When Yasmin Chavida thinks back on how she ended up where she is today,

there are two central characters to her story.

One is her mom, Irene Garcia.

Yasmin can remember specific moments of sadness, fear, and danger.

Where if it weren't for her mom, she wouldn't have survived.

The second character in her story facilitated their many escapes.

Welcome to the Duolingo Spanish podcast.

I'm your host, Martina Castro.

Each episode we bring you fascinating first-person stories

from Spanish speakers across the world.

The storytellers will be using intermediate Spanish

and I'll be chiming in for context in English.

But these are not language lessons.

They're real life lessons through language.

When she was six years old, Yasmin and her family lived in the city of Veracruz

in the Gulf of Mexico.

My dad worked in a far away town of Casa.

He only returned home every two weeks,

with money to pay the food and the rent.

Sometimes it was enough for our basic needs.

But other times, my dad spent all his money in his visa.

His visa or vice was alcohol.

...