Hello, Spanish blog readers and fellow language learners!

My name is Karoly and I am very excited to be the latest contributor to the Spanish Language and Culture blog. I have been writing for the Dutch blog since 2014, and I am thrilled to write for the blog of my family language.

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I have moved a few times, but I am happy to call myself Mexican. I was born in Mexico City, yes that crazy city with over 20 million inhabitants! I grew up speaking both Spanish and English thanks to my mom who was an English teacher and the bilingual schools she chose for me. We lived in the U.S. for a few years which is where I learned most of the English I now know. Because my mom knew we would learn English at school and with friends, Spanish was the language at home.

When someone asks what my native language is, I never have a one-word answer. English is the language I am most myself in, but Spanish is my family language. Spanish is how I communicate with the most important women in my life: my mother, my sister, and my grandmother. Spanish is the language of lullaby’s and telling my mom I feel sick. Spanish is also the language when I’m angry and I need to blow off some steam. English and Spanish are equally important to me.

Spanish has also been a jumping off point for other languages. Speaking Spanish made learning Italian very easy and natural. The same happened with French although I must admit I didn’t get as far in French as I had hoped. At some point, I fell in love with a Dutch man and started learning Dutch for my new life!

Some of my favorites are…

Book- Cien Años de Soledad by Gabriel García Márquez. The surrealist aspect of the novel and the intricate characters completely captivate me.

Artist- I am a big fan of anything Shakira. I also like Julieta Venegas, Zoé, and Jarabe de Palo.

Song- Bonito by Jarabe de Palo because everything in life should definitely be bonito!

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City- Mexico City is definitely a wonderful yet monstrous city that just captivates! There is always something to do! Barcelona is a very close second!

Food- Chile en Nogada is my ultimate favorite dish that is only served around September for the Independence celebration in Mexico. It is a Poblano pepper stuffed with ground beef, nuts, dried fruits and other delicious things. The whole pepper is covered with a delicious walnut sauce and topped with pomegranate. The mixture of sweet and savory is just amazing and the presentation, like you can see in the photo, is fantastic!

Movie- Como Agua Para Chocolate is a great story! The writer mixed traditional Mexican recipes within the story giving the food the proper place it has in our lives. You can watch the trailer below.

What are your Spanish favorites?