Juan Alanis - Juan of Words
My name is Juan Alanis. Well, actually my full name is San Juan Martin Alanis Maldonado Turrubiartez Torres. Wow! That’s a mouthful I know. What can I say? I’m Mexican and I was born on the day of St. John the Baptist. In Mexico that means your name is automatically selected for you… or at the very least that there is a 50-50 chance your name might end up being something straight out of a religious calendar. Mine was, and that set the wheels in motion for a lifetime of mispronunciations. I’ll be honest, at first it was embarrassing to hear my teachers trying to pronounce my name in English and never being able to do so successfully. I’d often wish my parents had named me something simpler like Marco, Ruben, Alvaro, even Jose, anything that people could say without having to ask me or trying to translate my name (hence my disdain for being called John). Not that there is anything wrong with that name, only that it is not my own.
I grew up in the Rio Grande Valley area of Texas in a little town called McCook, about an hour away from the U.S.-Mexico border, and spent most of my summers growing up in Cerritos, San Luis Potosi, Mexico, where both my parents are from. We didn’t have any running water or electricity there and the labor of having to make do with what we did have (agua de los arroyos and leña for the fire) made us all appreciate the little we did have on this side of the border. My parents immigrated to this country de mojados and it wasn’t until they were able to gain their legal residency under the Reagan administration that we were able to venture away from the valley and into the city: Houston, Texas to be precise.
We came with all we could fit into our carrito – the Chocolate we use to call it – including our rooster believe it or not, and here in Houston is where we experienced our firsts in many things. My parents and my two elder sisters worked hard in whatever they could get work in to pay for our little apartments, then eventually our first little house. We were a family of little means, but lots of love. All nine of us did everything together, creating thousands of now very cherished and hilarious memories, and our lives continue to be very united to this day. I was the first in my family to graduate from college, along with one of my sisters who walked ahead of me in the same commencement ceremony, and have since worked mostly writing, from journalism to public relations, and now this blog: Juan of Words. Some of the publications I’ve worked with include the Houston Chronicle, the San Antonio Express News, Texas Travel Guide, La Prensa Grafica of El Salvador, Rumbo Newspapers, and organizations like the Association for the Advancement of Mexican Americans, the City of Houston, Univision News Network, The Salvation Army, Reliv, etc.
Now all “grown up” I’m married to Anjelica, my beautiful and very supportive wife, and am a proud parent to my little Edgar, who is really growing up very fast right before our eyes. I blog about my life – past, present and future, as well as other topics most easily classified under the Hispanic Lifestyle umbrella, but by no means exclusive for only a Latino audience. I’m proud of where I’ve been and where I come from, and am also the first to admit that I am definitely still learning, making mistakes, falling, getting back up, and trying my best to make sense of it all through my writing.
I love reader mail and welcome conversations all of the time. Thank you very much for stopping by! I hope you’ll keep coming back.
¡Abrazos!
RSS
Twitter
Tumblr
Facebook
LinkedIn
YouTube
Dude, I love your witt and style!! I always joke about the “words” my parents used when we were young. “Aplacate” that ment “behave” but I went out and go a license plate and “pues, me Aplace” then when I had to wait….it was “Aguardate”…so I jumped en un cajon…LOL….si I can so relate to your HUMOR!!! Keep up the great work!
Thanks for the dichos on twitter. Read them regularly. Please pass along the link to where my bilingual poetry ebook. Just copy/paste the following.
Thanks for the comment, DM with the link on Twitter for the e-book!
Juan had an awsum time at the movie premier. The meet-up is a really good idea.
I’m a die hard Farmville Player,I noticed they have started a live chat and a directory to start your own meet and greet here in our local areas..Channelview and Baytown haveing the most players. No-one has done one thou.I find it amazing how many gamers do not speak english..I had to have my 16yr old put a translator on my user,its a social game so we must chat if you wanna play well. Everyones into the Theory of why FV is taking over the gaming world…maybe we should do a piece on it…and you can set up a gamers greet for Spanish speaking players.I dont speak Spanish. I also wondered how many local Spanish (only)speaking Hispanic players their really are. This game is HUGE in Mexico…have many players their…and many more sending me friend requests
can’t wait to read your works of art
Thank you, Buttercup! I’m very happy you’re here
You forgot to mention the alias we gave you, Dahlin’: Shakespeare! You write better than he ever did and keep it up.
Love your blog, I will come back frequently. Un abrazo y … Feliz Año Nuevo!
My parents are also from Cerritos, SLP, Mexico. I enjoy the blog. Can’t wait to read more.
Hola Juan. Me facina la idea de que los ninos puedan participar en la historia que van a leer. Estoy segura que mis ninos disfrutaran de este libro.
Hi Juan – just found your blog while researching other bloggers writing about thrift store shopping. You have a really nice style of writing and since my husband and I just started to learn spanish this winter your blog will be great to read!
I really enjoy reading your blog (my mom especially) I am a Chicago resident who grew up in CERRITOS and Texas as well. Nice to hear from another paisano.
Thank you, Posadas! Really grateful for your support and the comment
My husband’s family is also from Cerritos (mine from Cuernavaca, Morelos)! Found you over at the Latism Blog! I’ll be reading from now on. Thanks!
So I’m new to your page. I must say I am very glad to see that some of us do not forget our roots and embrace what our family has gone thru to better our future. Your writing is amazing! Looking forward to continue to read your blog
Great and interesting writing!
Do you make or know where to get figurines for Dia de la Muertos. I would like to paint them myself. What would you use paint. Thanks.
Very nicely done, Juan, I’m learning Spanish poco a poco from my Mexican ranch hand.
Hi.congrats on your blog y todo. My husband is Mexican and legal too, thanks to Reagan. So sad about Jenni riveria.
Maria and juvenal in oregon
I love this! I’m also from Houston Tx. Parents from Rio Grand Valley but moved up to the big apple to live my dreams. Congrats. cant wait to read more of you blog..
now i now why i love u so!!!! ur my distant cousin! im TORRES too! ok so ur… Alanis Maldonado Turrubiartez Torres. and my first last name is TORRES. im torres sanabria… and thats it! but stillllllll we’re like FAMILIA!!!!
orale! to my mexican long lost cousin!!!
such an honor to be Familia!!