Alison Trujillo

Living on Borrowed Words

If someone told you to no longer use the word “burrito” to describe beans, rice, lettuce and cheese wrapped up in a tortilla, what would you do? It is commonly thought that the word “burrito” comes from the fact that, like a little donkey that can carry many items on its back, a burrito carriesContinue reading “Living on Borrowed Words”

Dichos

¡Feliz otono! – Happy fall! What have you been up to so far this season? I’ve been enjoying the changing weather and getting outside as much as possible. I like to take a mid-morning walk to break up my workday, and even here in California there are changes in color and in the air atContinue reading “Dichos”

La Petenera

Last year I heard “La Petenera” for the first time. La Petenera is a song with its origins in Spain; it is sung in the flamenco style. There are actually many Peteneras, and they make up a specific category of flamenco song with a “palo” of a strong twelve-beat meter. The ever-popular “Sevillanas” are inContinue reading “La Petenera”

Cool Salsa for a Hot Summer

I like the title of this post because in addition to literally being about salsa it gives a nod to the book “Cool Salsa,” which I recommend to young readers wanting to dive into bilingual reading. On to my main topic, though – yummy salsa! Here in Northern California, some of our hottest summer daysContinue reading “Cool Salsa for a Hot Summer”

A Newsy Post

Here we are with summer well underway! I’ve been enjoying slower days, longer evenings with the sun still out, and a recent full moon accompanied by Mars. Since starting my Spanish to English translation business, I’ve been pretty good about establishing a daily routine when working from home. However, I’m finding it much more challenging toContinue reading “A Newsy Post”

The Good Life

Last week I listened to the newest episode from one of my favorite podcasts, Las Raras Podcast. This one is all about Francisco Vio Giacaman. As a young man he traveled to Chilean Patagonia and vowed to return. Now, years later, he brings his passion for sustainable agriculture to the community of Puerto Guadal andContinue reading “The Good Life”