Dani's spanish projects: 2009

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

hispanic american bios

Desi Arnaz

I chose Desi Arnaz for my Hispanic American. Desi was born in Santiago, Cuba on march 2, 1917. he died on December 2, 1986 in Del Mar, California. He is a famous actor. Desi performed in I Love Lucy. he played Enrique "Ricky" Ricardo, the orchestra director. he also produced December Bride along with a lot of other movies and shows.

Linda Chavez-Thompson

I chose Linda Chavez-Thompson for my Hispanic American. She was born on August 3, 1944. She was married and had a son and a daughter. She was the Executive Vice-President in 1995. She was elected after John Sweeney. She was the first women elected to the Executive Council of the AFL-CIO. During her term she provided leadership in a lot of areas.

Monday, April 20, 2009

Madrid

Come visit Madrid!

Madrid is the capitol and largest city in spain. It is home to the spanish royalty. There are tons of activites and attractions in Madrid. here are a few examples of hotels in madrid.
Mayorazgo Hotel ****
The 4 Star Mayorazgo Hotel is well located and close to the sights and attractions in Madrid city. Situated on a quiet street, this hotel is good value for money. It runs for about $86 per night
Melia Madrid Princesa Hotel *****
The 5 Star Melia Madrid Princesa Hotel is located in the heart of Madrid city overlooking the

Palacio De Liria and close to all the sights and attractions, shops, restaurants, and nightlife. This hotel has a gym, swimming pool, and the highest of services, including a Royal Service Floor which has several superior suites.

NH Eurobuilding Hotel *****
The 5 Star NH Eurobuilding Hotel is located in Madrid city center in the modern district close to the Palacio de Congresos. This large modern hotel has many facilities including a gym, swimming pool, air-con, and concierge service.

One of the shopping malls in Madrid is the Arturo Soria Plaza. It has Good shops, activities, exhibitions and fashion shows. There are also restaurants with a varied gastronomic offer and an area where the little ones can play and enjoy themselves. Madrid is one of the major cultural centres of the world. they have lots of fasinating museums.

THE PRADO MUSEUM:

From its privileged location surrounded by trees and some of Madrid´s greatest monuments, it is one of the most visited attractions in the capital. The museum is home to the most important Spanish painting collection in the world.

TEATRO REAL When Queen Isabel II founded the theatre she intended to turn it into one of the most prestigious opera houses in the world. Since reopening in 1997, it has welcomed to its vast stage both its own productions and artists from around the globe. A must visit for lovers of opera.

Madrid enjoys one of the most extensive areas of parks, gardens and "green zones" of all

European cities. It possesses a total of 33 million square metres of parkland, distributed throughout more than 40 parks within the urban limits, the most important of which are mentioned below.

There are lots of nature experinces in Madrid also. Faunia is a huge nature park, containing thousands of different species of animals from all over the world. There are both indoor and outdoor areas, which are very pretty. The whole family will love it at Faunia, as will couples, the young and the old.
Faunia is a biodiversity theme park that is made up of 8 of the worlds eco-systems and 3,500 animals.

Of the many centers connected to nature in Spain, the most classic are the zoos, which allow children to see animals without leaving the city. The Zoo Aquarium in Madrid, one of the most important in the world, contains a dolphin tank, aquarium, a large aviary and a zoo with more than 500 species of animals. The Barcelona Zoo is still among the best in Europe.

With a wealth of Sporting history in the city Madrid sport gives you the opportunity to see some of the best in European and indeed World sport superstars. Do not think Madrids sport scene is dominated by football. Every autumn there is the Madrid Master tennis tournament and in September the Red Bull X-fighters come to town! there is also sking, golf, motocross, tennis, and basketall.

