Guillermo L   

★★★★★

Spanish native from Madrid

What is your favorite word in your language and why?

My favorite word in Spanish is “querencia.” It comes from the verb “querer” (to love, to want) but it has a very unique meaning: it describes the place where you feel safe, protected, like home, the place you always want to return to. I love it because it doesn’t have an exact translation in other languages and it captures so much emotion and culture in just one word.

What is your favorite dish from your hometown? If you no longer live there is there a good local restaurant that serves it?

Cocido Madrileño (Madrid Stew). This dish comprises a hearty stew centered around chickpeas, complemented by an array of vegetables, meats, and savory pork bacon along with a selection of sausages. Originating from humble beginnings, it was first enjoyed by the lower classes before gaining popularity and making its way onto the menus of restaurants, ultimately embraced by high society.

Besides the languages you teach, do you speak or study any other languages?

I studied Arabic for two years and now I am starting to study Italian. I would like to have more continuity in both languages.

What are your interests outside of teaching at Strommen?

As a screenwriter and documentary director, my passions lie in cinema, current events, and reading. These pursuits fuel my creativity and drive my work in storytelling and teaching.

What do you consider your hometown? Why do you love it?

I am from Madrid, and I am proud of my city's history of struggle and resistance, as well as its status as home to some of the most renowned museums in the world (such as the Prado Museum, Reina Sofía Museum, and Thyssen Museum).