Navigating dos Mares

Join us as we speak to U.S. born Jose Villa, son of Cuban immigrants. Villa shares tales of his bicultural youth, including his journey from ESL to applying to college without parental guidance. He gives us a peek as to how he’s integrated his multiple monikers (Jose, Joe, Cheo) to develop a single, confident identity. Are you raising a bilingual and bicultural child? Add MariVi the Master Navigat...

Join us as we speak to esteemed, Cuban-born, marketing and media executive, Rosa Alonso as she shares her story. Raised in NY in a multigenerational environment, she came to the U.S. from Spain at the age of 13. The new culture created conflict, changed her role in the family, and distanced her from her background. The power of music brought her back to her roots. Hear her story. Are you raising a...

Join us as we speak to Charlie Echeverry, a U.S. born son of Colombian immigrants, Charlie was raised outside of the U.S. (Mexico, Argentina, Venezuela and St. Thomas) until high school, when the family returned to the U.S. A very atypical upbringing filled with everything from culture clashes to the role of cultural interpreter, only to return to his cultural roots after taking a job at a Hispani...

In this episode, a new classmate triggers multiple, unwelcome feelings for MariVi, and challenging scenarios. Questions regarding who MariVi truly is arise, as she faces a student who is very similar to MariVi, yet different. Uncertainty and uneasiness return to her school life. Are you raising a bilingual and bicultural child? Add MariVi the Master Navigator to your child’s bookshelf! Click here...

In this episode, sibling rivalry creeps in and Abuelita continues her role of nurturer and Lady Wisdom. Though MariVi was interested in Spelling Bees, the evening ends with a favored Latino game, Dominos. Again, a reminder, that MariVi’s household is Hispanic, not American. Are you raising a bilingual and bicultural child? Add MariVi the Master Navigator to your child’s bookshelf! Click here to re...

In this episode, MariVi masters the English language for reasons she’s unaware of, and realizes that without her Latina side, she would miss out on critical familial relationships. Her bicultural station becomes increasingly evident. Are you raising a bilingual and bicultural child? Add MariVi the Master Navigator to your child’s bookshelf! Click here to read children’s books in English and españo...

Join us as Santa Cruz shares her Peruvian background, and her upbringing in Bolivia, the Philippines, Norway and the U.S. Hear her stories of living in a typical, and strict, Latino household. Regardless of what part of the world she was in, she had to navigate numerous culture clashes and translate and interpret for her relatives. Are you raising a bilingual and bicultural child? Add MariVi the M...

Join us as we speak to de los Santos, born and raised as a south Texan with Mexican roots. Hear stories of his atypical youth, his first brush with discrimination, and how he’s used his unique childhood experiences and biculturalism to help corporate America navigate authentic and resonant Hispanic marketing efforts. Are you raising a bilingual and bicultural child? Add MariVi the Master Navigator...

Join us as we speak to Acevedo, a first-generation Mexican immigrant who grew up as a border girl ‘ni de aqui ni de alla’. Listen to her humorous stories of growing up literally in two worlds, and how she’s used these experiences as a source of fortitude and opportunity. Are you raising a bilingual and bicultural child? Add MariVi the Master Navigator to your child’s bookshelf! Click here to read...

In this episode the fallout from the sleep over request is as expansive as the ocean. It triggers waves and ripple effects ranging from avoiding the truth, to defiantly standing up for the American culture - without uttering a single word. Are you raising a bilingual and bicultural child? Add MariVi the Master Navigator to your child’s bookshelf! Click here to read children’s books in English and...

In this episode, MariVi’s friend Karen supports MariVi, nurturing and nourishing her American side, and serving as MariVi’s navigator at school. After school, Isa’s request for a sleep over triggers an unexpected, yet powerful, tropical storm. Are you raising a bilingual and bicultural child? Add MariVi the Master Navigator to your child’s bookshelf! Click here to read children’s books in English...

In this episode, MariVi reclaims her sense of agency with support from her Abuelita and a weekend with her familia. Grounding herself in her truth, she finds her voice again and claims that indeed, she is HERE! Are you raising a bilingual and bicultural child? Add MariVi the Master Navigator to your child’s bookshelf! Click here to read children’s books in English and español. Join Our Familia Fac...

