Buena gente is Spanish for “good people,” and that’s just the sort Jennifer Roby had in mind when she founded the Buena Gente Social Club back in November 2009.
Nearly a decade later, the club is still going strong. In addition to meeting twice a week (Tuesdays and Fridays at 9:30 a.m.) for Spanish conversation at Umpleby’s Bakery and Cafe in Hanover, the group hosts educational programs, parties and potlucks, movie nights and more. For more information, call 802-649-5151.
“Friendship really has been the guiding force behind the group’s success,” Roby said, via email. “We’re speaking Spanish, reaching out across the Upper Valley and building a network of friendship and community.”
Roby shared additional details about the Buena Gente Social Club in a recent Q&A. The exchange has been edited for length and clarity.
Question: How did the club get started?
Answer: A friend had introduced me to a woman who wanted to meet other Spanish speakers in the Upper Valley. This new acquaintance and I decided to host a gathering at Gusanoz, the Mexican restaurant in Lebanon. We wanted to reach out and see who might share our interest in connecting through the Spanish language. We placed this announcement in the Valley News calendar section:
“The Buena Gente Social Club: a fun conversation group for people who are interested in opportunities to speak Spanish.”
We were inspired by the name of the Buena Vista Social Club (the musical group) of Cuba. Twenty people attended that first gathering, and we found that we had made 20 new friends!
Q: What’s your own Spanish language background?
A: I grew up in Lyme and currently live in Norwich. I teach elementary Spanish at two schools in the Windsor Southeast Supervisory Union: the Albert Bridge School in West Windsor and Weathersfield School in Ascutney.
After graduating from college I worked as a Vista volunteer at St. Francis House (a homeless shelter) in Boston. Daily contact with native speakers from Central America, Mexico and Puerto Rico inspired me to learn Spanish. I also taught English as a Second Language to Salvadorans through Centro Presente in Cambridge and at the former INS detention center in Boston’s North End.
Q: Tell us about the club’s membership. Is it comprised mainly of Spanish language students, or native speakers?
A: The diversity within the club is one of its most intriguing features — you can never really predict whom you might meet next! Participants range in age from 8 months to 80 years or more, vary in levels of language proficiency and come from all walks of life. Some join to meet others from their home countries, others to learn about and share travel experiences, and others to practice or improve their Spanish. At any given event or activity you may meet someone new from your own town, from another state or region or another country.
Q: What are some of the reasons people have for joining the group?
A: Our first purpose is to meet one another, and out of these connections emerge initiatives and activities. There is no official membership, no dues and no obligation other than a willingness to participate.
Q: What other events does the club host, in addition to your twice-weekly get-togethers?
A: Other activities include a monthly book club at the Norwich Inn, Happy Hour Thursdays at Salt hill Pub in Hanover, dinners out at local restaurants, dance parties, potlucks and movie nights. We also initiated the Spanish playgroup at Howe Library and helped establish the library’s collection of Spanish language books. In addition, we collaborate with other local groups, and after the recent disastrous hurricanes, we helped organize successful fundraisers with the Upper Valley Solidarity Network for Puerto Rico.
We’re always open to new ideas and look forward to collaborating with other groups that share our passion for community building.