Cool Mexican of the day Part 2

A BRIEF BIO OF MARIA ESPINOZA. VIDEO TRANSLATION:

MARIA: “It all started with a pair of boxing gloves. My dad would put them on me.”  NARRATOR: This story begins in La Brecha Sinaloa, with a population of merely 2,500. There are no paved streets, here the bare, raw paths are traveled. MARIA’S AUNT: “We may be poor economically speaking, but we have a lot of heart, & that is beautiful.” NARRATOR: This is a town that does not think twice about lending a helping hand. Maria was taught early on that in order to eat, one has to do more than just sit at the table and request. MARIA: “We had to find a way. We had to work to put food on the table. We come from a family of fishermen, so we had to work as merchants.”  Her mother did not like being absent from her home , but the economic necessity made it so that Maria and her siblings had to be without her. Thusly, Maria found in her grandfather(on her dad’s side) her best friend. MARIA : “I would enjoy going to visit my grandpa, growing things, farming. It was my way of learning how to grow up tough, learning how stand up to life”

MARIA’S GRANDMA: “We had many animals at our home, & Maria always love riding and interacting with them.”  NARRATOR: Eventually boxing became a fleeting thing. Thanks to heredity she found out she had more potential with her feet than with her hands. She feels indebted to her grandmother for this. MARIA’S GRANDMA: “I have a very large foot. I’ve always had a large foot,  it’s even bigger now that I’m older, I ‘m 74.  Instructor Ruben Contreras was Maria’s first coach at a gym in La Brechea.

MARIA: “My first competition was in Hermosillo when I was about 5 or 6, my daddy accompanied me on that occasion.” MARIA’S UNCLE:  “Early on we saw Maria was a good brawler.”  MARIA: “I went to the competition with such joy & energy, I was just a kid. I was like “Wow an actual competition and it’s going to be outside of my city in Guasave! I’m going to meet new kids!  I had to battle this young man who was taller then me, I always partnered with him, because there weren’t any girls. So it was like, Oh well.  There was no other way. I was just happy to be competing.”  Then her first disillusion came, her 1st teacher, the one who ignited Maria’s love for Taekwondo decided to leave La Breacha in order travel to the capital in Sinaloa to look for different opportunities. That was Maria’s 1st brief brush with the sport. MARIA: ” A cousin told me later on that there was Tae Kwon Do instruction in the city of Guasave,  & I decide to attend.”  From La Brecha to Gusave=30 miles. Her dad was away at sea, her mother working as well, but at just 10 years of age Maria found the perfect solution in what she calls the best chapter of her life . Her great journey began at noon after she would come out of school. MARIA: “So that’s 1 hour from La Brecha to Guasave, arrive at the gym around 2:00 pm, train from like 4-5 then back home again.”  NARRATOR: These are the echoes of Maria’s adventure.  MARIAS’ AUNTS: “Some buses would collect money later on , not at the moment you got on, sometimes Maria was so tired that by the time the collector came around she was fast asleep. During those times they did not charge her.  There were times when buses with two doors came to pick her up & she would shoot in the back door. As soon as the door opened she slide for home with all her might.” MARIA:  “There was a couple of times that I would just give they driver a coin, not the full fare & dash in. I was thinking of my family and our situation.”

Hardships, escapades & all,  Maria had decided Tae Kwon Do would be her life. In Guasave she met a new trainer, Rolando Garcia. Rolando: “Maria would always spar with guys. Maria is so strong that, generally the girls couldn’t withstand her kicks. The guys too were weary of sparing with her, they’d say “No coach, please not Maria”.  NARRATOR: Maria spent her days between school, fishing, and martial arts. MARIA: “There was a tourney in Monterrey in ‘02.  I didn’t fare so well, but at that point I decided that I really wanted to earnestly commit to this sport. ” It was during this tourney when she experienced her utmost bitter heartbreak. When she was away competing her grandfather died. MARIA: “I was away training, competing, and at that same time he was…He passed away. Up to this day he has helped me a lot, he contributed to my embracing the sport,  has helped me  in my personal life… I’ve had some tough moments.”  Maria  went on to join the youth national team & she obtained a medal in the adult division at age 15. The time came when she had to leave her hometown & move to San Luis Potosi to fully concentrate on her training at a higher level. She soon realized however, that not everything had gone according to plan. MARIA: “While staying in San Luis, I went through rigorous training, &  I felt that at times instead of going a step forward, I went a few steps back. There was a time when I felt like, I just want to go home. I can’t, just cant’ anymore.” She moved forward however & during an international competion in Brazil she was up against a Brazilian opponent for the final. MARIA:  ” Up against a local, all of the audience rooting for her. I had never been so nervous. It was one the toughest battles I’ve ever experienced. ” Narrator:  It came down to a single point, one kick would decide it all.  MARIA: “To win under such circumstances, with my opponent having home court advantage was like a bomb.”  Maria’s next goal now was, a ticket to the Olympics.

