Meet Dulce's Owner

Teresa Carbajal Ravet is a Spanish linguist with expertise in foreign language acquisition, Spanish literature, and translation. Born in Monterrey, Nuevo León, México and living in Austin, Texas, Teresa has been experiencing a bilingual and bicultural life. She believes in the necessity and advantage of being multilingual and multicultural so as to be a contributing and willing member of the global community. She has taught various student-age groups, from high school to university, and career professionals. She is the owner of Sententia Vera, providing Spanish language services as a bilingual writer, blogger, translator, and instructor. She holds both an undergraduate and a graduate degree from Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas.

I grew up on the Mex/Tex border and was therefore obligated to speak both Spanish and English. I say ‘obligated’ because my stubborn nature was fully developed since birth, I did not want to live in Texas, I did not want to speak English, I “would not, could not” want anything to do with the USA.

As a frightened 5 year old, I translated and interpreted for myself, for my grandparents, for my father, and have continued for many others. Once, as my family crossed the Mexico/US border, I feared the birth of my younger sister. I pleaded with my mamá not to have our baby on the US side. “Why?” she asked. Well, because we, specifically I, would never understand her. I feared that being born in the US would automatically make her an English speaker. Ooh, if only language was that easy. Well, she was born in the US and I, and sometimes we, don’t understand her, although it’s not because she speaks English. Since then, I have been curious, amazed, and intrigued by language and its culture. Language has been my fear, my struggle, my joy, and my wonder. I have studied language and continue my studies, as language is a living organism that is continually evolving and taking new form.

The study of language is not only lessons on linguistics, it is also done through reading. Literature, so much more than just an interesting read, ‘gifts’ the reader with the language’s culture, its love, its hurt, its passion, its anger. As a young girl I read an abridged Spanish edition of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and it was not until high school English class that I learned that Tom and Huck were American kids from the state of Mississippi. I was heartbroken knowing that my amigos were not Mexican, yet intrigued by my youthful misinterpretation.  Reading this novel in two languages, interpreting the languages’ vocabularies and contexts, and relating to the languages’ cultures have gifted me an appreciation for language, culture, and literature.

It is from these life experiences and from these gifts that I have made language my work, my life and career. I wish to share these gifts with others, the gift of languages and cultures, and the gift of literature. I have embarked on this journey to share with you Dulce Bread & Book Shop.