méxico lindo y querido...

un recuerdo puede llenar el corazón...
los cerros, las subidas y bajadas, la iglesia, las celebraciones, los dulces y la comida, la música, el olor, la familia, la unidad de un ranchito querido que trajo mi existencia...

Melissa Arambulo

Yo nací y crecí en Santa Ana, CA y de ahí vine a estudiar en la universidad de Berkeley. Yo estoy en mi tercer año y estoy estudiando arquitectura. Mi mamá me enseño a tocar la guitarra cuando era niña pero últimamente no he tocado mucho como antes. Me gusta pintar y dibujar pero desafortunadamente he puesto muy poco de atención a las cosas que más me encantan ahora que estoy estudiando en la universidad y espero cambiar esto. 

Both my mom and dad are from a small 'ranchito' in Zacatecas, Mexico called Toyahua. I've been visiting my family in Mexico ever since I turned one and I've definitely grown to accept it as my second home--a small town with a big heart!

My family loves music and I feel a little behind in this area because ever since high school I feel like I've been so focused on my academic life that I've neglected a very important part of who I am, which is why I am particularly interested in taking this class. After I finish studying, I plan to begin to practice music and my singing and maybe I'll join my 18-year-old brother one day, who currently plays in a trio. (I also hope to continue making art!) My mom and dad both play the guitar and like to sing--my mom is a big fan of the 'románticas', but both my mom and my dad love 'rancheras'! I have a 5-year-old brother who started singing "La mochila azul" when he was three and he loves mariachi music and is still singing to this day:). My family loves to do karaoke during family reunions and it's never about who can sing, but about joyfully spending time together, remembering the old times. Family is extremely important to me and coming from a family of twelve children (2nd oldest), I am very grateful for the experience I've had growing up and the especially for the way in which my parents have raised me. My family is a great and talented bunch and I can only imagine what it'll be like to be in our future family reunions, passing on our family traditions...