La Catrina (educational program)

La Catrina is an educational mini television series made for Rinehart and Winston Inc. for its level III Spanish programs by David Curland. [www.amazon.com/Catrina-novela-David-Curland/dp/0673215881 ] It follows the voyage of Jamie Gonzalez, a Latina high schooler, into her roots in Queretaro, Mexico. It spawned a sequel, for Rinehart and Winston's Spanish level IV program. The story revolves around her attempts to discover and execute the will of her wealthy great-grandmother which leaves her all the property that the villain, Don Silvestre Aguilar, currently occupies.

There is also a book based on the videos.

Plot

La Catrina is an educational Spanish-Soap, it focuses on Jamie Gonzales (a female from Los Angeles, California) who spends the summer in Queretaro, Mexico. Upon arrival she surprises Carlos and the Navarro Family who expected a boy (as in Mexico Jaime is pronounced HI-MAY, rather than JAY-ME). After some consideration the Navarros decide that it would be scandalous to keep Jaime at their house, so Jaime is sent to the Linares house, where Carlos's friend, ex-girlfriend, Maria lives. Maria and her become extremely close.

Jamie slowly discovers that she is the great granddaughter of Josefa De Gonzalez (La Catrina) and is the rightful owner to many of the lands which lie around Queretaro. These specifially include La Hacienda de la Jacaranda and El Hotel de la Jacaranda. They are currently owned by a powerful politician named Don Silvestre Aguilar, an evil man whose grandfather was the lawyer of La Catrina. Jamie must fight for her birthright, as she is the only member in her family who has returned to these lands since the revolution, and claim what her family has lost.

In the second season (), Jamie discovers that she has another gripe with Aguilar: the man also has property of her mansion, of which Jamie had no previous knowledge. The whole cast of characters is back. Jamie also finds out that Don Silvestre's grandfather killed La Catrina further adding to the intrigue.

References