Living in a Cultural House (Casa del Sol)
Yahaira talks about what it's like to live in a cultural house on campus and the ways it helps build community!
Yahaira talks about what it's like to live in a cultural house on campus and the ways it helps build community!
Finding Community on Campus
CASA is home to Latino students who are seeking an additional level of community engagement on campus. I decided to apply because I loved the cultural and social events that CASA hosts on campus and the community they create. It was heartwarming to enter my house and recognize people who looked like me and to be able to practice my Spanish-speaking skills. I’ve lived in Casa for a full academic year and will live there again this fall!
A Special Resident
A surprising perk of living in CASA was that we had a house cat named Pina! She not only comforted me during my late night study sessions, but would also sit in front of my computer and stare me down to keep me on task.
Window View
On days when I woke up to find that snow had appeared, the campus became even more beautiful! It’s the perfect time to bring out your camera and snap some photos. That’s even more true at Casa, with our great views! Students are also always taking the opportunity to go outside and play in the snow!
Hosting Social Events
As a way to give back to the community, CASA hosts events open to the entire campus. One of our most popular was the Equites event—yum! We often collaborate with the Latin American Student Organization (LASO) on events like Sopita and Self-Care. Being away from home, it’s comforting for students like myself to enjoy familiar foods while relaxing with a face mask on.
Yap Sessions with Housemates
Short study breaks often turned into long hours chatting. Typical living room activities included painting our nails, renting equipment from PEPS to watch movies or play Mario Kart, and teaming up to bake cookies and brownies for the CASA community.
Rose, Bud, Thorn might just be a Carleton thing—but it’s a fun tradition where CASA members share the highlight of their week (the rose), something that could have gone better (the thorn), and something they’re looking forward to (the bud)!
House Bonding
Every term, we plan a fun house bonding event! In the past, we’ve enjoyed things like a carne asada day and a cozy brunch together. During the carne asada day, we collaborated with current residents, with a special visit from future house residents for the fall
Yahaira Salgado ’27 (she/her) is a rising junior with a psychology major and educational studies minor. Originally from Chicago, she works at the print shop and enjoys attending cultural and social events with food. Outside of school, you’ll find her either at the Libe, running or walking in the Arb, or crocheting in her room.