Fue un momento increíble y lleno de emociones. En esa situación corres mucho peligro, pero al cruzar, yo sentí paz y tranquilidad porque ya estaba del otro lado. Aunque, en realidad, no tienes tiempo de pensar mucho. Finally, after three weeks and six attempts, Cristina was able to cross…Ĭristina: Llegué tarde en la noche y todo estaba oscuro. ![]() The first few times, border patrol officers caught them and took them back…to their starting point. Martina: The walk across the desert takes days, but Cristina’s group didn’t make it in one shot. ![]() Entonces pensé: “Bueno, yo quiero un cambio y aunque no sé a dónde voy, ya estoy aquí”. So at 37, she made a major decision: She hired a smuggler to take her across the desert to the United States…Ĭristina: Cuando llegué a la frontera, sentí mucho miedo, pero regresar con mi esposo me daba más miedo. Except, on her own in Mexico, she couldn’t even make ends meet. Martina: But deep down inside, Cristina knew she was worth something. Esas palabras eran dolorosas porque, a veces, yo creía que eran la verdad. Mi esposo me decía: “Tú no vales nada, no sirves para nada”. She wanted to make it on her own, be independent, far from all of the abuse.Ĭristina: Era difícil porque, como mujer, no podía tomar decisiones, solo tenía que seguir órdenes, órdenes y más órdenes. Mi esposo me decía cosas horribles y me trataba muy mal. She loved her community, the people, the food… But for most of her life, she had done nothing but work for her husband.Ĭristina: Yo me casé muy joven, solo tenía diecisiete años, y después de casarme, lo único que hice fue trabajar y trabajar. She wanted to be safe and feel empowered as a woman. Martina: What Cristina wanted was to escape her abusive husband of 18 years. Pero me habían dicho: “Tú tienes que resistir y trabajar duro por lo que quieres”. Llegué a la frontera sin mucha preparación, sin meditar ni pensar que íbamos a caminar por todo el desierto. Suddenly, she was scared.Ĭristina: Estábamos allí para cruzar al otro lado. She looked out over the dark, flat desert with its tufts of brush, and she could see the silhouettes of 25 other migrants around her. Martina: On a cold October night in 2006, Cristina stood at the edge of the Sonoran Desert in Mexico, near the border of Texas. If you miss something, you can always skip back and listen again. Thanks to Nick, who suggested this story on social media!Īs usual, the storyteller will be using intermediate Spanish and I’ll be chiming in for context in English. ![]() To mark the occasion, we head to Philadelphia, to meet a Mexican chef, who has found success despite many challenges. This is our 100th episode, which is only possible thanks to you, our listeners. Since we launched this podcast back in 2017, we have shared stories from the whole Spanish-speaking world, from Argentina to the United States, from Mexico to Spain. Martina: Bienvenidos and welcome to the Duolingo Spanish podcast. Sin embargo, yo sabía que tenía el potencial dentro de mí. But when she first came to the United States in 2006, the idea of starting her own restaurant in Philadelphia hardly seemed possible.Ĭristina: Nunca imaginé un futuro como este cuando me fui de México. Martina: Cristina’s success has been widely celebrated. ![]() Cada fin de semana recibimos entre 1500 y 2000 personas. Me siento muy afortunada porque aunque sé que hay muchos restaurantes, la gente de todo el país viene a probar mi barbacoa. Every weekend, doors open…at 5:00 am…and people flock to the restaurant for breakfast, lunch, or just to catch a glimpse of Cristina.Ĭristina: Las personas vienen a saludarme y a veces a tomarse fotos conmigo y con sus niños. Today, her barbacoa restaurant is a centerpiece of South Philadelphia and has won national acclaim. Martina: When she was a kid, Cristina could hardly have imagined the role this dish would play in her future. Me encantaba el color rojo del fuego y el delicioso olor de la carne cocida. De niña, yo cortaba los chiles y las zanahorias para las salsas. For Cristina, it’s the smoky smell of barbacoa that reminds her of her childhood and family back home.Ĭristina: El negocio de mi familia era la barbacoa. Tender lamb, called borrego in Mexico, is cooked over a fire underground and served on corn tortillas with toppings like cactus leaves, salsa, onion, and cilantro. Martina: Barbacoa is a traditional Mexican dish from the city of Capulhuac, Cristina’s hometown. And Chef Cristina Martínez, in her white apron, was greeting guests.Ĭristina: La comunidad se enamora cuando prueba esta comida: la carne suave de borrego, con una tortilla fresca hecha a mano… Vienen a tomar una bebida fresca, a comer tacos y a charlar con sus amigos o en familia. Laughter mingled with conversations in English and Spanish. Inside, people sat around tables with floral Mexican tablecloths. Martina: It was a Saturday morning, and the line at a South Philly restaurant spilled out the door and down the sidewalk.
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