Alison Trujillo

Currently Reading: La tregua

Well, it’s been awhile since my last post! Part of my time lately has been spent finishing books in my “to read” pile, and this one – “La tregua” by Uruguayan writer Mario Benedetti was up next. I am about halfway through and thoroughly enjoying it. A brief synopsis (don’t worry, no spoilers!): “La tregua” isContinue reading “Currently Reading: La tregua”

New and Noteworthy Films

Tonight I’m off to celebrate Opening Night of the San Francisco International Film Festival. I’m super excited to start the evening off with the a screening of What Maisie Knew. There are, as usual, some intriguing films from Spain and Latin America that I want to check out in the coming weeks: Mexico: After Lucia (DespuésContinue reading “New and Noteworthy Films”

Gorgeous…

…is the first word that came to mind when I opened a package that arrived from Ecuador yesterday. I found out that women from the Kichwa community of Sani Isla were making this beautiful jewelry to help support their families and their community, and decided to reach out in the hopes of purchasing some ofContinue reading “Gorgeous…”

Gastronomía: Iberia in the Kitchen

These days many of us who live in cities around the world have seen a plethora of Spanish-inspired restaurants pop up. Tapas bars, manchego cheese plates, and tempranillo have been gracing our neighborhoods and local menus for quite some time now. Here in San Francisco, several fresh and new additions to our Spanish food optionsContinue reading “Gastronomía: Iberia in the Kitchen”

What’s happening in the Amazon?

Back in 2005, I worked as a volunteer English teacher in Sani Isla, an indigenous Kichwa community in Ecuador’s Amazon region. Located along the banks of the Río Napo, a tributary of the Amazon River, Sani Isla is comprised of a community center for meetings and parties, a small medical clinic that hosts the occasionalContinue reading “What’s happening in the Amazon?”

What’s in a word?

What’s in a word? Well, everything. As anyone who has learned a new language will tell you, words have weight. A perfectly placed word can make or break a joke. A thoughtful word can “hit the nail on the head” and express exactly what someone is feeling. There are the funny horror stories of confidently expressingContinue reading “What’s in a word?”