Spanish Club travels to NYC; visits photo museum, restaurant

Every year Wilkes' Spanish Club takes an educational trip relating to the culture of Spain or Latin America. On April 2, 2011, 15 members of the club took a trip to New York City. The group visited the International Center of Photography.

The ICP exhibited Spanish pieces from "La Guerra Civil" which are photographs of the Spanish Civil War that lasted from 1936 to 1939. The exhibition also included photos by Robert Capa and Gerda Taro, two influential Spanish photographers. The black-and-white photos revealed the difficult times and destruction of Spain during the civil war.

After some history and culture of Spain, the students dined at a Cuban restaurant, Havana. Havana is famously known for Latin American cuisine. One of the foods the students enjoyed was a dish called "tostones," which are fried plantains that resemble potato chips. During the trip, junior education major Rachel Greenlaw, says she was mostly interested in trying new food at the Cuban restaurant.

"I had oxtail. It was wicked good," Greenlaw said. The students had opportunities to order in Spanish and listen to Cuban music.

The Spanish Club is advised by Dr. Paola Bianco, associate professor of foreign languages. Not only is Bianco a Spanish professor, but she is also fluent in English, Italian and French.

Bianco and the Spanish Club take one trip a year and also lunch or dinner twice a year. Along with the trip to New York, the Spanish Club also participates in community activities and dinners.

This year they provided much needed bilingual books and school supplies for Hispanic children attending St. Nicholas and St. Mary's Church.

Next year, Bianco will be taking a sabbatical leave traveling abroad to Latin America to do research and interview women writers. A new professor will be hired to take her place.

The new professor will have the interesting tasks of taking over for Bianco as an assistant professor and also adviser of the Spanish Club.

 "The students are doing a great job," Bianco said.

"I had such a good time in New York, I can't wait for next year," Greenlaw said.