Last June students from 5 th Year B interviewed Julie Hopson Golden. We want to share with
you that virtual communication
Julie Hopson Golden is a Spanish Language educator who works at Oak Ridge High school in the state of Tennessee in the US. Three years ago she came to Córdoba to work as a volunteer in our school. An ongoing collaboration between San José School and Oak Ridge High was created. Since then, we have shared some video calls with her students to get to know one another and to practice both languages.
Our first interview can be read here https://es.calameo.com/read/004805688033b2aff6a91
This year we want to keep on our virtual exchange so we’ve sent her these questions.
INTERVIEW TO JULIE HOPSON GOLDEN
Oak Ridge School
Students: Is there an exchange program for students?
Julie: We currently have an exchange program for students of French and German, but not a
program for students who study Spanish. Spanish students have participated in cultural
exchanges through independent companies to Costa Rica, Peru, and Spain before the
pandemic stopped all international travel for the school. We hope to start traveling again in
2023.
Students: What extracurricular activities do students have?
Julie: Students at Oak Ridge High School have many options for extracurricular activities. For
those who are interested in sports, we offer football, basketball, baseball, softball, soccer,
tennis, swimming, golf, track, cheerleading, and dance. We also have over 60 clubs to choose from, including Art Club, Chess Club, Dungeons and Dragons Club, International Friends Club, Robotics, Anime, Spanish Club and Computer Programming Club. For those interested in the arts, we offer a variety of visual art classes, digital arts, orchestra, band, and choir.
Students: What time do students leave school?
Julie: Our classes start at 7:50 each day and end at 3:05.
Students: Can you tell us what kind of food students eat at lunch time?
Julie: Our juniors and seniors (11 th and 12 th grades) can leave campus for lunch and go home or go to eat in restaurants. Freshmen and sophomores (9 th and 10 th grades) eat in our school cafeteria. We offer lunch options with an entrée and side dishes, sandwiches, and salads.
Students: How long does secondary school last in the US?
Julie: Our secondary schools are divided into two groups. The middle schools are grades 5-8
and the high school has grades 9-12.
Knoxville, Oak Ridge, Córdoba, Argentina
Students: What do you like the most about Knoxville?
Julie: Knoxville is where the University of Tennessee is located, so there is some diversity and a lot of things to do. Knoxville is also close to the Smoky Mountains, which are really beautiful, especially in the fall.
Students: What did you like the most when you were in Córdoba?
Julie: The people, for sure. Everyone is so nice there and they went out of their way to make
me feel welcome. I loved every second of being there!
Students: Would you like to live in Argentina?
Julie: I would love it, but my husband doesn’t speak Spanish, so that is unlikely! I do still plan
to visit!
Students: What was the most shocking cultural difference you had when you came to
Argentina?
Julie: I had a few shocks…
1) the fact that Cordobeses stay up very late. I usually go to sleep at around 8:30, but in Córdoba, we were having dinner at that time. It was so late for me!
2) The use of “vos”—I never learned to use “vos,” so I had to practice.
Students: What are your favorite Argentine words?
Julie: ¡Buena onda!
About You
Students: Is it possible for you to eat Argentine food in the US?
Julie: In major cities, like New York, you can find all types of food. Here is Knoxville, it is a bit
more difficult. I recently found an Argentine bakery nearby that sells empanadas and alfajores and they were delicious! It felt like I was back in Argentina!
Students: Are you thinking of coming back in a few years?
Julie: I hope so! I am currently taking Spanish classes through the university, so I have some
commitments that I haven’t had in the past, but I am definitely saving money for my next trip!
Students: What Argentine food do you miss the most?
Julie: Empanadas and asado! They are so delicious. I ate empanadas every day that I was in
Argentina during my last trip!
Students: Have you done any other exchange programs to a country in Latin America?
Julie: I studied in Puebla, México so I was there for a semester during college. I have also
visited Perú, Ecuador, Puerto Rico, and Spain.
Students: Can you tell us some reasons why you like teaching a foreign language?
Julie: I think it is very important that we learn to communicate with as many people as we can. I believe that most problems stem from a lack of understanding about other people, and if we can learn to communicate better, we will be more tolerant and compassionate. We
(Americans) tend to think that everyone in the world should learn English to communicate
with us, but we need to do more to show that we too can embrace other cultures, and
learning languages can help with that. And it’s so much fun to be able to meet new people,
like the Cordobeses!