Manuel is a Mexican economics student. Here he tells us about what he likes most about his major, his future plans, and his pastimes.

We learn more about summer fruits, thanks to our friends at Fruteria Los Mangos. So many varieties, colors and recipes to explore. Anyone up for a colorful pomegranate margarita?

We visit a simple fruit stand in Mexico to find tasty avocados, smallish watermelons from the third harvest and two types of sweet mangoes. Ah, a bit of nature’s bounty found under the mango trees.

Antonio Vargas is a versatile Mexican artist living in Los Cabos. He has done cartoons, commercial drawings, paintings and a lot of sculptures. In this episode Antonio is going to show us some of his cartoons containing the adventures of Surfo.

Marta and her friend Marisa are going to teach us the secrets of a timeless classic of Spanish cuisine: the tortilla española or Spanish omelette. What do we need? How do we make it? Let’s listen to them carefully. It sounds yummy!

Some people could see Arturo Vega as just a guy who happened to design the Ramones logo, but the truth is that he had to get his hands dirty with hard work, and that meant loading tons of equipment, manning the lights and basically doing whatever was needed by the band. The reward was great: thousands, maybe millions, wearing an image that he created.

Our good friends from México City are willing to talk about everything: good, bad or ugly. Here we have their take on kidnapping, one of the growing fears of Mexicans.

Arturo Vega is a big part of The Ramones’ history. We even have proof! Actually he was the one who designed the well known Ramones’ logo, which is one part presidential seal, one part outlaw biker. In this interview he tells us why they chose to be represented by an aguila.

Wicoy: como una calabaza pequeña, tal vez 15 cm de diametro, verde y blanco y es mucho mas fino que la calabaza. Para comer es parecido a un zucchetthi/zucchini. Bastante rico. (Thank you to Guatesol for info!) Rafael relates facts and myths of the natural environment in his native land.

To hear La Gusana Ciega play live we trekked to a club called Babel located in a giant mall / theme park called Mundo E, located just north of Mexico City. Come backstage with us for an exclusive interview you’ll find only here!

A little research tells us that the musical comedy Arturo did with Héctor Suárez at the Teatro de los Insurgentes was Sigue tu onda (Follow Your Wave), a Spanish language adaptation of a Broadway show known to American theater-goers as Your Own Thing. Soon Arturo himself would be heading to New York on a tip from Paul McCartney’s agent that he could land a spot in Hair...

Arriving in December of ‘71, a young Arturo Vega decides that it is New York where he is going to clavar, or stay put. His journey began in Mexico, where he began his artistic life as an actor and participant in experimental theater or “happenings”—an art form which was not well received by the powers that be in that country.

Barrio Adentro (Inside the Neighborhood) is a program of free medical clinics that have been established throughout Venezuela. Critics include the Venezuelan Medical Association, who claim that the Cubans who make up most of the doctors are not qualified, though the WHO and UNICEF are generally as enthusiastic as Omar about the program.

In Guatemala, people of Mayan descent not only retain various native forms of dress, but they also speak dialects of the Mayan language, a language many people wrongly presume to be long lost to history. Rafael treats us to some examples of words and phrases in this language, and also explains some of the particulars of traditional dress.

Emiro used to live in oil-rich Maracaibo, where his father was headmaster of the school system Shell oil ran for the children of employees. (Did you know: Venezuela is the only country in the Americas that’s a member of OPEC? And a founding member at that!)

Emiro spent years crewing an oil tanker, and many more as a fisherman commanding his own lancha, so it’s no surprse to find him at the helm of his own seaside kitchen, the Pimienta Café in Adícora. Join us as we drop in to check out the menu!

We’ve all heard of the bolero, which has its modern roots in nineteenth century Santiago de Cuba (even though we might not be able to hum one on cue). But what about the cuartetazo? Born in Córdoba, Argentina, and derived from Spanish and Italian dances, the name is derived from the fact that the earliest players were invariably four-piece bands. The rhythm is similar to merengue.

¿Quién es Javier García? With his producer (and two-time Academy Award winner) Gustavo Santaolalla, Javier Garcia talks about his roots and influences. Also, we learn about some noted musicians who contributed to the album 13, including the great trumpet player, Arturo Sandoval.

José Rodriguez, the caretaker of a beautiful finca, or farm, is kind enough to show us around and tell us a bit about the area and himself. You will probably realize that pues, as José employs it, is a common muletilla (“filler” word), used to add a bit of emphasis or just as a matter of speech style, and doesn’t really always have to be translated (though it can often be thought of as akin to “well”).

We happened upon Pipita on the sidewalk in Madrid and she introduced us to her traveling companion, Nuria Gonzales. Nuria hails from Asturias, in the north of Spain, but now teaches Spanish at a university in the USA. Lucky for us, they both agreed to an on-the-spot exclusive interview.

Hugo Chávez is divisive figure in Venezuela, as he is the world over, but the enthusiasm he generates amongst a large and vocal segment of the population is undeniable. Omar Vizcaya is a Chávez supporter, and was kind enough to agree to share some of his thoughts and ideas about the current situation.

With a difficult subject like math, it really helps to have a friendly, likeable teacher to help you through all the mental gymnastics required, and to give you a boost of confidence when needed. Andrés Valencia is just such a guy! Luckily for us, he agreed to chat!

Our friend, Rafael, returns this week to talk to us about his homeland and its culture. As he explains, the Mayan culture continues to thrive in Guatemala via its language, clothing, and customs.

Marriage and children bring with them needs and responsiblities that a soltero doesn’t have. Rafael hopes to grow his small pharmacy into a cadena of drug stores that he can use to benefit his wife and kids. To raise the necessary capital, Rafael is working abroad for a few years.