Hello! My name is Mateo Bustos and I will be your Spanish Language Associate this year. I was born in Madrid, Spain, and I have a degree in Musicology. I am thrilled to meet you all and enhance your Spanish skills.
I grew fond of music at an early age. My parents used to play lots of CDs at home, so I would get to listen to them in the living room. Within those artists, they would mostly play The Beatles, Facto Delafé y las Flores Azules, Nena Daconte, Paolo Nutini and FatBoy Slim. I would also watch music videos on the TV, allowing me to discover other artists such as Radiohead or Two Door Cinema Club. My music taste has transitioned multiple times as I was growing up, moving from genres such as Dubstep to Rock, or Pop to Hip Hop. As of today, electronic music is what I am more into right now, and my favorite artists are Björk, Aphex Twin, Christtt and Rocketship.
Neither of my parents are from Madrid. My dad is from the Basque Country, and my mom was born in Amsterdam. I have a younger sister, age 14, who has similar interests as mine, such as drawing or playing video games. My favorite movie is Perfect Blue by Satoshi Kon, and my favorite Spanish movie is Los Lunes al Sol by Fernando León de Aranoa. My favorite TV Show as of now is The Sopranos. I love traveling and visiting new places. I have traveled all around Spain, visiting most of the provinces there, but I have also gone to places such as London and Canada. My favorite Spanish foods are tortilla de patatas and croquetas.
I have a strong passion for sharing the language found across the Spanish-speaking world. From local festivities and traditions to music, cuisine, history and a diverse array of expressions and collocations, Spanish has a lot to offer and I will be glad to help and show everyone this rich language. My aim is to help you develop your Spanish speaking skills while also helping you gain confidence in real life communication through a deeper cultural context. I will be holding the Mesa de Español on Tuesdays and Thursdays in LDC from 12-1PM, feel free to join and chat with me and everyone at the table in Spanish while also building a close community! I will also be holding cultural events for the Spanish department.
In my spare time, I love listening to and creating music, drawing and meeting new people from various backgrounds. I am eager to learn together and explore the beauty and complexity of the Spanish language and culture in a meaningful and engaging way. My Carleton address is mbustos@carleton.edu if you have any questions or inquiries 🙂
