My Beginning

For those who don’t know me, I grew up solely under the protection and care of my mother. She was and is still my role model. She taught me how to be independent and strive for my goals. My name is Nathalie Coste and Vielca Silva is my mother. We were both born in Tipitapa, Nicaragua in my great-grandfather’s home. Growing up I remember swinging in the family hammock and having my little cousins feed me grapes as I pretend to be the queen of the land. Back in Nicaragua, I rode ponies and fed chickens by the dozen. I woke up to dogs chasing the family pigs and the nonsense, nonstop gibberish of the neighbors. One of the fondest memories was when I went to class one day; dressed in my black and red schoolgirl outfit. I had books in one hand and my lunch in the other. As I walked to school, I passed many bakeries and food shops. My favorite was a fritanga, located on the corner of my road. A fritanga is basically a shop and restaurant containing a variety of assorted foods and pastries.  Some foods included in the shop were carne asada, or fried steak, gallo-pinto, rice and beans, and cacao, a chocolate drink.  Walking to school I stopped by the shop and picked and picked up lunch. It was one of my favorite dishes that my mom makes and I had a huge craving for it. Arroz a la valenciana, as it is called, consists of yellow rice, chicken, sausage, onions, peppers, and tomatoes. Usually my grandmother makes it with red wine to tie in the flavors together. I remember that day was so memorable because not only did I get a bite of my favorite dish, but it was one of the last real meals I had from the land of Nicaragua.