When the Centro Hispano de Todos los Santos [All Saints Hispanic Center] provides makeovers for mothers, many of them realize how emotional it can be when one who is used to taking care of others is taken care of herself.

Celebrated in Ecuador on November second, the Day of the Dead is a time for family members to gather together and pay respects through customs involving food, prayer and music, to deceased family members, whom they view as very much alive energetically.

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.

Don Alonso tells us a bit about his tortilla business and how the automatic machines revolutionized the way to prepare tortillas.

Juan paints outlines on his tiles using a paintbrush and manganese oxide, but at one time practitioners did this by laying down fine strings dipped in wax, and this explains why Juan still calls the technique he uses cuerda seca, or “dry cord.” Note that he describes the technique as one of alto relieve, or “high relief,” which is the opposite of bas-relief (low relief).

Fernando makes a date with an old work friend he has not seen for a while in order to catch up on the changes in both of their lives.

Pipo and Priscilla take us on a brief excursion to a tower located in Parque Amazónico La Isla, where one can view the entire city of Tena, Ecuador. The experience for Priscilla, however, may be a little less relaxing.

Priscilla and Fernando enjoy a beautiful day on a riverbank where the locals swim. Let's hear them talk about their experiences in this sport.

Tatiana explains the symbolism behind the colors of the Mexican flag- red, white and green- as well as preparing a dish which both includes those colors and honors those values.

In celebration of the Day of the Dead, a Mexican holiday in which the departed are sometimes honored with the preparation of their favorite dishes, Tatiana shares with us a bit about her recipe for "Dead Raising Chilaquiles," as well as her philosophy regarding life and death.

Tatiana shares with us some home remedies for the restoration of our physical and spiritual health.

Young Taimur’s Spanish is not quite as easy for the non-native as that of his neighborhood pal Zulbani, but he does have a lot of interesting things to say! Listen up, because our young friend presents an opportunity to hear some expressions and turns of phase you may have not heard before.

Recently the song "Mesa Que Más Aplauda" from the Mexican group Climax had reached coastal Venezuela and was blasting from every bootleg music kiosk and bus stereo. Its catchy, inane, meaningless refrain za za za, yakuza, yakuza was on the lips of every impressionable child from 5 to 50. Taimur was no exception (nor were we!)

Soledad shares with us some memories of her very special grandma, an important and influential person in her life.

Miguel Hernández was a poet who lived in Orihuela during the same time as Soledad's grandparents. Here, she tells us about his life and work and why, despite his early demise, he is still a renowned artist.