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Instituto Cervantes -- by fernandez, manicad, manuel, ng, ong, paulo (cover design and layout by Geraldine Marie Paulo)
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At A Glance
Instituto Cervantes. I don’t speak Spanish, but I figured it’s some kind of
―institute‖, or a place of higher learning. Prior to visiting the venue, I had a picture in
my head of what the place might look like. I imagined it to be like a structure from the
time they would call ―Panahon ng Kastila‖ or during the time of the Spanish conquer-
ors. What would stand before me, I thought, would be a huge castle-like structure that
looks as if it had been established centuries ago. Its grey walls might even be stained
with a dark hue due to the moss that built up over the years. Perhaps there might even
be a moat on this one as the entire institute rests on a field of green, just as I pictured it
from the books I have read about Spanish chivalry. The question is, where in Manila
would something like this be located?
I made my way to the Instituto Cervantes located in Ermita, Manila with the
hopes of seeing the place as I had pictured it in my head. However, the closer I got to
its designated location, the more my hopes diminished. How can the Instituto of my
imagination possibly fit in such a busy and crowded city? It just didn’t make any sense.
As my group mates and I arrived at the station that would lead us to the Instituto, my
Spain Goes Global
heart sunk. I couldn’t even catch a glimpse of the institute from the LRT. Where could it possibly be? Is the place so small that it can’t
be seen from where the LRT stands? I disregarded all expectations, and instead, marched on with an open mind and curiosity.
As we walked along the busy side-street, I kept asking my group mates ―Are we there yet?‖ I was walking ahead of the group
as the unexpected answer suddenly came and one of them said ―We’re here!‖ I turned my head and there it was. Blended in with the
rest of the buildings along Kalaw Street, the place didn’t look anything special from the outside. On the wall was the logo o f Instituto
Cervantes with its name inscribed on it. As we entered the building, my eyes opened wide. The place looked like the complete opposite
of how I imagined it to be. We were welcomed by a high-tech security metal detector as opposed to per say, men in armored suits. It
had a quiet atmosphere, and the place looked clean and spotless. Mounted on one of the walls of the lobby was a plasma screen T.V.
playing a Spanish film with English subtitle for everyone’s enjoyment. Surrounding the T.V. were tables and chairs that made it seem
like a café. As for someone who is a first -time visitor, I would say that the institute generated a friendly, yet business-like vibe that
gave me a warm and welcoming feeling inside.
Aprender Magazine
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4 And This Is How It All Began
The Instituto Cervantes is a world-wide non-profit
organization established by the Spanish government in 1991.
It is by far the largest organization in the world that promotes
the study of both the Spanish language and culture. Named
after perhaps the most important figure in the history of
Spanish Literature, Miguel de Cervantes, its ultimate goal is
to promote the education, the study, and the use of Spanish
universally as a second language. They also aim to aid in the
advancement of the Spanish and Hispanic American cultures
to all the countries unfamiliar with both the language and
culture.
As of now, there are seventy-seven distinct Instituto
Cervantes in forty-four different countries, including one
located in our very own Ermita, Manila. The fact that the
Spanish princess, Dona Elena, was the one who inaugurated
the Instituto Cervantes in Manila in 1994, explains the
plaque outside the Instituto recognizing her presence. Imag-
ine the legitimacy of such an institute! It’s not every day that
we get a Spanish heiress visiting our country for an inaugura-
tion of a Spanish school. Spain’s mission to strengthen its
cultural presence in the Southeast Asian countries truly is
evident.
Why It Stands
The Instituto Cervantes was established
for two main purposes: promote the Spanish lan-
guage as a universal second language and to edu-
cate the non-Spanish countries with the Spanish
culture. No other Spanish institute does it the way
the Instituto does. Constantly thinking of ways to
improve its educational methods, they even offer
an online Spanish language course for those who
simply have no access to the institute itself. Also,
the Instituto serves to create a social, cultural, and
educational environment in each center. When I
entered the place, all the signs were in Spanish,
not to mention that everyone who was a part of
the institute spoke in Spanish. The environment
definitely aids in getting you accustomed to the
language.
