is the director of the Stanford Center, Dr. Edmundo Fuenzalida, a sociologist by training. The man radiates a quiet, intellectual dignity. He has a white mustache and combed back white hair, and looks every bit the respected South American intellectual. He counts Ricardo Lagos, the current President of Chile, as one of his boyhood friends.

Cinema of the Southern Cone (3 units):
This class focuses on the movies of Chile and Argentina. Profesora Paz Haro is the instructor, a visiting professor of Spanish from the main Stanford Campus. She is an eccentric Spaniard who is too old to be middle aged but still seems to young to be called “old”. She also seems to enjoy standing with arms outstretched in front of the air conditioning vent. Come to think of it, so do I. This class should be a good one.

Latin America in the International System (5 units):
This class, listed under Political Science, Latin American Studies, and International Relations, looks at international politics in Latin America. The professor for this offering is Doctor Claudio Fuentes, director of the Chilean branch of FLACSO (the Spanish acronym for the Federation of Latin American Social Scientists). He is an engaging professor interested in discussion, and he’s also a former Tarheel. He says that we’re much easier to understand than his former, North Carolinian colleagues.

Language Tutorial (2 units):
A one-on-one class to improve my Spanish skills. This class is typically offered to native speakers, heritage speakers, and those who have already taken Spanish 13. I belong to the latter group, and there are probably many people here that speak much better Spanish than I do, but are taking much more time consuming, lower-level classes. Since the rest of my schedule is light, I plan to take full advantage of this opportunity.