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The story of the Lieutenant nun was about a woman named Catalina de Erauso who was training to be a nun but decided to runaway from the convent and instead disguised herself as a man then became a lieutenant. I was amazed that when she disguised herself as a man (and went by the name … Continue reading → read full post >>

I have always wondered why former Spanish colonies today are underdeveloped compared to advanced nations and I think I finally understand why. Basically, the Encomienda system and the Caste system created structural rigidities which made the Latin Americaneconomies resistant to change.  The colonies exported mainly agricultural and mining products to their masters in Europe. So whenever there […] read full post >>

The story of Catalina de Erauso is certainly a fascinating one.  Her bold, if reckless, behaviour seems very misplaced in this time when women were so constrained in terms of what they could do, say, and look like; growing up in a convent, these constraints would have been even more prominent.  Yet somehow, despite growing […] read full post >>

The reading of Catalina de Erauso was definitely unbelievable and admirable. It was refreshing to read the story of a woman in the 1600’s. She faced several obstacles through her life, yet her ability to overcome every situation she was put on is simply fascinating. Her story embraces the strength and determination women have, and […] read full post >>

The ‘Lieutenant Nun’ reminded me of Shakespeare’s ‘As You Like It’ in which the protagonist of the story disguises herself as a man and escapes to the forest. The difference, however, is that ‘As You Like It’ is a romantic comedy but the ‘Lieutenant Nun’ is a sad story of manipulation and heroism. Though I salute… read full post >>

The story of Catalina de Erauso is very fascinating and hard to believe. While reading the story i could not help but think of it as a Hollywood movie because of how dramatic, surprising, and thrilling it was. It is remarkable how she completely changed the view on women at a time when women had… Continue reading Week Three – The Colonial Experience read full post >>

  There are few memoirs that read as if they were a work of fiction. Catalina de Erauso’s is one of them. After escaping the dominican convent where she was a nun, Erauso, fled the Basque country, traveled Spanish territories, and ended up in the New World. Erauso then returned to Spain, where she was […] read full post >>

Though I found the tale of Catalina de Erauso to serve as a valuable glance into the life of a... read full post >>

Catalina de Erauso is a particular figure that I now see important to not only Latin American history but an important figure that should be known in all cultures. From her bravery to her honesty, we see that she redefined the role of what it meant to be a woman back then and thus have … More Week 3: The Colonial Experience read full post >>

Catalina de Eraauso’s life story is something out of a storybook. Her exploits and travels in a time when women were subdued and controlled is what makes this story even more fascinating. To start off, the most extraordinary aspect of the story to me was the fact that her family gave her up to the … read full post >>