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Aside from the friendly staff of the
Instituto and its customary environment, the
Instituto serves to build a strong foundation
when it comes to developing the student’s
ability to use the language in a field of differ-
ent context, as well as in the recognition of
the different Spanish accents. Not only have
that, but enrollees of the Instituto also had the
privilege to access any of the facilities of the
Cervantes Institute around the globe. But
more importantly, the Instituto focuses on
improving each student’s language skills
such as reading, speaking, and writing in
Spanish, ranging from the beginning level all
the way to the advanced level, through sim-
ple methods like having a small student to
teacher ratio as well as constantly speaking to
the students in Spanish.
The Instituto strikes me as a place
where the advisers are passionate about trans-
ferring their knowledge of the Spanish lan-
guage and culture to the students. This kind
of passion in teaching combined with the
student’s passion to learn which stems, per-
haps, from sheer curiosity, allows for quicker
development and thus influences more people
to take part in the education.
What Keeps It Standing
The atmosphere that is universally brought out by Instituto
Cervantes that makes you feel culturally connected is not the only
outstanding feature of the institute. The other important features that
serve as important building blocks to your Spanish education comes
from the 1,800 square meters of property which houses nine class-
rooms, a library, an auditorium, and an exhibition hall. The air-
conditioned classrooms, although not particularly large, has approxi-
mately twenty seats. This ensures a good student to teacher ratio.
The library contains mostly of Spanish books and movies which can
be borrowed by both students and outsiders for a fee. Not only that,
but they also have a Filipiniana section; however, the contents of
this section may only be accessed in the library. The auditorium
contains sixty seats and is used for both public and private film
showing, while an exhibition hall is located just right outside of the
auditorium. Every now and then there would be artwork showcased
throughout the hall for everyone to see.
Aprender Magazine
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6 Now, what good would these establishments do for
someone like me who isn’t enrolled to the Institute? Well,
looks like I’m in luck because their cultural programs offer
activities that are open to the public. Some of these activities
include theater, dance, music, literature, and arts. Because
the Instituto wills to spread the Spanish and Latin American
cultures, the institute collaborates with different institutions
from other countries and invites a variety of guest speakers
who can provide discussions and seminars on literature, lan-
guage, history, and other related topics. Some of these semi-
nars are open to the public who are interested as well. I my-
self have never been to any of these cultural programs. How-
ever, I’ve got to say that the Instituto posts its invitation in
such a way that the invited becomes intrigued in what the
institute has to offer making them want to attend an event.
People’s Appreciation
For a place with only a total of nine classrooms, it
surprised me to learn that there were over six thousand enrol-
lees in the past academic year. The interest of the Filipinos in
learning the Spanish language and culture probably stems
from the fact that we were rooted from some kind of Spanish
history, while others might just want to learn it out of curios-
ity.
Now, my question is what is so special and impor-
tant about the Spanish language and culture that
they strive to promote it worldwide? To the Span-
iards, it’s not only about keeping their tradition
and culture alive; rather, they reach out to the
people in different places hoping that the inhabi-
tants there would have the same enthusiasm and
passion for their traditions and culture.
It’s all about attitude. With that said, I
believe that even the language and culture of a
place like the Philippines—with the right attitude,
mindset, and clear focus—can possibly be appre-
ciated worldwide as well. With millions of Filipi-
nos already scattered all around the globe we’re
already beginning to make little waves, culturally.
Now, are we ready to take it to the next level just
like Spain? (Jodel Katrina Fernandez)
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Instituto Cervantes (also called Cervantes Institute) is a non-profit organization
founded by the Spanish government in 1991. It is the only official Spanish Government
Language Center, and is the largest organization in the world committed to promote the
Spanish language and cultures of Spanish-speaking countries throughout the world. At
present, this organization has branched out in over 44 different countries with 77 centers.
Its Head Office is located in Alcalá de Henares (Madrid), the place where Miguel de
Cervantes was born.
Instituto Cervantes in the Philippines
For three long centuries, Philippines was under the Spanish ruling. During this
long period of time, the influences of the Spanish upon the natives were profound. Every
aspect of their government, culture, education, economy and religion revolutionized ir-
revocably. Therefore, it is inevitable to say that the arrival of Instituto Cervantes in the
Philippines has a connection with the aftereffects of the expansive time of the Spanish
colonization in the country.
