Hispanic Heritage Month :: Nicole Villarreal
Field Hockey
10/12/2022
My father is Mexican, my mother is Puerto Rican; my father’s parents both moved to the United States from Mexico and my mother’s dad moved from Puerto Rico.
Hispanic Heritage Month is something special to me. My father, Nicolas Jr, is Mexican and my mother, Debby, is Puerto Rican; my father’s parents, Guillermina and Nicolas Sr., both moved to the United Stated from Mexico and my mother’s dad, Julius, moved from Puerto Rico.
My Grandparents all made their way to the United States at a young age and have been here ever since. Much of the family is still in Mexico and my grandparents try to make the long road trip once a year. My family and I were able to go to Mexico when I was younger and see where my grandparents grew up and got to meet my great-grandmother. It was special to see their hometown and meet my extended family. My grandma Guillermina has 12 brothers and sisters.
Now that I am grown up and not close to home, I look forward to these holidays together and especially look forward to the tamales.
Growing up and still to this day, family is everything. My family is as close as close can get. We spend every holiday together. A special get together is that every Christmas Eve we pack over 20 people into my grandmother’s house and spend hours talking, hanging out, playing Lotería. Although on Christmas Eve and Thanksgiving we have typical turkey or ham, my grandmother will always make her famous tamales and rice. Now that I am grown up and not close to home, I look forward to these holidays together and especially look forward to the tamales. My abuela’s food is the best part of every holiday; I have tried to make rice like her, but nothing comes close to replicating it.
My grandpa has not been back to Puerto Rico in quite a while. We still have some family there, but most are now in the states. When I was younger, my grandpa Julius would always tell me stories of when he was growing up in Puerto Rico. All the shenanigans he got into and all the fun he had with his family. Although I never got to meet some of those family members, I was fortunate enough to go to Puerto Rico and meet family still there and see the Island that my grandpa grew up in.
Being able to see where my grandparents grew up and hearing the stories is unique. I am proud of who I am.
