During my stay in Madrid, I asked my host mom some questions to learn more about her life, her family and her pets. This field note captures the stories she shared and the perspective she offered on family, culture and everyday life in Spain.
"Virginia Garcia."
I just call her Mama Moya! Her full name is Virginia Garcia-Moya. A fun fact is that her daughter also shares her first name!
"En Madrid. Mi casa es grande y luminosa."
We live in an apartment in a bustling little neighborhood called Salamanca.
"Tengo seis hermanos y muchos sobrinos."
On the weekends, when many of us are off traveling, she will go visit her mom in Toledo, Spain. It is a historic Spanish city that is often called the "City of Three Cultures" because of the coexistence of Christians, Muslims and Jews. You can see the culture through the Gothic to Mudejar architecture and by visiting the different quarters or neighborhoods in there. Did you know that some Spanish words come from Arabic, like alhambra, almohada, aceite, ajedrez and more?