In 1994, the Spanish Princess Dona Elena officially inaugurated the Instituto
Cervantes in Manila. Given the fact that there were centers which also opened in Indone-
sia, Vietnam and Malaysia, Spain’s mission to reinforce its cultural presence in South-
Inside and Outside the Hub:
History and Features
Aprender Magazine
east Asia is confirmed.
The locations of the different centers all over the globe are classified as Centros Cervantes (full-fledged centers), and Aulas
Cervantes (smaller "lecture halls"), as well as a network of associated institutions. These are Centros Acreditados (within Spain) and
Centros Asociados (outside Spain). The Instituto Cervantes that we have here in the country belongs to the Centros Cervantes category.
According to Ms. Nicole Villamor, a collaborator under cultural affairs, Instituto Cervantes Manila was used to be located at
the Mayflower Building, corner Estrada and Leon Guinto Sts., Malate, Manila. However, because of the organization’s desire to have a
larger space to occupy more students and walk-in visitors, they moved the center to the historic district of Ermita, along Kalaw Street.
It was in the year 2006 when Ms. Leire Pajín, the Secretary of State for International Cooperation, presided the presentation of
the new office that houses the Instituto Cervantes in Manila, a newly constructed building with a modern architectural design of 1,800
square meters with nine classrooms, a library, an auditorium, and exhi-
bition hall.
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8 The Miguel Hernández Library
First opened in 1993, the Instituto Cervantes library
in Manila (also known as the Miguel Hernández Library) is
regarded as a resource center capable of offering an exten-
sive collection of documents, literature and audio-visual,
focusing on the language and culture of Spain and Spanish-
speaking countries. The Chief Librarian, Mr. Carlos Blanco,
told our group that the books that are found in this library are
provided by the organization’s main headquarters in Madrid.
Their collections, on the other hand, are from the former Cul-
tural Center of the Embassy of Spain in Manila. At the pre-
sent time, the library has more than 20,000 documents. Its
collections and services, a strategic counterpart of the aca-
demic area, are aimed to provide documents, information, or
data to any student or researcher interested in studying any-
thing pertaining to the Hispanic world.
The library has a wide-ranging compilation of Span-
ish and Latin American literature. Moreover, it houses a
large number of films and references on the most important
works of Spain. The library visitors may listen to a broad
collection of music and the radio. Students taking a break
from class can even watch Spanish television (with English
subtitles, in favor of those who are in level A1). Such facili-
ties found in the library make the students and
visitors more equipped.
The Auditorium
The screening of Spanish cinema every
Saturday afternoon at the auditorium (called
Salón de Actos) has been a long -standing tradi-
tion in Instituto Cervantes Manila. Films from
Spain are projected on the big screen at the said
auditorium every Saturday. The films are open to
anyone who is looking to catch a taste of Spanish
cinema. Free admission and tickets are available
on a first come first served basis.
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Outside the Center
Aside from the typical classroom
setting at the hub, those who are willing to be
officially accredited as competent in Spanish
but have so little time can take advantage of
the Spanish Online Course (Aula Virtual de
Español). It is Instituto Cervantes’ Spanish
Virtual Classroom, an Internet-based educa-
tional infrastructure set up to provide Spanish
courses for distance learning. Aside from
that, those who may consider themselves late
bloomer need not to worry for themselves!
These online courses may be taken at the
student’s own pace. The online course of
Instituto Cervantes in Manila allows these
students to enjoy active learning, a personal
tutor, personalized and continuous evalua-
tion, be in contact with other on-line mem-
bers through email and chat, and avail of the
resources and services of the Internet.
Experience Spanish
Instituto Cervantes offers language
classes designed to equip students with skills
for them to gain the knowledge of communi-
cating in Spanish or to improve their abilities
in Spanish communication. The student learns the essential tech-
niques of reading, writing, comprehending and speaking the Spanish
language in the classes.
These language classes are offered at very affordable rates.
They have special courses for business, nurses, caregivers, children
as well as teachers. Students who want to learn the language who
wish to learn more about cinema, literature, music, and art of the
Spanish-speaking world may take cultural enhancement courses.
