What IS "Cambalache?"
The Spanish word "Cambalache" has several meanings:
It's a tango by Alberto Echague.
It's a really hot salsa band based in Seattle.
It's a tango club located in Uppsala, Sweden.
It's a word that means "exchange", "sharing" ...
...and it's the spirit at the heart of the Cambalache Spanish Center.
Center Director Francisco Andreu and his wife Jessie Vega decided to establish the center after many members of the Portland Argentine Tango Community began asking Francisco for Spanish lessons. Some had trips planned to Buenos Aires and wanted to be able to communicate in Spanish once they arrived, whereas others simply wanted to understand the language behind the dance. Word about the classes spread, and new students from various backgrounds and interests began calling. Soon the idea to offer language classes and provide opportunities for cultural exchange was born, and from there the Cambalache Spanish Center was established.
Francisco Andreu
Francisco is a native of South America, born in Santiago, Chile and raised in the northern city of Antofagasta. He studied at the University of Chile and taught Spanish to foreign workers in the metropolitan area of Santiago. After the military coup of 1973 in which General Agusto Pinochet took power, Francisco left Chile for Spain. Later he returned to South America and lived in Argentina (Buenos Aires and Cordoba) for 17 years before returning to Chile. Once back in Antofagasta, Francisco took an active role in developing the cultural life of that city. He eventually served as public relations official for the Cultural Arts Center of Antofagasta.
Francisco currently appears on the program "We the People" (offered on local Channels 2 and 4) in the segment entitled "Todas las voces todas, Todas las manos todas" (All our voices together, all our hands together). . The program highlights news from Latin America and seeks to share information about Latino culture and happenings in Maine.
Jessica Vega
Jessie is part of a very international family. Her parents came to the United States on diplomatic visas - Her father with the Mexican Embassy and her mother with the British Embassy. For close to 25 years Jessie has built a career in education, including 11 years teaching internationally. In 1991, she began working with International Schools Services (ISS) of Princeton, NJ. Her first assignment was to the twin island nation of Trinidad and Tobago where she taught first and second graders and swimming for 4 years. Later she went to Chile for ISS and taught at the Antofagasta International School in northern Chile. She was there for 7 years teaching children from English speaking countries. But as the school grew she found herself working with many children from Peru, Colombia, Chile, Mexico, Argentina, the Philippines and Finland - all English Language Learners (ELLs). While in Chile, Jessie also taught English privately and at several language institutes in Antofagasta. She traveled extensively through Latin America while living in South America. Jessie currently teaches Spanish at a local high school in Maine.