Last summer, the WSU Spanish program conducted their writing contest, “Mi ciudad en 100 palabras.” The contest encouraged students of all fluency levels to share aspects of their city in 100 words. Students could enter one of three category levels, depending on the level of Spanish classes they have taken.

Read more about the contest and its inspration on The Daily Evergreen’s “My City in 100 Words” article.

Keisha Ensey, a WSU Pullman student who has taken Spanish 102, is the winner of the 100-200 level article.

Sigue la música

Puedes oír la música cuando estás caminando por la calle. A medida que te acercas, puedes sentir el ritmo en el suelo. El edificio parece soso con sus muros blancos, pero una vez dentro, está tan lleno de vida. Para mí, este lugar es hogar. Aquí es donde yo aprendí. Aquí es donde me reí. Aquí es donde yo bailé. Aquí es donde yo viví. Este es mi hogar, el estudio de baile. Un pequeño espacio en una pequeña ciudad que se siente mucho más grande de lo que es en realidad.

Follow the Music

You can hear the music when you’re walking down the street. As you get closer, you can feel the beat through the ground. The building looks bland with its white walls, but once inside, it is so full of life. For me, this is home. This is where I learned. This is where I laughed. This is where I danced. This is where I lived. This is my home, the dance studio. A small space in a small town that feels much bigger than it actually is.

Other winners in the 100-200 level are Thalia Zamora, the second place winner, and Morgan Erickson, the third place winner.

Sydney Almgren, a WSU Pullman student who has taken Spanish 308,  is the winner of the 300 level.

El Semáforo

Solamente hay un semáforo en mi ciudad. Se en el centro del pueblo, suspendido encima de la única intersección como un omnisciente ojo multicolor.

Ve a los viajeros que pasan sin echarle ni una mirada. Oye chismes distraídos y crueles. Ve a escolares que gastan tiempo en hábitos dañinos.

Principalmente, ve a los lugareños que pasan por las calles, aburridos y poco inspirados. Los mira, invariables, satisfechos de sí mismos, sin intenciones de irse o de crecer.

Pero cuando el semáforo tiene suerte, ve a algunos que escapan de su pequeño pueblo.

Nos parpadea y dice: vamos, vamos, vamos.

The Stoplight

There is only one stoplight in my city. It sits in the middle of town, hanging over the only intersection like an all-knowing, multicolored eye.

It watches travelers pass by without a second glance. It hears casually cruel gossip. It watches students pass the time with harmful habits.

Mostly, it watches the locals pass through the streets, bored and uninspired. It watches them, unchanging, satisfied with themselves, without intentions to leave or to grow.

But when the stoplight is lucky, it watches a few escape its small town.

It blinks at us and says: go, go, go.

Other winners in the 300 section are Alyn Rivera, the second place winner, and Alma Melchor Burgos, the third place winner.

Scott Anderson, a WSU student who has taken Spanish 453, is the winner of the 400 level.

Legorreta

El primer día en que me desperté aquí, descubrí que no sabía cómo decir “desatascador” en el idioma vasco. Más tarde ese día, mientras daba un paseo por el pueblo, me tropecé y perdí un diente. Pero en una semana mi suerte mejoró. Conocí a las personas más increíbles y amables. Me ofrecieron chorizo, paella y sidra

inolvidables. No tenía idea a dónde estaba yendo ni lo que haría cuando llegara allí, pero después de jugar mucho a la pelota y de caminar por montañas impresionantes, doy gracias a Dios todos los días por esta ciudad que encontré.  Es Legorreta, el pueblo que me encontró a mí.

 Legorreta

The first day I woke up here, I discovered that I didn’t know the word for “plunger” in the Basque language. Later that day while walking through town, I tripped and lost a tooth.

But in a week my luck improved, and I met people who were so incredible and kind. They offered me chorizo, paella and cider that were unforgettable.

I had no idea where I was going nor what I would do when I got there, but after playing lots of ball and hiking through gorgeous mountains, I thank God every day for this city that I found. This is Legorreta, the town that found me.

Other winners in the 400 level are Adam Hureau, the second place winner, and Alejandra Carranza, the third place winner.