Join us as we speak to Karen Comas, a renowned podcaster (Motherish) and tech executive, and U.S. born daughter of Peruvian immigrants. Hear her story and how her cultural and linguistic duality challenged her in her early years and empowers her today. Are you raising a bilingual and bicultural child? Add MariVi the Master Navigator to your child’s bookshelf! Click here to read children’s books in...

Join us as Mike shares stories from his youth as a U.S. born son of Guatemalan immigrants being raised in Queens, NY, alongside immigrants from other LATAM countries. His feelings of being an outsider, the ‘we vs. the me’, and how he returned to his cultural roots after taking a job in Miami are shared. Many will relate to his journey. Are you raising a bilingual and bicultural child? Add MariVi t...

Join us as Becerra shares her many childhood experiences as a U.S. born daughter of Mexican immigrants, as well as insights into her ‘filtered’ life. Her role as household leader, translator, and interpreter has lasted a lifetime, and her stories are sincere and moving. Are you raising a bilingual and bicultural child? Add MariVi the Master Navigator to your child’s bookshelf! Click here to read c...

In this episode, Twena highlights the ‘why’ behind the perfect house, the value of appearances, y el castigo for misbehaving during communion at mass. The role of appearances in collectivism is discussed in-depth. Are you raising a bilingual and bicultural child? Add MariVi the Master Navigator to your child’s bookshelf! Click here to read children’s books in English and español. Join Our Familia...

In this episode, Twena highlights the role of child/parent many immigrant children share as they navigate for their family members, the travails of the supermarket run, and facing discrimination for the very first time. This podcast will resonate with many adult children of immigrants. Are you raising a bilingual and bicultural child? Add MariVi the Master Navigator to your child’s bookshelf! Clic...

In this episode Twena discusses the cultural, emotional, and linguistic distance that children of immigrants’ face inside their homes when raised in a country that’s distinct from their parents’ country of origin, disrupting the lineage and yes, the values, as well. Are you raising a bilingual and bicultural child? Add MariVi the Master Navigator to your child’s bookshelf! Click here to read child...

Join us as Lubus shares her challenging childhood experiences moving from Puerto Rico to Michigan, as well as how her cultural duality has shaped her in adulthood, empowering her to adapt to anything and avoid attachment to material things. Are you raising a bilingual and bicultural child? Add MariVi the Master Navigator to your child’s bookshelf! Click here to read children’s books in English and...

Join us as Paez shares his life story including his childhood in Miami as a Cuban American, the culture clash when he started working for an American company, and the need to embrace one’s cultural duality. Paez’s funny account of being told he has an accent, not a lisp, is priceless. Are you raising a bilingual and bicultural child? Add MariVi the Master Navigator to your child’s bookshelf! Click...

Join us as Twena interviews Torres about her childhood experiences as a U.S. born daughter of immigrants from El Salvador, and how her name change at school impacted her life, motivating her to reclaim herself with a new name and purpose in adulthood. Are you raising a bilingual and bicultural child? Add MariVi the Master Navigator to your child’s bookshelf! Click here to read children’s books in...

In this episode, Twena shares MariVi’s first day of school: her unwelcome name change, isolating lunch experience and el accidente. She provides an in-depth analysis of the struggles of being an outsider – universal truths shared by many children of immigrants. Are you raising a bilingual and bicultural child? Add MariVi the Master Navigator to your child’s bookshelf! Click here to read children’s...

In this episode, Twena dives deeper into the conflicting values of collectivism and individualism, and brings them to life across Hispanic generations, while sharing excerpts and character insights from her first book: School Crossing, and its key character: MariVi, the Master Navigator. Are you raising a bilingual and bicultural child? Add MariVi the Master Navigator to your child’s bookshelf! Cl...

In the flagship episode of Navigating dos Mares, Twena explains the core differences between the two seas- the American and Latino cultures- and how they inform our lives from early childhood, creating choppy waters and inclement weather. Are you raising a bilingual and bicultural child? Add MariVi the Master Navigator to your child’s bookshelf! Click here to read children’s books in English and e...

Navigating dos Mares is a podcast that has been created to shed light and meaning surrounding the bicultural life experiences – from childhood to adulthood – faced by most children of immigrants. From the universal truths that impact our coming of age, to the distinct events that shape our life experiences  – including our role in the family as navigator - the bicultural community will find a home...