Jan Kurtz began her travels at age 15 when she spent three weeks in Saltillo, Mexico, living with a local family, attending classes at the Universidad Interamericana and trying out her two years of high school Spanish. Each day introduced her to new tastes, smells, ideas, questions and friends resulting in a lifetime career of Spanish language, culture and travel.

In October, 2025, Jan added Portugal and a new language, Portuñol, to her world. “Portugal offered a comparison to all things Spanish,” Jan explained, “giving me the chance to again travel with new eyes. Travel presents comparisons, “aha” moments, and different perspectives. Then, we take return home and look at our own lives with added dimensions.”

Jan now returns to her Central Lakes College home, to present February’s Cultural Thursday, “Portugal: Exploring the World with New Eyes. From Vasco da Gama (not just Columbus) to eating bacalao and smelling the lovely boxwood bushes, Jan will guide us there and back, exploring our lives with “new” eyes.

Cultural Thursday is the monthly cultural literacy program of Central Lakes College where we invite and host speakers from around the world to help us better understand the diverse peoples, perspectives and places of our planet.