Chido(cool) Mexican of the Day

Today’s chido Mexican is Olympic athlete Maria del Rosario Espinoza.  Miss Espinosa bestowed Mexico with the honor of  a gold medal in Tae Kwon Do in Beijing.

VIDEO TRANSLATION:

Three days after Guillermo Perez covered himself in glory Maria Espinosa made good on the predictions that situated her among the best in the world, and won the second gold medal for Mexico in Beijing. Maria’s journey to Beijing: Maria won bronze in the Central American games, then went on to be crowned world champ at the Panamerican level . After that she went on to victory in the Beijing Olympics. All this with just 20 years of age. In order to triumph in her first Olympic games Maria had to make many sacrifices. (Maria) “First of all I had to sacrifice my family, the time that I had with them. I had to be apart from them, I was no longer living and sharing with them. I had to leave friends and those closest to me behind. I now had to dedicate my full attention to Tae Kwon do.”

Maria beat her Tunisian opponent 4-0. In the quarter finals she defeated her Swiss contender who did not shake her in the least 4-2 .  During the semi finals she beat her British opponent Sarah Stevenson 4-1, opponent who up to that point she had not defeated.  This bout was especially controversial, as the British athlete had been defeated by China’s representative earlier, but due to an appeal sought by her team the decision was modified. This caused Chinese supporters to root for Maria. During the final Maria felt the support & comradery from her fellow compatriots who filled the stands of  the Beijing University of Science and Technology. Their warmhearted cheers in her support made her feel at home. She beat her opponent, Norwegian /Korean  Nina Solheim 3-1.  After emerging victorious the first thing Maria did was graciously hug her opponent. She remained graceful and poised until the moment when she received congratulations from her trainer, at that point she couldn’t help tears of joy rolling down her cheeks. Maria worked very hard to achieve her dreams, &  always pictured hereself high atop the podium. Guillermo Perez and Maria Espinoza are two athletes that brought home the gold for Mexico.

Tae Kwon Do has always brought good results for Mexico. We are sure that with athletes like Guillermo & Maria we will be able to keep harvesting  medals.

Mexican soccer: Showing support for “Chava”

Cool slide show, pictures of  The Mexican Soccer league showing their support for player Salvador “Chava” Cabañas, who received a gunshot wound to the cranium on Jan 25 while relaxing at a bar with his wife and brother-in-law. Fans, players, and club staff alike showed their support by the dedication of messages.

TO WATCH SLIDE SHOW VISIT:

http://www.televisadeportes.com/fotos/salvador-cabanas-apoyo-aficion/17490

In case you don’t read Spanish here are some translations of the messages:

From teams-

Famous rival team for America,(Chava’s team) Team Chivas wrote: “Rivalry on the field solidarity off the field. Come back soon Chava” ,

“Chava, team Indios and the state of Chihuahua are with you.”

“Chava you’re going to be Ok”- Player Omar Bravo’s shirt.

“Fight with all your strength Chava, we are with  you.”- Team Queretaro,

“Chava get well soon!”- Team Tigres,

“Strenght Chava, team Cruz Azul is with you!”

Fans-

“Let’s go Chava you can do it! “

“Because you showed me true love exists, I am blue & gold,I’m with you Salvador”

“The Jungle(nickname for Chiapas famous for its jungles)is with you Cabañas”

Mexican Online Radio

I recently ran across a great webpage that has a list of links to all kinds of  radio stations from all across Mexico.  Keep up with latest news, en vogue music, find fun variety programing,you can even listen to university radio stations, & much more!  Whether you speak Spanish and are looking to keep in touch with what going on with Mexico, or are learning Spanish and looking for a cool and fun way to sharpen your listening/comprehension skills, or maybe you just want to learn about a new culture or get into a new type music . Or if you’re Mexican & want to keep up with the latest in your state, or  hometown… etc  Here is your fix my friends!