Monday, April 6, 2009

Semana Santa

The holy week in Spanish countries is called Semana Santa. Semana Santa is the week leading up to Easter or in Spanish la Pascua. On Semana Santa Spaniards get God out of the grave on Palm Sunday, parade Him round the streets of their towns and cities for five days and bury Him again on Good Friday. Easter is one of the most important holy days for Spanish people. The week before Easter involves solemn processions, prayer, masses and other preparation for Jesus’ rebirth. Customs in the United States include Mexicans’ cascarones, the Mexican version of an Easter egg or eggshells, filled with confetti. They are for being cracked on someone’s head as a little surprise. In Spain they are mainly catholic so the celebration is mainly religious. they do not go Easter egg hunting or anything like that. Here in southern Spain and especially along the Costa Del Sol,

each town or village has its own holy processions held on a daily basis, from Palm Sunday until Easter Sunday usually in the late afternoon or evening.
The processions are based around the huge effigy of the Holy Virgin and other religious scenes which are paraded through the streets on top of heavy floats which are carried by men from the village or town. It usually takes around 100 or so men to carry the virgin and it is a carefully and well practiced event. These men who carry the weight of the wooden floats are called “costaleros”. They are expected the carry these “thrones” with great solemnity and grace. They each use a small cushion, called a “coastal” to protect themselves from the wood rubbing against their skin

during these long processions. there are several groups of marchers and one of those

groups is made up of men dressed in long white cloaks with pointed white hoods. these are meant to depict the Nazarenes (people from Nazareth) and are portrayals of holy marches from Spain’s long and fascinating history. There are several different religious groups represented in the processions with different dress costumes. One of the better known groups is the Moors and Catholics depicting the ejection of the Moorish invaders from Spain by the holy armies. In most of the Spanish speaking countries they celebrate Semana Santa the same. It is different in every town but they do the same things in all of the Spanish countries.

http://www.prayforspain.com/comment/index14.html

http://www.de.nrcs.usda.gov/about/spanish/majorholidays.html

http://pscosta.com/costa-del-sol/semana-santa-holy-week/

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

opinion

I thought El Salvador was an excellent country. It had so many cool tourist attractions. It would be a cool place to go.

Food

Traditional Salvadoran cuisine consists of food from the Maya, Lenca, and Pipil people.
Many of the dishes are made with maize (corn).

History

The Pipil Indians, descendants of the Aztecs, likely migrated to the region in the 11th century. In 1525, Pedro de Alvarado, a lieutenant of Cortés's, conquered El Salvador.
El Salvador, with the other countries of Central America, declared its independence from Spain on Sept. 15, 1821, and was part of a federation of Central American states until that union dissolved in 1838. For decades after its independence, El Salvador experienced numerous revolutions and wars against other Central American republics. From 1931 to 1979 El Salvador was ruled by a series of military dictatorships.
In 1969, El Salvador invaded Honduras after Honduran landowners deported several thousand Salvadorans. The four-day war became known as the “football war” because it broke out during a soccer game between the two countries.
El Salvador Suffers During 12-Year Civil War
In the 1970s, discontent with societal inequalities, a poor economy, and the repressive measures of dictatorship led to civil war between the government, ruled since 1961 by the right-wing National Conciliation Party (PCN), and leftist antigovernment guerrilla units, whose leading group was the Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front (FMLN). The U.S. intervened on the side of the military dictatorship, despite its scores of human rights violations. Between 1979 and 1981, about 30,000 people were killed by right-wing death squads backed by the military. José Napoleón Duarte—a moderate civilian who was president from 1984 to 1989—offered an alternative to the political extremes of right and left, but Duarte was unable to end the war. In 1989, Alfredo Cristiani of the right-wing Nationalist Republican Alliance (ARENA) was elected. On Jan. 16, 1992, the government signed a peace treaty with the guerrilla forces, formally ending the 12-year civil war that had killed 75,000.
In 1998, Hurricane Mitch devastated the country, leaving 200 dead and over 30,000 homeless. In Jan. and Feb. 2001, major earthquakes struck El Salvador, damaging about 20% of the nation's housing. An even worse disaster befell the country in the summer when a severe drought destroyed 80% of the country's crops, causing famine in the countryside.
In 2004, Antonio Saca of ARENA was elected president. The nation implemented a free-trade agreement (CAFTA) with the U.S. in March 2006, the first Central American country to do so.
http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0107489.html

tourist attractions

Los Chorros

Los Chorros is a series of large, refreshing natural pools fed, one pool to the next, by clear spring water from overhanging volcanic cliffs. This site is part of the Turicentros program and a favorite day trip for people from San Salvador as well as visitors. Visit during the week for complete relaxation.