This full-fledged center also accepts customized courses for compa-
nies, universities, enterprises, small groups and agencies that send
workers to Spain as long as clear goals are realized and agreed.
I believe that the objective of the organization to promul-
gate proper knowledge of the language, culture and arts of Spain and
some Latin American countries is undoubtedly evident in the
courses that they are offering and the cultural programs that they are
opening to the public. So to those who are enthusiastic enough to
learn about these things related to the Hispanic world, why not pay a
visit and even try some courses? (Geraldine Marie Paulo)
Aprender Magazine
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On a hot, damp afternoon, I sat in the coffee shop of Instituto Cervantes, Ma-
nila, a Spanish institution for learning culture and language, waiting for my guest. A
few moments later, a tall, white figure strolled in wearing a casual plaid shirt and dark
jeans. The man then approached me with a smile and a polite ―How do you do?‖ and
extended his hand and introduced himself as Adrian Fernandez, one of the professors
of language.
For a young man of thirty-two, Mr. Adrian Fernandez oozed with confidence;
after shaking my hand, he led me to an air-conditioned room to save us both from the
scorching Philippine heat. We both took our seats. I pulled my laptop out, set it on the
table and began a very delightful conversation with Mr. Fernandez.
Growing Up in Spain
Living in Spain was wonderful, according to Mr. Fernandez. Although some-
how protective of his past, he frequently stressed the importance of his parents’ teach-
ings. In a lot of ways, his parents’ lifestyle affected the man who sat before me that
afternoon. Both doctors, his parents told him the essence of life through dictums and
examples. He grew up thinking that ―happiness is being in between. You don’t need to
Through a Spaniard’s Eyes
Aprender Magazine
Instituto Cervantes. perfect body, but don’t be too fat and lazy.‖
Also, he had an unfaltering respect for his teachers and mentors. ―When you are a child, and you are in school, you’ll always
love your teachers. I always respected my teachers,‖ he answered when asked about his early teaching influences. He had a who lesome
primary and secondary education, which propelled him to study Business Administration and take a master’s degree in Finance, both
from the University of Spain. He is currently taking an online masters course in Spanish in the same university.
Around the World
The thought of being a professor never occurred to Mr. Fernandez until he was chosen by the Spanish government to teach
their language, especially not in the Philippines. Prior to being a Spanish professor, Mr. Fernandez had two occupations, both of which
he did not like. The first one was a stable yet dull bank job which made him move to his next job in an auditing firm which he did not
appreciate as well. Feeling the hunger for knowledge and experiences well up in his body, he decided to travel the world. He has been
to Japan, worked for the government under a scholarship and fell in love
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11 with the country. He spoke of Japan with fondness, remem-
bering the busy streets and rich culture of the Land of the
Rising Sun. He also worked in Australia for a few years. Al-
though he liked the country as well, he still felt the need to
travel, which made him book a flight to the Philippines.
While on the plane to the Philippines, he doubted his deci-
sions and thought about his future in this foreign land. It is
here, though, where he finally found the job he wanted –
teaching. ―I can really say it’s my passion,‖ Mr. Fernandez
said when asked about his thoughts on teaching.
Living in the Philippines
Mr. Fernandez’s Filipino students, according to
him, respond well to his lessons. He commented on the Fili-
pinos’ love for history and culture. ―They really love the
Spanish culture, because the history of the Philippines is very
related [to Spain’s.]‖ According to him, he also appreciates
the fact that Filipinos are vocal and can express their opin-
ions clearly and fluently. He learns from his students as they
learn from him. This give-and-take relationship established
by the professor and his students provide a very good atmos-
phere for wholesome learning. Also, taking note of the fact
that the Philippines was once colonized by Spain, a lot of
Spanish influences can still be seen all over the country and
therefore heightening the interest of the youth to
study their language and culture. Another big
factor is football, which Spain has been conquer-
ing for a while now.
Aside from teaching in Instituto
Cervantes for the past ten months, Mr. Fernandez
spent his time travelling the Philippines. He has
been to different provinces all over the country,
including La Union, Banawe, Cebu and Negros.
He keeps himself busy as well by working as a
Spanish professor in the De La Salle University
along Taft Avenue during Tuesdays and Thurs-
days. Also, he writes for a Spanish newspaper,
where he does reports on the condition of the
Philippines and the state of its people.
