Lengua Rica: Certified Spanish Language Instruction, Translation and Interpretation Services

Lengua Rica Web Resources: Olympia, WA and Beyond

LOCAL RESOURCES

GROUPS
INTERPRETER/TRANSLATOR CERTIFICATION
RADIO PROGRAMS
LANGUAGE EXCHANGE
RELIGIOUS SERVICES
SOCIAL ACTIVITIES
SPANISH LANGUAGE TELEVISION
SPANISH LANGUAGE VIDEOS FOR RENT
TIMBERLAND REGIONAL LIBRARIES
TEACHING ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE
TEACHING SPANISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE
VOLUNTEERING ON ORGANIC FARMS

LOCAL RESOURCES

Here are some excellent opportunities in the Olympia area to practice your Spanish or learn more about Spanish-speaking cultures.

GROUPS

These groups often sponsor cultural and educational events.

OLYMPIA

MEChA (The Chicano Student Movement of Aztlan) (360)866-6000 x6583, The Evergreen State College
MEChA works to develop a strong support base for Chicano/a students' academic, political and social needs. They also strive to oppose discrimination and to create a cohesive community of Chicano/a students.

Olympia Colombia Committee occ@onebox.com, (206) 505-1553 x1885 - voicemail/fax
Addresses political, social, and economic issues pertaining to Colombia and the effects of the United States' Colombia policy.

Thurston-Santo Tomás (Nicaragua) Sister County Association. Information: (360)943-8642, tstsca@hotmail.com
Works to support the community of Santo Tomas, Nicaragua, send delegates there to work on community projects, and bring delegates to Olympia to do education and outreach work.

INTERPRETER/TRANSLATOR CERTIFICATION

Washington State Department of Social and Health Services Language Testing and Certification Program

LANGUAGE EXCHANGE

"Talk Time" at EF school of English.
A program mostly designed to give students of English as a Foreign Language the opportunity to practice.
Mondays 4:00 PM (excluding holidays)
4th Floor, Seminar Building I
The Evergreen State College
Olympia, WA
Information: Janet Michaels, (360)867-6422

"Conversation Partners" through EF school of English.
Call or write to apply. Janet Michaels, (360)867-6422

RADIO PROGRAMS/STATIONS

FRO (Free Radio Olympia) 98.5 FM
"Democracy Now: Titulares" Headlines in Spanish Monday-Friday 12:30-12:40AM (Just headlines, and schedule is approximate. Subscribe to Democracy Now's Daily News Digest in Spanish.)
"Flashpoints en español" Saturdays 8:45-9:00 AM, Alternative news and commentary with Miguel Guerrero. (The end of an hour-long broadcast, the rest of which is in English.)
KAOS 89.3 FM
"Sonidoz del Tierra" the hottest music in the alternative Latin world from Hip Hop, Reggae, Ska, Rock, Electronica, Rap, Jazz, Reggaeton and the occasional traditional tune mixed in, with your host DJ KALAMBRE.
"El mensaje del aire" Saturdays 3:00-5:00 PM (Mostly Mexican music)
"Epicentro Político" Saturdays 5:00-6:00 PM, a groundbreaking national Spanish-language radio program focusing on news analysis and political debate.
KAYO 99.3 FM "La Gran-D"
Switched to an all-Mexican music format in early June 2005.
KOWA 106.5 FM
"Democracy Now: Titulares" Headlines in Spanish Monday-Friday 7:30-7:40AM (Just headlines, and schedule is approximate. Subscribe to Democracy Now's Daily News Digest in Spanish.)
"Flashpoints en español" Fridays 9:45-10:00 PM, Saturdays 10:45-11:00 AM Alternative news and commentary with Miguel Guerrero (The end of an hour-long broadcast, the rest of which is in English.)

KUOW 94.9FM and 1340AM
"Latino USA" Mondays 9:00-9:30 PM (A radio journal of news and culture, the only national, English-language radio program produced from a Latino perspective)

Radio Sol 1360AM
Spanish language programming 24 hours a day. "Radio Sol offers the Hispanic community of Puget Sound a combination of music from Central and South America, Mexico, Spain, and the Caribbean, as well as news, sports, entertainment, concerts, community events and information that concerns the Hispanic community."

RELIGIOUS SERVICES

CHEHALIS

St. Joseph's, 6th & Cascade
Sundays 1:00 PM, Saturdays 7:00 PM. Information: (360)748-4953

OLYMPIA

Glad Tidings Pentecostal Church
2705 8th Ave NE
Olympia, WA 98506
943-0524
Iglesia Comunidad Cristiana (Evangelical)
Grace Church
5501 Wiggins Rd.
(360) 705-4553
St. John's Episcopal Church
20th Ave. and Capitol Way
Sundays 6:00 PM
352-8527 or 491-3111

SHELTON

Iglesia Gospel Lighthouse
982 SE Arcadia Rd.
Sundays 6:30 PM
426-7550
St. Edward's Catholic Church
322 North 3rd St.
Shelton, Washington 98584
Phone: (360) 426-6134

SOCIAL ACTIVITIES

LACEY
Clase de Baile Mexicano Folclórico
con Isaac y Cathy Schultz Reyes
Domingos en Lacey
1:00-2:00 PM edades 5-12
2:00-3:00 PM edades 13-adulto
Información: 786-8567, balletollin@scattercreek.com

