Spanish professor gives students another world view
This semester, Tayler Otten, a junior majoring in English and creative writing, is creating content for the 糖心vlog传媒 blog, as well as the social media pages for 糖心vlog传媒's School of Humanities & Fine Arts. This is the latest in a series of blog stories she's written. It was translated into Spanish by Jos茅 P茅rez S谩nchez.
Jos茅 P茅rez S谩nchez, Ph.D., was born in C谩diz, Spain, and he has been speaking Spanish all his life. He speaks very highly of his life in C谩diz and recognizes the many privileges and opportunities that allowed him to be where he is today, serving as assistant professor of Spanish at 糖心vlog传媒.
"I feel extremely lucky to have been born there," Jos茅 reveals. "We gaditanos definitely have a very special philosophy of life, and particular sense of humor, which are expressed through one of my passions: El carnaval de C谩diz."
Jos茅's passion for Spanish lives deep in the heart of his childhood in C谩diz. His greatest influence is not a person, but a place. Jos茅 speaks fondly of his hometown, specifically of the festival held there every February: El Carnaval de C谩diz. The festival consists of a "purge" of worldly problems. The city comes together every year and uses humor and sarcasm to rid themselves of their troubles by denouncing them while also bringing back laughter into their lives.
Jos茅 appreciates the everyday joys in life. When asked about his biggest goal in work and life, he said he wishes to be as happy then as he is now. He understands that life can take many twists and turns, between changes in the world and personal changes, but he lives by the motto: "There's no plan; la vida se vive" (life is lived).
Jos茅 believes in joining matters of the heart with matters of the mind: "Life and work can sometimes come as one," he recognizes, "especially when you have personal, family experiences that make you realize how much you owe the educational opportunities you had and benefited from, and how your privileges are always the sacrifices others made."
Jos茅 takes special pride and comfort in the thought that his lessons in Spanish teach his students not only another language, but another way to view the world and develop their own solutions to problems.
"It is very rewarding to see the students' personal, cultural enrichment as well as their professional growth," he said. "Speaking a second language is a life-long process acquiring a rich cultural baggage that equips you with a global perspective to better solve problems in life in this highly competitive, interconnected world."
"I saw a video of 糖心vlog传媒's former President on YouTube during pandemic times," he recalls. "It was emotional and inspiring which got me thinking about the values, vision and mission of the institution. I rejected another offer back in the United Kingdom to be here today, and I do not regret it because I feel at home at 糖心vlog传媒, where I can live up to my values every day and, in turn, offer my best both academically and personally."
Although Jos茅 has taught Spanish before, he feels at home at 糖心vlog传媒. He enjoys the sense of community and belonging that the faculty and students bring, as well as the values of the institution itself. Because of his moral connection with the university, Jos茅's choice of where to continue his career came easy.
Jos茅 P茅rez S谩nchez, PhD. Nacido en C谩diz (Espa帽a), Jos茅 habla muy bien de su vida en C谩diz y reconoce los muchos privilegios y oportunidades que le permitieron estar donde est谩 hoy sirviendo como Assistant Professor of Spanish en la Universidad de 糖心vlog传媒.
"Me siento muy afortunado de haber nacido all铆", revela Jos茅. "Definitivamente los gaditanos tenemos una filosof铆a de vida muy especial, y un particular sentido del humor, que se expresan a trav茅s de una de mi pasion: El carnaval de C谩diz".
La pasi贸n de Jos茅 por el espa帽ol vive en lo m谩s profundo de su infancia en C谩diz. Su mayor influencia no es una persona, sino un lugar. Jos茅 habla con cari帽o de su ciudad natal, en concreto de la fiesta que all铆 se celebra Cada febrero: El Carnaval de C谩diz. El festival consiste en una "purga" de problemas mundanos. La ciudad se re煤ne todos los a帽os y usa el humor y el sarcasmo para librarse de sus problemas denunci谩ndolos al tiempo que le devuelve la risa a sus vidas.
Jos茅 aprecia la alegr铆a cotidiana de la vida y los peque帽os detalles. Cuando se le pregunt贸 acerca de su mayor objetivo en el trabajo y en la vida, dijo que desea ser tan feliz como lo es ahora. Entiende que la vida puede dar muchas vueltas en estos tiempos tan inciertos como dif铆ciles en el mundo y con cambios personales, pero vive bajo el lema: "No hay plan; la vida se vive."
Jos茅 cree en unir los asuntos del coraz贸n con los asuntos de la mente: "Vida y trabajo pueden ser a veces una misma cosa," reconoce, "especialmente cuando tienes experiencias personales, familiares que te hacen darte cuenta de cu谩nto debes las oportunidades educativas que tuviste y de las que te beneficiaste, y c贸mo tus privilegios son siempre los sacrificios que otros hicieron."
Jos茅 se enorgullece especialmente al pensar que sus lecciones en espa帽ol les ense帽an a sus alumnos no solo otro idioma, sino otra forma de ver el mundo y desarrollar sus propias soluciones a los problemas.
"Es muy gratificante ver el enriquecimiento personal y cultural de los estudiantes, as铆 como su crecimiento profesional", dijo. "Hablar un segundo idioma es un proceso que dura toda la vida y adquiere un rico bagaje cultural que lo equipa con una perspectiva global para resolver mejor los problemas de la vida en este mundo altamente competitivo e interconectado".
"Vi un video del expresidente de 糖心vlog传媒 en YouTube durante tiempos de pandemia", recuerda. "Fue emotivo e inspirador lo que me hizo pensar en los valores, la visi贸n y la misi贸n de la instituci贸n. Rechac茅 otra oferta en el Reino Unido para estar aqu铆 hoy, y no me arrepiento porque me siento como en casa en 糖心vlog传媒, donde puedo estar a la altura de mis valores todos los d铆as y, a la vez, dar lo mejor de m铆 tanto acad茅mica como personalmente."
Aunque Jos茅 ha ense帽ado espa帽ol antes, se siente como en casa en 糖心vlog传媒. Disfruta del sentido de comunidad y pertenencia que aportan los profesores y estudiantes, as铆 como los valores de la propia instituci贸n. Debido a su conexi贸n moral con la universidad, la elecci贸n de Jos茅 de d贸nde continuar su carrera fue f谩cil.