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Inside the Mind of an
Outsider
The writing job for Spain prevents
Mr. Fernandez from turning a blind eye to
those in need. He takes note of even the
smallest problems of the city, from the ineffi-
ciency of public transport systems to the
clouds of smoke puffed by the jeepneys he
encounters every single day. He keeps track
of the happenings in the Philippines, the con-
dition of the people and the events that make
up the daily life of the Filipino. Despite the
things he sees, he maintains a rational view
of the future, stressing that change can still be
made and the Philippines can still rise. He
even thinks that calling the Philippines a poor
country is ―mean,‖ and that he thinks other-
wise; he says that the country is rich in its
own way.
After expressing his sentiments, Mr.
Fernandez addressed some messages to the
youth. In terms of the development and
spreading of the Spanish language and cul-
ture, he says that ―[He doesn’t] invite any-
body to study Spanish. If you want to learn a
language, [do something about it.] Nobody has to tell you to study
Spanish.‖ Keeping the future in mind, he then states that ―Spanish
now is very important, especially now in the Philippines‖ and that
others take up the language for future use. Mr. Fernandez then con-
tinued the message in a political light, saying that ―[he loves] the
Philippines,‖ but for the Philippines to prosper, the citizens must
stop complaining to people and the government; instead, they should
start doing something.
―People are dying because of cancer. People are acting like
they just don’t care,‖ Mr. Fernandez said, referring to the huge vol-
ume of pollution the public and private vehicles exhaust every day.
As a commuter, he takes notice of such things and suffers its effects
every day. Aside from pollution, Mr. Fernandez believes that pov-
erty and corruption should be prioritized by the youth. ―There is
corruption because you allow the corruption,‖ he says, and that peo-
ple should fight for what they believe in. According to him, social
classes should not exist, or at least, the gap between the rich and the
poor.
Aprender Magazine
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Foresight
On a final note, he gave an insight to his future,
stating that he is planning to go to South America next year
and hopefully retiring soon, taking into consideration his
physical and monetary security. Finally, it seems, he has
found the answer to the nagging question in his head. There
are no more doubts – he was born to teach and to spread his
culture throughout the world.
Although deeply attached to his home, Spain, Mr.
Adrian Fernandez shows that race and ethnicity don’t matter
– everything is all about perspective. Being a Spaniard in a
country thousands of miles away from home may be difficult
at times, but this doesn’t bring Mr. Fernandez down. Instead,
he adapts and embraces the different cultures and traditions
he encounters. In the end, we’re all just travelers in this
world looking for our place we call home. (Danica De-
nise Manicad )
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In all honesty, not many are well aware that Instituto Cervantes existed. Insti-
tuto Cervantes is an institution dedicated to promote the Spanish language and culture of
Latin-American countries. Like most, I was also oblivious to the fact that such a wonder-
ful institution stood on Philippine soil. I was excited to go there but I knew that going to
a new place for the first time meant unfamiliarity and uncertainty. Because of that, I was
pretty sure that the worlds of the people working there and my world are totally different
and far from each other. To my pleasant surprise, I met someone closer to home than I
imagined.
Nicole Villamor is a 20-year-old fresh graduate of BS Management in the
Ateneo de Manila University. Interestingly, I met her in an unlikely setting. A suppose-to
-be-businesswoman is now working under the cultural department of Instituto Cervantes,
clearly defying the conventional career paths a graduate of her course usually takes. Her
love and enthusiasm towards the Spanish language and culture brought her to where she
is now. She first immersed herself in Spanish one summer in high school but learned
majority of what she knows now when she went to Spain to study for five months during
the Junior Term Abroad (JTA).
Aprender Magazine
Can you share some interesting experiences or stories during your JTA?
Some of my experiences would be seeing the coffin of past Kings and Queens of Spain (including Felipe II), traveling on weekends
alone and learning to navigate a map, learning to live with people from different nationalities, and traveling from Madrid to Paris, then
to Brussels and finally, to Amsterdam and back in 4 days. Basically, the living independently with strangers is a definite first for me.
The seemingly mundane things but you gain a whole new perspective in doing things when you’re abroad and you’re forced to liv e out
of your comfort zone.