Balboa Park
70 acres of lush flora, myriad birds, sloth and rabbits, the park is 12 kms from downtown San Salvador and is also a part of the Turicentros program. A skating rink, soccer field, miles of meandering trails, good examples of pre-Colombian style sculptures and many shaded picnic areas contribute to making this park a relaxing spot for wiling away a day.Several outdoor cafes offer the local corn cakes stuffed with meats and beans, cooked on a grill and called pupusas.(take bus #12 - Mil Cumbres on avenida 29 de Agosto and 12a Calle Poniente)

The Devil's Doorway
Two huge rocks on the edge of a deep precipice frame the view of the valley lying far below. The "doorway" is approximately 1km south of Balboa Park on the summit of Chulo Hill, 1,000 meters above sea level.

Los Planes Lookout Point
Located to the east of Balboa Park on the road that goes to the Indian village of Panchimalco the lookout, on the edge of a deep gorge, offers one of the most beautiful panoramic views of San Salvador with Ilopango Lake in the distance. A cafeteria serves typical foods.(take the same bus #12 for Balboa Park)

National Zoo
Considered the most modern zoo in Central America, it houses a large collection of local and foreign fauna. The zoo is designed so that the animals enjoy a habitat as close as possible their own natural one. Open every day except Mondays and Tuesdays from 9am-5pm. A small fee is charged.(take bus #2 on Cathedral west side)

Panchimalco Indian Village
According to historians, its name in Nahuat language means "site of flags and shields". The village site is located in a picturesque geological depression and archaeological finds indicate that it was an important area during pre-Colombian times. There is an interesting colonial church here that dates from 1725 and has been classified a national historical monument.

La Laguna Botanical Garden
Perhaps the only garden in the world to be located in the crater of an extinct volcano. The 7 acre garden centers around a small lagoon centered in the crater's bottom and is surrounded on the slopes by dense woods which act as windbrakes. For more than a century Salvadoreans have devoted themselves to making these gardens a place of beauty showcasing rare species of local and foreign plants. Open Tuesday - Friday from 10am-5pm and weekends from 10am-6pm David J. Gusman National Museum
Home of an interesting collection of pre-Columbian objects dating from the pre-classic period of 1500 BC until late post-classic period, around 1200-1525 AD.Open daily except Monday from 9am-12noon and 2pm-5pm. Admission free. (take bus #34 on 4a. Calle Poniente and 7a Avenida Sur, 1/2 block south of Hotel Ritz)

San Salvador Volcano
Towering over the city that bears its name, the long dormant volcano offers spectacular views and opportunities to hike along well maintained trails into the crater itself.

Lago de Ilopango
Formed in a giant volcano crater the lake, at 15 km long, 8 km wide and 248 metres deep, is the largest lake in El Salvador and a popular spot for fishing, boating and swimming. A Turicentro is located in the village of Apulo located near the lake and offering restaurants, picnic spots and boating. Fresh lake fish is a local speciality in the many restaurants rimming the lake in the village and there are a few basic hotels. http://www.nvmundo.com/travelinfo/elsalvador/sattract.htm

family

http://www.sciaf.org.uk/var/storage/images/media/images/lent_2009/gonzalo_bell_el_salvador_april_10th_213/36989-2-eng-GB/gonzalo_bell_el_salvador_april_10th_213_large.jpg

