Carnival has been celebrated for centuries as a time of celebration before the time of serious reflection that comes with Easter. The largest carnival in the world is celebrated in Brazil but another large celebration is held in Cologne, Germany. In the German version, the celebrations go on for days even in the cold weather. People often wear costumes and walk through the streets carrying on until late into the night.

Cadiz, Spain has also celebrated carnival for many centuries as it is once was one of the most important maritime ports in the world. The main events during the Spanish carnival include a coronation of the goddess of the carnival, numerous parades, children’s parties and a great masked ball. There are also singing competitions where teams of singers get together and write their own songs to perform in the streets. On the final day the dancers and singers are judged. Many songs include funny lyrics while other songs contain satires of well-known people such as local celebrities and politicians.

José de la Cruz Porfirio Díaz was a Mexican soldier and politician Born in Oaxaca, Mexico in 1830. Diaz was of mixed Spanish and indigenous blood. His father died when he was only three years old and he was sent away to school at the age of six. His family was devoutly Catholic and he began training for the priesthood but he was called out to serve as a soldier during the Mexican-American war. During his early life he met Benito Juarez another politician who served as the governor of Oaxaca and later president of Mexico from 1868-1872. Diaz was also present during the Battle of Puebla in the Franco- Mexican war of 1867. He seized power in 1876 during a coup. He served seven times as the president of Mexico being in power for over 35 years between 1876 and 1911! The time in which he was in power is known as the Porfiriato.

Like many men of great power, Diaz is a controversial figure. During the time in which Diaz was in power, industry and the economy prospered. It was the only time in which the Mexican peso was equivalent to the US dollar. However this economic growth mainly benefited the elite both inside and outside of Mexico, including Diaz himself who amassed a large personal fortune. Diaz permitted heavy investment in mining and railways by both the Americans and British while taking a cut of the earnings. In addition, the already wealthy landowners increased their landholdings leaving many campesinos (subsistence farmers) unable to make a living. These policies lead directly to the Mexican Revolution of 1910. In 1911, Díaz fled to France where he later died in 1915.

When studying a new language  it is important to understand the culture that envelops and supports that language to truly understand it. North American society and Latin society have many similarities but also some differences. Below I will discuss two fundamental institutions in Latin society; family and church.

Latin society is a collective society. North American society is different, we are raised to be independent and  to put our own opinions and goals ahead of those of the family as a whole. While many North Americans celebrate birthdays and other occasions only with friends or their romantic partner, Latin people celebrate an anniversary, birthday or wedding with the entire extended family. The concept of the nuclear family doesn’t really exist as it is common to live with, or very close to, extended family members such as grandparents, uncles and cousins. To this end, people often have closer relationships with their extended family members than are found in North America.

In addition to the family, the Catholic Church plays a relatively large role in the everyday lives of most Latin people. Many attend church regularly such as every Sunday or even every day.  The church is not only a place to pray, but also serves as a basis for the community at large. All of life’s major milestones are tied to the church such as baptism, marriage and death.

The type of Catholicism found in Latin America differs from that found in Europe in countries such as Italy, Spain and France. When the Spaniards brought the Catholic faith to the New World around 500 years ago, it was adopted by the native indigenous peoples. However, they did not completely give up their own traditional beliefs but rather created a fusion of beliefs. Therefore, while many Latin Americas believe in Jesus Christ, they also have local patron saints they worship. Latin people are also quite superstitious and often adorn their homes and cars with small altars and good luck charms.

In Latin American society, as in North American society, most public holidays revolve around the main religious festivals: Christmas (Navidad), Easter (Pascua) and All Souls Day (El dia de los muertos). The occasions of Christmas and Easter offer time off of work and school in which to celebrate  or commemorate a variety of  rituals surrounding the holiday. Even individuals who are not practicing Catholics may take this as a time off to enjoy time with family.