Where did the interest for Spanish culture and language come from?
I can't entirely pinpoint since there was no single aha moment when I realized I liked it most among the languages. I do enjoy dabbling
in other Romance languages but in Spanish the most. As for liking culture, it only started when I was already there particularly during
the weekends when I traveled around Spain and went to parts that were
less known to tourists and in which I felt more immersed in the culture.
Pursuing Your Passion
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15 Moving on to your career, can you
tell me more about your career?
What is your official position?
What is it that you do?
I don't think I have an official title but I'm a collaborator un-
der Cultural Affairs. Since it's a small department, I work
closely with the Cultural Head (José María Fons) as we plan
and implement the cultural events laid out for the year. Most
of these events are organized by Instituto Cervantes in coop-
eration with the Embassy of Spain. However, there are also
events that are in partnership with other embassies or with
other cultural institutions such as the Goethe Institut, Japan
Foundation, etc. My work also includes writing promotional
content, taking care of logistics, and sometimes even translat-
ing.
What are the difficulties that you
have encountered while working or
before you started working?
Obviously, the language barrier but that's more on the sur-
face. What's more challenging is dealing with the work at-
mosphere. On one hand, you do enjoy a certain
candor and frankness which is obviously very
different from the work culture that's prevalent in
a local setting. Everyone addresses the other on a
first name basis. I'm encouraged to speak my
mind and give my opinion on things. On the other
hand, the downside also has something to do with
the culture. For example, their lunch breaks are
about two hours long and they take coffee breaks
so in terms of efficiency and time management, I
always have to compare it with the local setting.
Among all the events,
which do you recommend?
I particularly liked the El Día E (Spanish Lan-
guage Day) this year not just because it was tech-
nically my first event but also because it really
did give one holistic Spanish and Latin American
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American experience from the language to
the literature down to the different cuisines of
the Spanish-speaking countries. This year, we
paid homage to Chilean poet Nicanor Parra
and so we had actors from CCP perform
"mob-style" in different areas within Shangri-
La Plaza where they performed the poet's
works in Spanish, English and even Filipino.
That was entertaining, well-received and also
what I'd consider a personal achievement
since I was the one who suggested, planned
and coordinated the entire thing.
I came across the 6th In-
ternational Silent Film
Festival in ALAC. I' m
interested in attending
if possible. Can you
elaborate or give me more
in f o rm a t io n a b o ut
the event aside from the
one in the website?
The movie we're showing this year is from
1925 and so it's an experience to be able to say that you've just seen
one of the earliest pieces of Spanish cinema. We will be having Si-
nosikat as the local band who will do the live score of the movie.
They will be accompanied by Spanish silent film composer Ignacio
Plaza who works regularly at the French Cinematheque in
Paris. You can see more information in the Facebook page of the
ISFF.
Lastly, why did you choose to take an
unusual career path for a BS Manage-
ment graduate?
I'd say that one of the things I've realized is that the course I took in
college did not have to define my career path especially since the
conventions for Management majors dictate that I be in banking,
marketing, and the like. Although those are perfectly valid fields to
grow and learn as a professional, I think I was one of the lucky few
who was able to combine what I like (the language, the culture,
meeting literally different kinds of people) and what I do well (or so
Aprender Magazine
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17 I'd like to think) like planning, writing, giving instructions,
and other things you learn in college.
Having had a nice and inspiring talk with Nicole
Villamor, I realized that a person is definitely not limited to
the norms of society. Our talk also opened numerous path-
ways and opportunities for me to explore in the future. As I
was leaving Instituto Cervantes, I felt very satisfied with the
new insights I gained from the worthwhile visit. Now that
I’m aware of this institution, I have started to notice all Span-
ish related posters and ads especially the verses in the LRT.
(Bernice Danielle Ong)
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As Filipinos, we should be responsible enough to have the basic knowledge of
how our country came to be. This may not pique the interests of some ignorant die-
hard nationalists, but despite the―harassment‖ our country has undergone, the impact
of cultural influence is very evident to this day. The Philippines is very much a unique
amalgamation of varying cultures.