The link is:

http://www.mexico-radio.com/index.asp

Ok, Once you are on the page, you will find a list on the left side(it will be under the bright orange button that says Mexico). This  is a list of all the Mexican States A-Z. Once you click on a state a list of all the stations that belong to that state will drop down. *To listen to Mexico City radio stations click on  ”Distrito Federal” first, then “Cd. de Mexico” (which stands for Ciudad de Mexico= Mexico City).  After you choose the State & city you want to listen to, a list with the different media player(windows, real, iTunes, “otro” = other) options will appear in the middle of the page.  Clicking “Web” is the easiest, because it automatically directs you to the radio station’s webpage & that will most likely have a media player already broadcasting. This won’t work for all so you might have to fiddle a bit & choose a  media player that’s right for you. If a connection is down, or there’s some compatibility issues, don’t despair keep trying or switch to another station , the choices really are plentiful & it’s not that hard to get it going in a matter of seconds.

Ok ,well hope you guys finds this post : cool, informative, and helpful. ENJOYNESS MUCH!!  =)

Mexico’s “Bicentennial Stars” commercials

Gorgeous, artistic, breathtaking, cinematography. Pristine shots filled with elegance, that tell a mesmerizing  story.  These are the commercials produced by tv network Televisa to commemorate Mexico’s Bicentennial celebration this year. The stunning commercials showcase all that is Mexico, its: beguiling people, its enthralling culture, luxurious natural resources, awesome geography, it’s  colorful, inviting flora, it’s rich & remarkable fauna….  In a word: its bewitching, miraculous, unique Magic. So far the first two commercials released feature the states  Tamaulipas & Chihuahua.

Among the Places showcased in these two videos :

Samalayuca Desert (Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua)

Basaseachi’s Waterfall  (Copper Canyon, Chihuahua)

Bocatoma, “The Sky” Biosphere Reserve (Gomez Farias,Tamaulipas)

Morales Lake (Soto la Mariana ,Tamaulipas)

“The Barracks” Grotto (Aldama ,Tamaulipas)

“The Lush one”/ “Grassy One”  Natural deposit of spring water (Aldama, Tamaulipas)

They ran ads announcing open auditions for these commercials, I think. How awesome would it be to participate in such a beautiful, meaningful project!  If I lived in Mexico I would have so gone to the auditions.

Simple Phrases in Aztec(Nahuatl)

Learn some simple, basic, very cool phrases in Nahuatl.

“Náhuatl - The Mexican language,
from the root ‘Nahua’ meaning
“a dance done with the hands
entwined, a concordance, to
move in cadence”. Also known
as the turquoise smoke…
harmonious speech, which is pleasing to the ear.”-casademexico.com

PHRASES

Tlazocamatli – thank you

Ikniuhtli – friend

Niltze – hi, hola
Amo – no
Kema – yes

Ken Motoka? – what is your name?

Nehuatl Notoka… – my name is…

Kenin Otimo Uika – how are you doing?

Kualli – good

Hue Kaulli – very good

For more tips on pronunciation, info on the Nahuatl alphabet, other phrases…etc,  feel free to visit the source link.

Source:http://casademexico.com/nahuatl.html

Mexico’s Fashion Week 2010

Cool Vids from Mexico’s (spring/summer) Fashion week 2010

Designers :

Alberto Rodríguez

Alejandra Quesada

Eduardo Lucero

Beautiful Mexican Poetry

SILENCE by Octavio Paz

As if from the background of music

springs forth a note,

that while it vibrates it  grows and thins out

till it becomes silent in other music,

It sprouts from  the background of silence

another silence, sharp tower,sword

and it rises,and it grows, and suspends us

and while it grows memories fall, hopes, small lies and the big ones,

and we want to scream and in our throats the shout fades away:

We flow into silence where the silences fade away.

