Along with the roosters, the birds wake me up every morning around 6:30 AM. When they begin to sing, I open my eyes to the soft morning glow sweeping through my bedroom window. They repeat the same short song for 20 or 30 minutes, their piercing chirps overpowering the steady hum of my fan. Then...
Today my breakfast looked like a Miró painting. There was a brown hot dog on the left side of the plate, two triangular pieces of Costeño cheese in the top center, and a fried ball of dough on the right. Food unintentionally inspired by 20th century art. I picked up the ball of fried dough...
“I’m not going to teach you those,” Jorge said. “But how can we know what the kids are saying if you don’t teach us?” I asked. We were in Spanish class, focusing on Costeño idioms, including the phrase decir vulgaridades. It didn’t take long to convince him; Jorge stood up, walked over to the whiteboard, and...
[magazine pieces in 7.5"x10" sketchbook] Koh Samui, Thailand. August 2009. On the scooter, I tightened my arms around his waist. Our t-shirts were drenched in sweat. My eyes brightened upon the first glimpse of turquoise waters ahead. “Stop!” I yelled into his ear. We ran onto the beach, kicking off our shoes. I ripped off...
Some days, the words escape my mouth effortlessly. My accent lessens and the rr’s slide off my tongue in rhythm, like gliding across the dance floor in someone’s arms. Reir. Crear. Venir. Cerrar. Yesterday, my head spun and the sounds got caught in my throat. Uncomfortable, embarrassed and frustrated—I wanted to kiss the sounds and...
[magazine pieces in 7.5"x10" sketchbook] Kharkhorin, Mongolia. July 2013. Outside of Ulaanbataar, I walked in circles around an ovoo exactly three times. An ovoo is a Mongolian shamanistic cairn, often found on the top of mountains, consisting of piles of rocks scattered with horse skulls, empty bottles of vodka, and other symbolic items. They’re used as landmarks,...
1. I’m standing in line with two bananas in my hand. It’s Sunday and we’re going to the beach. I need to break a bill so I’ll have change for the bus. My bikini top peeks out of my tank top. I’m wearing sandals with rhinestones and I carry a pink and purple-printed backpack. I...
5 AM: My battery-powered alarm clock buzzes next to my bed. I turn the light on, turn my fan off, pull on my running shorts, and tip-toe into the bathroom next to my host family’s room. To no avail, my host mom jumps out of bed the second she hears the slight creak of the...
My host brother is always smiling; his blue braces poke out between his lips, causing him to appear younger than his 22 years. He usually wears orange board shorts printed with tropical flowers, and he constantly watches the Disney Channel dubbed in Spanish. Sometimes I sit next to him in a woven rocking chair. When...
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