Take for example the sari-sari store on the corner of Gen. McArthur street
where you bought a few pieces of pan de sal for breakfast. You may not realize the fact
that evident traces of foreign cultures have merited such permanence in our society, but
the fact remains: we harnessed a matchless, diverse culture from outside our box.
Roots to Branches
In 1991, the Spanish government established Instituto Cervantes as a means to
spread the knowledge and power of Spanish culture worldwide. It currently has 77
branches in 44 different countries around the world, one of which can be found in the
busy streets of Ermita, Manila.
Upon entering the institute, a wide, breathtaking, and architecturally beautiful
interior welcomed us a security guard frisked our belongings. The building is not rela-
A World Within the Walls
Aprender Magazine
tively ―new‖. Instituto Cervantes Manila started out in 1994 at Vito Cruz, but has been revamped in 2006 and has been moved t o Er-
mita, conveniently a stone’s throw from the United Nations MRT station.
Instituto Cervantes currently has about two hundred and fifty programs and more or less six thousand students going in and
out of the place from Monday to Saturday, every week of the year. The building looks small, simple, and modest, but nevertheless,
great wealth lies within its walls.
A Victory Within a Victory
A simple conversation with Katerina De Veneracion, the Director’s Secretary revealed that Instituto Cervantes’ surprising
population burst was brought about by two events entirely: their change in location and Spain’s victory in the 2010 FIFA worl d cup.
―Our old branch was too small and too unattractive to invite more enthusiasts of the culture. While we could have accommo-
dated much more students at the time, some classrooms were barely full.‖
says Katerina.
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fresh feeling of modernity and a pinch of grandeur, which
invited more people with certain standards for educational
facilities. As we all know, or even guilty of, people tend to
judge an institute’s capacity to educate by the facilities con-
tained within it, thus almost doubling the number of students
who enrolled. A different conversation with a very friendly
and soft-spoken Nicole Villamor, a general assistant in their
offices, and conveniently an alumna from the Ateneo, in-
formed me that Spain’s victory in the 2010 world cup also
brought more cultural enthusiasts to the institute.
Nicole mentioned that the number of students en-
rolling annually has also steadily increased since said vic-
tory. She said that most of them are football fans and players
who bring along their friends with them, aside from the usual
enrollee population who possess Spanish lineage and those
who would like to find jobs as Spanish teachers or find jobs
in Spain.
Curiosity, Passion, Satisfaction
Later that week, I discovered that one of my friends,
Danica Sarmiento, had enrolled in the institute and has been
taking Spanish classes after her everyday classes at DLSU
for the past month. We caught up with each other’s happen-
ings and I proceeded to interview her.
J: What do you love most about the Spanish lan-
guage?
D: Personally, I always thought it sounded sexy
or romantic. I also love how it somehow relates
back and forth to Filipino. I would also like to
build myself on a versatile foundation that could
possibly help me in the future.
J: What do you love most about their culture?
D: Somehow, the similarities to our culture had
me interested and eager to know more about it.
My newfound knowledge of their culture gave me
a different perspective because from Philippine
History, I always thought they were the bad guys.
Now, I see they’re actually quite harmless and
prioritize family and religion over everything.
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J: What motivated you to enroll in Instituto
Cervantes? How has it changed you so far?
D: I simply got curious. My father is half
Spanish, though he didn’t persuade or talk
me into enrolling, I just thought that this
would be an effective way to discover how
he lived back when he was in Spain. Right
now, I couldn’t say it has changed me that
much, I just recently developed a new love
for Spanish food, does that count?
On a personal account, I could say
that Instituto Cervantes is indeed doing a
fantastic job at bridging an old link between
our countries. It also acts as a damper of any
discrimination we have left towards Spain. I
could say that even I have somehow grown a
different perspective on the matter, seeing
Spanish culture as an answer key or a refer-
ence to how and why we do things in our
country.
From where I’m seated, Instituto
Cervantes has brought assurance and perpetu-
ity to the Spanish culture and will continue to
grow indefinitely. As the Spanish say:
―Adios, amigos.‖ (Ellsworth Justin Ng )
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The Festival
Tired of the over the top comedies and bucketful of tears in the average Filipino
movie? Exasperated by the average Hollywood movie that’s either a remake or one
based on a board game but with the added advantage of a hundred million dollars as the
budget? If you say yes, then come on over to Greenbelt and watch the Spanish film festi-
val hosted by Instituto Cervantes. As the premiere institute of spreading the Spanish cul-
ture all over the world, Instituto Cervantes annually hosts a film festival called Pelicula,
known as the must see event for the movie buffs, the hispanophiles, the movie critics and
the average movie-goer looking for a change in movies. Now on it’s tenth season and
owing to the success of the previous nine seasons, this season promised to be bigger.
