Every day week, I’ll post a Spanish word or phrase with its English equivalent or definition via my Instagram Story. If you miss it, most of those words or phrases will be posted here for reference. It’s a free daily Spanish lesson from me to you. 🙂 Happy learning! Spanish Word of the Day Como…
The clues were always there, I just never knew how to read. Now trying to solve the mystery I get confused in the mix. Was it the heat of the summer? Perhaps your inquisitive ear? Was it your puppy eyes begging for me to come near? Was it your persistence, the wordless words you spoke?…
Geographically speaking, Haiti is my neighbor. The Dominican Republic is my hometown and where I lived until my early teen years. My family is from a small city called La Vega, which is located in North-Central DR, about 250 miles from the capital of Haiti, Port-au-Prince. While studying in the Dominican Republic, I learned basic…
This is yet another identity post. I often wonder, you see… “American” is broad, so I won’t go there Dominican by birth, but people don’t care. They think I’m Cubana, sometimes Colombiana Puerto Rican, Brazilian, even Peruana. In my grandpa’s blood, Asian; in my grandma’s, French African for sure; Spain brought in the slaves. “What…
I always thought it must be an awful experience when an airline loses your bag, especially a bag with your most personal and expensive belongings, including any special souvenirs you purchased during your trip. I’d never had that problem; an airline has never lost my luggage—I lost it myself. First of all, I don’t know…
For the first time in forever, I was actually touched by some of the acceptance speeches at the Oscars last night. From Leto to Blanchett, there was inspiration and a sense of sincerity in their words. Here are some of my favorites. When I look down at this golden statue, may it remind me and…
Not exactly the technique. A person can go to dance school for years, but if she doesn’t feel it; if she feels no passion come from within, she doesn’t deserve the title. I always remember a quote, attributed to Antonia Mercé “La Argentina” — a flamenco dancer “known for her creation of the neoclassical style…
Sometimes we need a little help from music to make it through another day. Couldn’t imagine my life without it. One song I listen to often is “The Show” by Australian artist Lenka. Well, it comes on my online radio station all the time and I think it’s trying to tell me something. Something like,…
Those were the heart wrenching last words a friend dying of brain cancer said to me. It wasn’t our whole conversation, but those words exactly — words of complete acceptance and resignation — are the ones that stuck with me. He was a bartender and was telling me about his mixology techniques while he fixed…
In an online magazine interview, the very famous and talented Asian actress Lucy Liu said that she struggles to find work as the main character in movies because of her race. She is found either “too American” for Asian films or “too Asian” for American films and she feels like she gets “pushed out of…
My mom always says, “Llévate de mí” because “El que se lleva de consejos, muere de viejo.” Okay, bear with me here. Basically, the equivalent to that in English would be “Take my advice” because “He/she who hears no advice will not reach old age.” I know she hates it when I defy (some of)…
For finding the courage to let go of weaknesses however benign; thoughts of cake? Cigarettes? Drugs? Or maybe wine? High five! For getting your degree against all odds rubbing it in the face of those who said you wouldn’t get jobs. High five! For working out every day until seeing the results you wanted feeling…