Pablo Echarri, Argentine heartthrob and television star, describes his earliest years in Buenos Aires. Also we hear from Pablo’s father about his experiences as a new parent for the very first time.

Echarri and his sister grew up without excess wealth, and even a hint of poverty, but they were happy. Circumstances only served to pull the family together and make them stronger.

Pablo’s sister, Roxa, came on the scene when he was seven. Like millions of little children before him, faced with the arrival of a rival, he was none too pleased. Today they are inseparable.

Muñeca Brava’s Natalia Oreiro came into the world on the 19th of March, 1977, in Montevideo, Uruguay. She showed early signs of being extraordinary, but was also quite a handful for her young parents. Her love of art and showmanship quickly manifested itself, and as a young child she spent hours singing into a tape recorder and along with the radio!!

Though Natalia Oreiro may seem to have it all—talent, beauty, brains, personality and success—she wasn’t born with a silver spoon in her mouth. Her family suffered economically, and moved many times trying to better their situation. This was a bit unsettling for little Natalia, and perhaps contributed to her being a handful for her primary school teachers.

Natalia was quickly growing up. Like most teens, she was anxious to explore the world. At thirteen she began to go out dancing with her best friend, Rosa. Ivan, the high school hunk, was to become her first love.

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”).

When a strange man insists he is Natalia’s true father, she is oddly sympathetic, “we all know about el proceso.” But do we? The “process” is shorthand for the era of military dictatorships that engulfed the Southern Cone in the mid 70’s. During this era, untold numbers of infants of suspected “subversives” were kidnapped, often taken by police or military members to raise as their own.

Couldn’t you just go for some refried beans right now? They are great for breakfast, great for lunch, and we’re happy to have them for dinner, not to mention a medianoche snack! Let’s drop in on Gloria as she cooks up a batch for us.

While stirring a pot, Doña Coco sings us a couple of Christian songs, which she learned at her evangelical church.

Gonzalo is a Peruvian painter living in Germany. We had a great opportunity to visit him and talk about his life. Before learning about his work, let’s listen to the amazing tale of how he met his wife.

Let’s listen to more of this love story, starring a German woman and a Peruvian man on a date with destiny!

Yabla is in the historic center of Lima, the capital of Peru, on a national holiday and a saint’s day, no less. If you’re going to be stuck in a bit of traffic on a tour, Lima’s famous Plaza de Armas is a great place to be. There’s so much to see: The presidential palace, a 16th century cathedral and more. Come see for yourself.

It’s not easy for most kids growing up in the Chaco region: before the morning bell rings, they have already been picking cotton in the fields. Hop on a boat with Eduardo and Luciana and learn about the community service they do for needy rural schools in Argentina.

Corn to dough and dough to tortilla. It’s simple, it’s automatic, and it’s how Alfonso and his siblings make their living. Step up to the counter to learn more.