Monday, March 16, 2009

school

Public education was a higher priority than health care for government spending, and statistics reflected this disparity. School attendance and literacy in general increased notably in El Salvador as a whole during the twentieth century, particularly during the 1960s, when an ambitious program of school construction was carried out. Officially, literacy increased from 26.2 percent of the adult population in 1930 to 59.7 percent in 1971. By 1980 only 31 percent of the population aged ten years or older was considered illiterate.
The Salvadoran education system included one year of preschool, nine years of basic education, three years of secondary education, and higher education at two universities and several specialized postsecondary institutions. The curriculum at the basic and secondary levels, developed by the Ministry of Education, was uniform throughout the country. The provision of education, however, suffered from a rural-urban dichotomy. Countrywide statistics displayed the weakness of the school system on the secondary level; in a 1976 study, only 34 percent of students reached grade nine, and 15 percent reached grade twelve.

http://countrystudies.us/el-salvador/31.htm

Natural resources

some of el salvador's Natural resources are hydropower, geothermal power, petroleum, arable land. They spend $3.98 billion (2007 est.) on exports. offshore assembly exports, coffee, sugar, shrimp, textiles, chemicals, electricity. Imports: $8.667 billion (2007 est.): raw materials, consumer goods, capital goods, fuels, foodstuffs, petroleum, electricity. Major trading partners: U.S., Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Mexico, Germany, China (2006).
http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0107489.html

money

1 Salvadoran colon = 0.114286 U.S. dollars

flag

click on this link to listen to El Salvador's national anthem http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ChhoxhB8TU

government

El Salvador's president is Antonio Saca. they have Republic government.
http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0107489.html

location

Friday, March 13, 2009

El Salvador geography

Situated on the Pacific coast of Central America, El Salvador has Guatemala to the west and Honduras to the north and east. It is the smallest of the Central American countries, with an area equal to that of Massachusetts, and it is the only one without an Atlantic coastline. Most of the country is on a fertile volcanic plateau about 2,000 ft (607 m) high.

http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0107489.html

My opinion

My opinion about peurto rico is that it is a beautiful. It would be fun to visit. I would love to go see the beaches.

Thursday, March 12, 2009

tourist attractions

The Caribbean has a well-deserved reputation as a quiet, laid-back place, where hammocks are more common than discos. But Puerto Ricans, however, truly know how to party, and the nightlife in the island's bigger cities and resort hotels rivals that of the world's most cosmopolitan cities!
Restaurants of all tastes, a great variety of stores, casinos, spectacular golf courses and plenty of nightclubs make Puerto Rico the Perfect Picture!

Government

Puerto Rico has a republican form of government, subject to U.S. jurisdiction and sovereignty. Its current powers are all delegated by the United States Congress and lack full protection under the United States Constitution. Puerto Rico's head of state is the President of the United States. The government of Puerto Rico, based on the formal republican system, is composed of three branches: executive, legislative, and judicial. The executive branch is headed by the Governor, currently Mr. Luis Fortuño. The legislative branch consists of a bicameral Legislative Assembly made up of a Senate upper chamber and a House of Representatives lower chamber. The Senate is headed by the President of the Senate, while the House of Representatives is headed by the Speaker of the House. The judicial branch is headed by the Chief Justice of the Puerto Rico Supreme Court. The legal system is a mix of the civil law and the common law systems. The governor and legislators are elected by popular vote every four years. Members of the Judicial branch are appointed by the governor with the "advice and consent" of the Senate.

History

As one of the oldest and most diversified cultures in the world, Puerto Rico is a vibrant, modern, bilingual, multicultural society, one that has been molded by Spanish, African, Indian and U.S. influences.