OLYMPIA

Afro-Latin drumming classes with local drum phenom Scott Saunders, MA
Scott has been teaching and performing Afro-Latin drumming since 1987. He is a certified Ta Ke Ti Na Rhythm Teacher, offering workshops on developing the body-mind connection with rhythm. He is currently an instructor at SPSCC and the U of W’s Experimental college. He has facilitated drumming events large and small at WOMAD, Bumpershoot, schools, and conferences. He is also a founding father of Samba Olywa, directed his own band La Onda for many years, and performed regularly with the Latin band Los Calaveras.
Information: (360)943-5804, tktn@juno.com

Salsa dance lessons
"For beginners I & II"
Taught by: Stephanie
Thursday nights 8:00 PM-9:00 PM
Los Pinos Restaurant
4418 6th Ave., Lacey
5 week session: $50 (or $12/class) for community members; $40 for college students
Information: 951-0520

Tango lessons, Tuesdays, South Bay Grange, 3918 Sleater-Kinney Rd.
First Tuesday of each month, Sonny Newman teaches Argentine tango lessons $10
Beginners: 6:30-8:00 PM
Intermediate: 8-9:30 PM
Other Tuesdays are practices: $5, from 6:30-9 PM
Information: 456-4373

TACOMA
The Tacoma Spanish Language Meetup Group
Meet local Spanish language and culture lovers for conversation and fun! Come to a Spanish Language Meetup and make new amigos as you practice speaking, and discover new phrases. All ages and levels welcome. Let's learn together!
Learn more…

SPANISH LANGUAGE TELEVISION

Univisión (local cable channel 30)
Yes, the programming is cheesey. What this channel offers is not a decent representation of the cultural diversity and quality produced by Spanish speaking regions. And yes they speak incredibly fast. But it's still a great way to train your ear!

TIMBERLAND REGIONAL LIBRARIES

Check out our local library system's online catalog. There are 27 libraries' collections to choose from! They have lots of Spanish language materials! At all levels! (Not only instructional materials, but music, movies, kids' books, adult books, fiction, non-fiction...)

TIP: To access materials written in Spanish for native speakers (not Spanish instructional materials for non-Spanish speakers) do a "SUBJECT" search for "SPANISH LANGUAGE EDITION."

SPANISH LANGUAGE VIDEOS FOR RENT

OLYMPIA

Rainy Day Records, Division & Harrison, (360)786-8017

TEACHING ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE

Teaching ESL is something that is best done in English, not Spanish: English is the subject after all. Besides, not all one's students are usually Spanish speakers. However, if there are Spanish speakers in the class, break time and social gatherings outside class often provide great opportunities to schmooze and practice your Spanish. ESL teachers and tutors have the opportunity to meet people of other cultures that they otherwise would not.

OLYMPIA

El Proyecto C.I.E.L.O.
Classes are on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 6:30pm to 8:30pm
Classes take place at "Radio Ranch:" 3102 8th Ave. NE, Olympia
Information: (360)709-0931

SHELTON

Mason County Literacy, (360)426-9733
This organization is always looking for general ESL volunteers and, especially, for advanced Spanish speakers to help prepare Spanish-speaking adults with limited English proficiency to take the G.E.D.

TEACHING SPANISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE

The American Cultural Exchange (ACE) is looking for Spanish speakers to teach! ACE is a non-profit organization. It is offering part-time positions (2-4 hours per week, morning or afternoons) teaching elementary school children. The classes are currently taught in several elementary schools in the area. They bin in late October and continue through April (forty lessons in all). ACE trains teachers in their "Natural Approach" and "Total Physical Response" methods.

For more information, call Nicole Mercier, ACE Regional Coordinator, at 493-2388.

VOLUNTEERING ON ORGANIC FARMS

Some local farms employ native Spanish speakers. Volunteering to work a such a farm offers the opportunity to converse with them. It also means that you'll go home with some fresh vegetables in exchange for your labor.

Pigman's Organic Produce Patch
Jan & Dean Pigman
10633 Steilacoom Rd.
Olympia
(360) 491-FARM

WEB RESOURCES

NEWS & PERIODICALS

AhoraNow "A bilngual periodical of the Labor/Comunity Strategy Center presenting left theory and practice. Documents corporate and government attacks against working people, giving priority to voices from the front lines, and covers strategies and tactics in contemporary compaigns against racism and xenophobia."
América Latina en Movimiento
BBC news in Spanish
BRS Web Radio Links to radio stations online around the globe
CNN news in Spanish
Contrainformación en Red "Territorio virtual para los movimientos sociales y la acción política en internet"
Cuba Update "Published by the Center for Cuban Studies. Proveds accurate, accesible news coverage and discussion of important issues almost impossible to find elsewhere."
El Salvador Watch
El Vistazo

LANIC: University of Texas at Austin's Spanish-Language Newspapers

Latin American News Sources from The Omnivore

MIT Libraries' Foreign Language News and Newspapers

NACLA (The North American Conference on Latin America)
Rebelión.org: Periódico electrónico de información alternativa

Rita Wilson's Online Publications from and about Latin America

Zona Latina - Latin American Newspapers