Newsletter – June 2021
June, 2021
Dear HOS Members,
The City of San Diego and The House of Pacific Relations has announced that we will be able to open the casita to the public starting the first weekend of July! The Board of Directors of the HOS is working to have the casita ready and will celebrate, as it has been the tradition for the past 11-years, with the celebration of the Independence of the United Stated of America, and how Spain was vital in its Independence from the British. The Sons of the American Revolution will participate as usual and help us at the casita, during the Saturday and Sunday of July 3rd and 4th. Please joint us and learn more on how Spain, King Carlos III, Bernardo de Galvez, Jordi Ferragut Mesquida and many others made this possible.
HOS is working with the House of U.S.A. to make this event more relevant by asking other cottages to joint us in passing this information to visitors of the cottages. House of U.S.A. will have their Lawn Program this weekend emphasizing how France and Spain worked together to make the U.S. Independence possible.
Many of you, may have not heard of Jordi Ferragut Mesquida, better known in the US by his anglicized name George Farragut (NOTICE: Jordy changed to George and Ferragut, changed to Farragut), was the only known Spanish volunteer who fought under the American Flag in the War of American Independence. Over one hundred thousand Spanish soldiers and sailors fought against Britain during that war, such as Bernardo de Gálvez in the Gulf Coast, as well as overseas at the Great Siege of Gibraltar. An equal number of French soldiers and sailors also fought Britain during the war, including thousands of volunteers who fought under the American flag, like Lafayette and Fleury. But Farragut’s name, now most closely associated with his son, the Civil War admiral David Farragut, also deserves its place in the pantheon of émigré volunteers who fought side by side with their fellow America colonials, and epitomized the spirit of independence. Read more on the following link.
We have just completed the most original and exciting virtual Cervantes Festival, thanks to Alicia Sandoval and her second grade students of Longfellow Spanish Immersion Magnet School and Sarah Heras and her sixth grade students of the Children’s School in La Jolla.
Instead of canceling the Festival, these instructors agreed to prepare their students to read lines and passages from El Quijote vía zoom, and to submit original art work for the official Cervantes Festival. Both efforts were extraordinary. I have attached below the two winning posters – one from the sixth graders and one from the second graders.
To highlight the universality of Cervantes’ novel, Professor Heras’ students read Don Quijote in a record number of languages: Italian, Portuguese, German, Hebrew, Hindi as well as Spanish. It was a treat to hear our heroes speak in these languages; Cervantes would surely be pleased. The students designed and wore original head pieces and other costumes which represented the characters from scenes of Cervantes’ novel.
Professor Sandoval’s second grade students were accurate and enthusiastic readers and seemed so proud to read their sentence from Don Quijote in excellent Spanish. Each student wore a handmade paper ruff, neck piece typical of the time of Cervantes, and other original head pieces. Professor Sandoval zoomed in Professor Alma María Olmo Garrido, the instructor of her sister class in Alcalá de Henares, San Diego’s sister city in Spain. She addressed the class and presented a video her students had prepared for our students explaining the life and works of Cervantes. It was a treasure.
The festival this year was certainly unique: no Balboa Park, no paella, no music, dancing or singing, no extra activities, but it was a memorable experience with Cervantes Festival tee shirts, letters of participation and award certificates for the poster contest!
Armed with their love of Don Quijote, Sarah, Alicia and their students showed Covid-19 who’s boss; the show did go on from two extraordinary classrooms in San Diego! Thank you Alicia and Sarah and your students for a memorable and very special Cervantes Festival, 2021. As Alicia’s students spontaneously shouted as they finished their reading,
Viva Don Quijote!
Also, I want to thank Josefina Gomez for attending the Don Quijote Zoom meeting with me. We both thought that the job done was superb!!! (Jesus)
CRE ELECTION RESULTS
HOS Scholarship
This scholarship has been established by the House of Spain, Casa de España in San Diego for a member or a family member of said organization to continue to enhance his/her knowledge and appreciation of Spanish history and culture and to serve as an ambassador for Spain. The scholarship is for $1,000 paid in two installments of $500 each. For applications and more information please download the information flyer and the Scholarship application form from the HOS, CDESD website.
Please feel free to reach out to us at contact@houseofspainsd.org any time.
I sincerely thank you for your support and membership,
Stay healthy, Salud!
Jesus Benayas