I'm like another person when I'm dancing... I can't wait for Cork city's St Patrick's Day parade
Karen Zamudio and members of the Mexican Community in Cork will take part in the Cork St Patrick’s Day Parade.
Hi, I’m Karen. I’m from Tlaxcala, Mexico, and I am living in Ireland since October, 2016.
I’m in my thirties. Like many girls here, I’m here because of love. My husband had a job offer and we decided to leave our own business, our new house and our family and friends to start again.
I studied accountancy and I did a masters in finance. I was working in purchases, logistics and supply chain in Mexico and Spain. So, now, I’m working in Elli Lilly as a Supply Chain Analyst.
I was born in Puebla, Mexico. However, all my family is from Tlaxcala and I feel like “Tlaxcalteca”.
Tlaxcala is a wonderful place to live. I’m from a place where we cook and eat worms and produce pulque. Pulque is a traditional fermented beverage with pre-Hispanic origin that is extracted from “maguey” plant. Also, we have a fire flies sanctuary and we are very proud of that because there are only two in all the world. The other one is in New Zealand.
Since 2016, I have lived in Cork. I am not so far from the city centre and very close to Glen Park. The location is amazing because I can hear the birds every morning when I open my eyes. I really enjoy that!
I’m married to Laurent and our family is very peculiar. He is French and our son is half Mexican and half French. We met in Spain because we were living and working there for some years. Our son speaks three languages but his education is Irish/Mexican/French/Spanish.
We are not the typical Latin or French family. We decided to take the best of all cultures and teach in that way to our son.
Saturday mornings are so funny at our home. You can find le gratin dauphinois on our table combined with chips and Mexican sauce.
Well, friendship for me is a very wide concept. I can’t tell you I have a best friend because each of my friends are the best in one moment of my live.
However, I can tell you the friends who are always there and every time we meet in any part of the world, we really enjoy it. Yuriko in London, Ale in Berlin, Roxana, Maria and Irana in Tlaxcala. And, of course, Diana! We are actually living together in Cork but we met around 10 years ago in Madrid.
I’m not sure if it is the earliest one but I have one very clear memory when I was four or five. I only have brothers and I remember when they dressed me as a cow girl, with guns and boots!
My top one is my mother. She is a really strong woman. She was alone with five children and all of us graduated from university.
I have never seen another person working more than 15 hours per day for many years as she did.
I learned from her to be a working mum and not to feel guilty about working.
Definitely myself. Sometimes I’m very strict with myself and it makes me feel frustrated.
Thank god my husband is the opposite to me and he has taught me how to be calm and patient with others and myself.
Honestly, I don’t have an idea. I have to accept I’m ignorant in politics.
My family love to travel around the world and I’m lucky to have good memories of my holidays with them.
The most recent was in Cancun, last year. After two years, it was amazing to see them again and to spend time on the beach with my mother, my brothers, my sister-in- law and the children.
I love criminal series. So, I watch every good series like CSI, How to get away with Murder, Scandal, Imperfect crimes, etc.
It is a Spanish show called Buenos dias Javi y Mar, but I enjoy listening to Who the Man in Ireland every morning in the car.
Probably every kind of Mexican food. Lets’s say chilaquiles.
At the moment Tequila Jack’s in Cork. But I would like to try another.
The Little Prince. I like to read it to my son.
().
Probably one of U2 some years ago.
by Frank Sinatra. I cry every time I hear it.
It is not possible but Freddy Mercury or The Beatles. Then, probably U2 or Francis Cabrel.
Not in Ireland but I have two cats in Spain and Mexico. They are now with one of my best friends and I know they have enough love in their new home.
Morning person! I think my son is going to be the same because we often have breakfast on Saturday around 6.30am or 7am.
When my family came from Mexico to see me dancing with a Mexican group in the Madrid Theatre. I felt so proud, and seeing my brother almost crying was great.
Saver of course! Being so far from my family and having a son here, I think it’s the intelligent thing to do.
I would like more places with classes for children and adults during the afternoons.
Classes like dance, martial arts, football, theatre, music, etc. This area is very quiet (Ballyvolane).
I love my job and work with Excel but I also love to dance! I’m another person when I’m dancing!
As a happy and helpful person. I hope my son can be proud of who his mother is.
I’m studying a diploma in Supply Chain in UCC. It is a challenge when I have to work and be a mother but nothing is impossible.
I also try to participate in every activity the Mexican Community organises in Cork.
There are lovely people in the group and it makes me feel closer to home.
Karen and members of the Mexican Community in Cork will take part in the Cork St Patrick’s Day Parade on Sunday, March 17. In 2018 the Mexican Community in Cork won the Best Dance Group at the Cork St Patrick’s Day Parade.
The 2019 Cork St Patrick’s Day Parade will be a vibrant carnival of colours, music, marching bands, amazing floats and community groups with up to 3,000 participants taking part, including some visiting from the USA. The parade will begin at 1pm and the theme is “Stories of Cork” See www.corkstpatricksfestival.ie