SILENCIO , Octavio Paz

Así como del fondo de la música

brota una nota

que mientras vibra crece y se adelgaza

hasta que en otra música enmudece,

brota del fondo del silencio

otro silencio, aguda torre, espada,

y sube y crece y nos suspende

y mientras sube caen

recuerdos, esperanzas,

las pequeñas mentiras y las grandes,

y queremos gritar y en la garganta

se desvanece el grito:

desembocamos al silencio

en donde los silencios enmudecen.

sources:

http://www.poesia-inter.net/op01030.htm

Incluido en Obra poética (1935-1988). Octavio Paz. Seix Barral. Primera edición, diciembre 1990.

y en Libertad bajo palabra. Obra poética (1935-1957). Octavio Paz. letras mexicanas. Fondo de Cultura Económica. Primera reimpresión en España, 1990.

In our thoughts

Sad news for soccer fans this morning especially for those who are followers of team America(of the Mexican Soccer League). It was reported early this morning that around 5:oo am America’s striker Salvador “Chava” Cabañas had been shot in the head while out at a bar with his wife. He was apparently attacked while visiting the restroom. When brought in to the hospital Mr. Cabañas was still conscious, and was able to answer questions administered to him. He underwent surgery this morning and is said to be in critical condition. He was suffering of heart complications.  As soon as the news broke out, many of his teammates & franchise officials quickly made it to the hospital to offer their support to Chava & his family. Surgeons and specialists have announced that whatever measures or specific procures take place will have to be taken under careful and punctilious consideration, due to the precarious lodging of the  bullet.

“Cabanas is one of Paraguay’s most highly-rated players and was part of their FIFA World Cup™ squad in Germany. The striker, who has scored over 100 times in the Mexican top-flight, has netted 18 goals in 24 matches this season.”- www.fifa.com

This indeed is a heinous act perpetrated on a young man who is a bright talent. Soccer fans everywhere offer our condolences to his family on the occurrence of this horrible,odious ordeal and wish for a full & speedy recovery. May those at fault be brought to justice.

picture credits:

dailymail.co.uk

pe.com

Mexican Food: Make it HOT

When it comes to Mexican food and it’s flavors, specifically heat, it seems like I’m always hearing salsa this and salsa that.  Now, there’s nothing wrong with Salsa, it’s just that thanks to far too many stereotypes, & the lack of proper knowledge, the culinary art of salsa making has been devalued, reduce  to a very mild, & oversimplified one cheap trick pony. In reality, when it comes to heat & spicy flavors in the Mexican kitchen, the realm of  possibilities  is so vast.  Your options are so diverse, and varied that you can be at no loss when looking to turn up the taste in your dishes. With the right ingredients you can arm yourself with the ability to produce: unique, extraordinary, and super flavorful surprises. What sort of ingredients? Well, Take for example today’s spotlight food: “Chiles en Vinagre” = Chilies in Vinegar, pronounced (Chee -lehs- ehn -Bee-nah- greh). Chiles en vinagre are pickled peppers. Some use Serranos in their recipe, others use Jalapeños. The basic Chiles en Vinagre recipe actually calls for the pickling of green chilies,carrots,and onions. There are those that will add other things such as cauliflower for example, but I’m more familiar & used to the basic recipe.

So salsa gets all too often automatically associated with Mexican food, to the point that it leads to a constrained singularization. Though this is one of the first things to be mentioned when talking of Mexican cuisine,the fact  is that to some, Chiles en Vinagre are far more important. In some cases truly indispensable. There are people who claim they can not eat a proper meal without their chiles. To some this condiment is as  important as salt & pepper. Week after week this is something on my grocery list. In my house, on our dinner table there’s always been a bowl of ”chiles en vinagre” present.

The spicy treat is a great addition to all kinds of food. You can sprinkle the pickled juice on almost anything, you can munch on a crunchy carrot, or bite on a spicy, juicy pepper while you enjoy your meal.  You can have “Chiles en Viangre” with : beans, eggs, on a torta(sandwhich),with tacos, along with stews, heck even with burgers or pizza… seriously the list goes on & on.  With these chilies you can add spice to an already flavorful dish or you can spruce up a simple & humble meal. The latter is the key that is at the heart of true Mexican home cooking.

Find Chiles en vinagre in your local supermarket in the international foods isle, hispanic products isle, visit your local Hispanic Super Market, or

find them online at :

http://www.mexgrocer.com/catagories-chile-peppers-sliced-jalapenos.html

http://www.mymexicanpantry.com/chili-powders.html