As a way for students to have fun and practice their Spanish speaking skills, Spanish club hosted a Speed Spanglish conversation table in Clark Student Center Comanche suites on Nov. 7.

“[This event] is a good way to come out and learn about other cultures, to practice using another language and to get to know other people and other fellow students. Sometimes students just show up to class and sometimes don’t talk to student that sit next to them the entire semester,”  Valencia Tamper, assistant professor of Spanish and Spanish club advisor, said.

The one and a half hour event held from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. was originally held in October but the turn out wasn’t as high as the second event.

“This is a way to get students active, get them out of their dorm rooms and expose them to another language, another culture,” Tamper said.

At the second Speed Spanglish event Spanish club expected to have around 20-30 students to attend Tanner Flores, Spanish club social media officer, said.

“We did [the first] test run in October,  basically we went to the language learning lab, the new one, to see the turn out. We saw what we need to improve on and then we made sure we were prepared for this event,” Flores said. 

Students were able to go around the table and practice their Spanish skills. Spanish club spent around $85 on chicken tostadas, refreshments and pan dulce for over 25 attendees.

“We wanted to eat tostadas again like we had before, we already decided to do [tostadas] because last time we only had Spanish snacks,” Flores said.

All members, regardless of majors are encouraged to attend the conversation table.

“Learning another language is crucial to the world, I think it is beautiful thing to learn Spanish, to learn French, to learn a new language. [Students] should come to have fun, learning a language shouldn’t be a lot of pressure, I think it should be fun,” Flores said.

The event was held for students to become engaged on campus and practice new language skills outside of a classroom environment.

“Wichita Falls is a large community, there is a large Hispanic community. Spanish is basically the second language here in Wichita Falls. This conversation table is a way to have students to not be afraid about speaking Spanish, because that can be a problem. They don’t feel comfortable speaking Spanish and this event can be like a step in learning Spanish,” Norma Castro, Spanish club president, said.

Winners of Speed Spanglish raffle

• Savannah Lopez, social work freshman.
• Sky Barron, mass communication freshman.

Requirements to become a member

• Be encouraged and interested in new languages.
• $5 dues paid by third meeting.
• Members do not have to be Spanish students.