Incidentally the tenth season coincided not only with the sesquicentennial of our national
hero’s birth but also of the decade long Spanish -Filipino cultural exchange. With the
confluence of these events Instituto Cervantes proudly unveiled this season’s lineup of
movies.
The season’s list included multi -awarded films such as Tambien la Lluvia (Even
The Rain), Todas las Canciones Hablan de mi (Every Song is About Me), and Chico y
Aprender Magazine
Rita Also included in the film selections, as per its tradition, a movie that showed the cultural tie of the Philippines and Spain; the
movie, shown for the first time in Asia, was Buenas Noches Espana (Goodnight, Spain) from the Filipino director Raya Martin. One
more highlight of the festival was the Diez anos de Pelicula( 10 years of Pelicula), which included the previous winners of Audience
choice awards from seasons 2004-2010, featuring such films as Mar Adentro, El Secreto de Sus Ojos and Fuera da Carta.
The festival proper opened with the premier of La Verguenza (The Shame), which was attended by the director himself, David
Plannell himself. Running from October 5 to 16 film goers were able to get a taste of Latin- American and Spanish Culture rarely
brought to our attention. Films such as Lope, a period drama about the famous Spanish playwright during the Golden Age, and Chico y
Rita, a love story set on the backdrop of the golden age of Cuban Jazz, provide a look into the different cultures in the Hispanic world.
Each movie-goer was asked at the end of the movie to rate the movie that they have watched and the movie with the highest votes
would become the winner of the Audience’s Choice award. The winner for the tenth season was Tambien La Lluvia, a story about a
director wanting to show Christopher Columbus as a greedy conqueror but the filming is soon complicated when the Cochamba Water
War, a series of protests in Bolivia’s third largest city that began when
Pelicula: A Decade of Films
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new owner increased the water rates, begins and the crew is
trapped in a moral dilemma.
A Night at the Festival
Lining up on to get my ticket I was disappointed at
how the other people beside me were not on the same line as
me and wanting to watch a movie part of the festival. If they
could spend 180 pesos on a movie about aliens attacking the
world why can’t they spend just 75 to watch something with
a unique story. That however does not mean that there were
only a few people who watched the films in the film fest. The
line I was in was long and people looked really interested
and immersed in the movie they were going to watch for that
schedule. The movie me and my brother were going to
watch was titled Enterrado(Buried), a man wakes up inside a
coffin buried six feet under with nothing but a cellphone, a
lighter and a pen, he must struggle to survive or die away
from his family, with nothing to mark his demise. With my
eyes glued to the screen from the opening scene to the last
spark of light that ended the movie, I knew that I had not had
enough of Pelicula so after that I went directly back to the
ticket stand to watch another movie. Next up was El Secreto
de Sus Ojos( The Secret In Their Eyes), a movie about a
crime committed in the past and how it has af-
fected the two protagonists. I had thought it was
just another twist to a love story, I however
proved was, to my delight, proved wrong. The
movie not only talked about love it also talked
about the problems of their society. I had not had
enough of the movies and the festival, it capti-
vated me, the stories the movies told, the world
they showed simply piqued my curiousity. From
the time defying live in Chico y Rita to the sensu-
ality of Habitacion en Roma( A Room in Rome),
these movies were not afraid to show the world
t h r o u g h d i f f e r e n t l e n s e s .
As the lights slowly dimmed in Cinema
2 of Greenbelt and the stalls were closed and as I
lined up to get a cab to get me home at 12 mid-
night on a Saturday, I realized that Pelicula is
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only for those unafraid to try something new. And to understand something not just about the shared past with our
colonizer for 333 years but that our common humanity transcends borders and languages. That deep down we all
feel the same and the only thing that differs is how we see them and how we act on them. (Ralph Jasper
Manuel )
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