to the right is a picture of history ruins in old san juan

The U.S. House of Representatives, and the Jones Act of 1917, established all Puerto Ricans are born citizens of the United States with the identical citizenship of any US Citizen. You do not need a passport to visit Puerto Rico from anywhere in the 50 states.
http://www.gotopuertorico.com/puerto-rico-vacations.php
Residency of Puerto Rico, however, is a little different than amongst the 50 states.. No residents of Puerto Rico pay federal income tax ( unless you are a Federal Employee or derive income from the US mainland some people pay both federal and local tax but are not taxed twice on any income) nor vote in presidential elections, but pay most other federal taxes, including Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, etc., and many commerce-related taxes like the alcohol tariffs. When any resident of Puerto Rico moves and changes residency to one of the 50 states, then they must commence paying federal income tax and can vote in presidential elections . .
Our currency is the U.S.dollar, our mail system is the U.S. Mail, we have Federal Courts, the U.S. Coast Guard, the U.S. National and Air Guards, and even the F.B.I.
Puerto Ricans have spilled their blood in every war and conflict in which this nation has entered since World War One. Five Puerto Ricans have received the Congressional Medal of Honor posthumously. Over 50 Puerto Ricans have already died in Iraq and Afghanistan defending US policy. Two Puerto Ricans have served as Surgeon General of the United States. Numerous Puerto Ricans hold decisive positions in government’s agencies, like NASA.
Puerto Rico could be said to be a separate 'cultural nation', but politically it is part of the United States. Puerto Rico is a Commonwealth of the US, some say territory . . . some say it is more like a state. As far as the local Puerto Rican vote, only 4 to 5% ever vote for the independence ticket, the rest is divided between remaining a commonwealth or becoming an official state.

http://www.elyunque.com/history.html

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

food

These are some foods from Puerto Rico.

flag

click on this to listen to puerto Rico's nation anthem http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yquNtQgVcI&feature=related

family

Traditionally, Puerto Rican women are expected to marry at a young age and have many children. “The urban mainland Puerto Rican population reflects the culture of the island but is also influenced by poverty. This may be reflected in high rates of female-headed households and male joblessness” (Giammanco & Bartolomei, date, page ?).
The Taino, Spanish, and African cultures have influenced the Puerto Rican family structure. In addition, economic changes associated with migration to the U.S. have had an effect on the Puerto Rican family structure. Many families have had to adapt to their environment in the United States as they deal with poverty and violence. Family is the foundation of the Puerto Rican social structure. The word ”familismo” is a Puerto Rican word that means close family connections, and it emphasizes the concern for the well being of the family.

http://www.ldldproject.net/cultures/puertorico/differences/family.html

school

Education in Puerto Rico is divided in three levels — Primary (elementary school grades 1-6), Secondary (intermediate and high school grades 7-12), and Higher Level (undergraduate and graduate studies). As of 2002, the literacy rate of the Puerto Rican population was 94.1%; by gender, it was 93.9% for males and 94.4% for females. According to the 2000 Census, 60.0% of the population attained a high school degree or higher level of education, and 18.3% has a bachelor's degree or higher. This ranks as worst and 6th worst, respectively, among US states, where the national averages are 80.4% and 24.4%. Instruction at the primary school level is compulsory between the ages of 5 and 18 and is enforced by the state. At this and the secondary school levels, students in Puerto Rico may attend either public or private schools. As of 1999, there were 1532 public schools and 569 private schools in the island.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education_in_Puerto_Rico

natural resources

some of Puerto Rico natural resorces are copper and nickel; potential for onshore and offshore oil. http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0113949.html

Monday, March 9, 2009

money

As a commonwealth of the United States, Puerto Rico enjoys many benefits of the stable U.S. dollar, referred to as a "peso" by most local people, and the U.S. central banking structure. Economic trends tend to follow those on the mainland, and the dollar retains a relatively strong and stable monetary value. The monetary stability gives the island an advantage over many other Latin American countries. Puerto Rico's per capita income at purchasing power parity (an economic measure of the strength of a nation's currency) of US$9,800 (1999 est.) is one of the highest in all of Latin America, and the inflation rate is a relatively low 5.2 percent.

information from: http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/economies/Americas/Puerto-Rico-MONEY.html

picture from: http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.banknotes.com/PTG45.JPG&imgrefurl=http://www.banknotes.com/p.htm&usg=__kSiL1q6Xjo7egN9ZpS02_ofhw6s=&h=436&w=427&sz=50&hl=en&start=1&sig2=6zif_Ci1VAUGzpGdRF_g9Q&um=1&tbnid=ghFHbvcTnTGuXM:&tbnh=126&tbnw=123&ei=vza1SZmHNITwMp_GjOAE&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dpuerto%2Brico%2Bmoney%26hl%3Den%26um%3D1