The StoryCorps mobile booth was in Austin in January, and we’re bringing you some of the stories that were recorded there. Locally recorded stories will air on Monday mornings during Morning Edition and archived here.
Esta es la historia de Arlette de la Serna y Marcel del Río. Un matrimonio que habla de lo que han aprendido en sus viajes por el mundo.
Arlette de la Serna sat down in the StoryCorps mobile booth with her husband, Marcel del Rio. They talked about their travels, the different places they’ve lived, and what they’ve learned along the way. This interview was conducted in Spanish, but for our non-Spanish speaking listeners, a full English translation is available below.
Marcel: I was born in Los Angeles, California. I’m the child of immigrants from Argentina, who themselves were the children of immigrants. My dad was the child of immigrants from Spain who settled in Argentina. My mom was the descendant of Italian immigrants. So, I come from a long tradition of travelers. When my parents and I left for Argentina I finally experienced what it was like to be a transplant. I grew up in Los Angeles in the 70’s and, all of the sudden, I experienced the 80’s in Argentina.
Maria Arlette: All of the sudden surrounded by extended family. Who greeted you first?
Marcel: Well, the first person to make an impression on me was my maternal grandmother. Her name was Rosa. I used to love our chats, especially the chats we would have while she was cooking. She was like a magician with food.
Maria Arlette: What was your favorite dish?
Marcel: The thing is she could make anything, but she had a unique ability to use simple ingredients that produced delicious outcomes.
Maria Arlette: Something I’ve learned [through our travels] is that every place we’ve been to is a new place we’ll miss. Because in the end, we miss each of them. But, what is a common thing you’ve learned from these places?
Marcel: I’ve learned that, no matter where you go, you’ll find fascinating people. What about for you? What has been that common denominator you’ve found in our travels?
Maria Arlette: Well, it’s helped me looked at things in my own life – places where I need to grow. For instance, in Puerto Rico I learned that you can have a lot of fun and still accomplish many things. In Miami, I learned that you can be very beautiful and still be very deep. And, here in Austin, I’ve learned that every person matters.
Marcel: From living in all of these places (Los Angeles, Argentina, Mexico City, Puerto Rico, Miami and Austin) I’ve learned that the world belongs to all.
This piece was produced for KUT by Joy Diaz with interviews recorded at StoryCorps, a national nonprofit with a mission to provide Americans of all backgrounds and beliefs the opportunity to record, share and preserve the stories of our lives.
Thank you to our sponsors of StoryCorps' visit to Austin: Cap Metro and We Are Blood
