In this episode of the Mamis Abroad series, I sit down with Vanessa Mota, a Dominican-American content creator, digital publisher, author, and founder of My Dominican Kitchen. Vanessa made the boldest move by packing up her life in New Jersey and moving solo to the Dominican Republic. She has spent 12 years building her bilingual food brand for the Dominican diaspora, and now she's creating from the island itself. We talk about the empty nest season, what it really means to come home to your ...
Jul 2
1 hr
After 10 months of living in our first house in Mexico, we made a decision that surprised us: we broke our lease early. But this episode isn't just about the logistics of moving - it's about the deeper realization that came with it. I'm sitting down solo to share why we left, what we discovered about housing options in Mexico that I never knew existed, and the uncomfortable (but necessary) conversation about privilege, generational progress, and what it really means to have choices your paren...
Jun 25
34 min
This week I'm bringing you a rerun of one of our most-asked-about episodes! After 10 months of living here in León, we decided to break our lease early to find housing that better fits our family, and we're spilling all the tea on what led to that decision next week. But first, here's where our housing story began. Listen to this episode to understand the foundation, then tune in next week for the "why we left" conversation. Consider it your homework before next week's episode drops! . . . In...
Jun 5
35 min
In this solo episode, I'm getting real about what it actually takes to help your child get into college in today's landscape, because spoiler: it's not the same process we went through. As a first-gen parent myself with 14 years of combined college admissions and counseling experience, I'm breaking down what's changed, what still matters, and how you can start building a real strategy this summer, whether your kid is a rising junior or senior. For detailed show notes, visit vivalamami.com/epi...
May 28
24 min
In this solo episode, I'm pulling back the curtain on a side of me I don't often share - my professional story. I walk you through my journey as a first-generation college student, how I stumbled into the world of higher education, and the decade-long career in college admissions and counseling that followed. And yes, I have a BIG announcement at the end that I'm so excited to finally share with you. For detailed show notes, visit vivalamami.com/episode162 What you'll hear: My experience navi...
May 21
34 min
In this solo episode, I'm giving you the life update I've been meaning to share and I'm keeping it real. From accepting a corporate job out of desperation (and quitting nine days later) to deciding to stay in México for another year, and finally announcing the new business I'm building from scratch. This episode is for every first-generation mami who's ever felt like she had to prove herself, restart, or choose between stability and freedom. What You'll Hear: The first-gen mentality that almo...
May 14
29 min
In this episode of the Mamis Abroad series, I'm sitting down with Jess Winns, a mom of four, published author, entrepreneur, Board-Certified Holistic Health Practitioner, and Transformational Leadership Coach, who made the bold decision to pack up her family and move to Playa del Carmen, Mexico as a single mom. We talk about the moment she knew it was time, what it's really like to build a life from scratch in a new country, and why she says the secret is to stop telling people your plans. Th...
May 7
58 min
In this Mamis Abroad series episode, I sit down with Lina Molina, a Latina mama of three who has been raising her family across continents. Lina shares what it really looks like to pick up your life, move to a country you know nothing about, and still show up as a grounded, intentional mother. We talk about building community from scratch, raising trilingual global kids, keeping your cultura alive far from home, and redefining what "home" even means when you've lived in five countries. If you...
Apr 23
52 min
In this VLM Spotlight episode, I sit down with Cynthia Contreras, a wife, Latina mom, and bilingual reading specialist. What started as a chat about raising Spanish-dominant kids turned into a beautiful exploration of identity, healing generational trauma, and what it really means to show up for our children while still showing up for ourselves. Cynthia shares her journey from being the only Latina in her Wisconsin classroom, to becoming a first-gen college graduate, to intentionally building...
Apr 16
1 hr 10 min
This week, we welcome Lucía Garrett, founder of Pato Pato and the brilliant mind who coined the term "Spanish-first kids." As someone currently raising Spanish-dominant children myself, I was so excited to dive deep into this intentional approach to bilingual parenting. Lucía shares why the Spanish-only stage is so crucial for our kids and how we can stay confident in our choices, even when family members question us or when we feel like we're not doing enough. Want more? Listen to the full, ...
Apr 2
17 min
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