How many years have you been living in Spain?
I have been living in Spain since my arrival on September 24, 2019, right before Covid arrived and shut everything down.
How did you adapt to Spain?
For me, I did not have to adapt much because it looks like some of the cities and towns in the United States. The only thing I had to focus on was my Spanish.
What are the things that have surprised you the most that we do here in Spain?
Jajajajaja. When people listen to music on their headphones, in public, they do not move or express any feelings about the music they are hearing. I never hear babies cry or see children having tantrums. When walking on the sidewalks, people will, most of the time, change their path to walk straight toward me, expecting me to move out of their way, when I was never in their way in the first place. Lol
Do you have a favorite Spanish dish and which one is it?
Yes, I do! : ) I love the Tortilla! ; )
We knew that Cinda spent several years in the U.S. Army and, of course, all the students were very interested in knowing details about it.
How many years did you spend in the Army and why did you want to join the Army?
I spent several years in the Army and after my Honorable Discharge, I joined the “American Legion”. I first joined the Army at the age of 18 and then rejoined at the age of 37. I use to listen to the stories my father and his Army buddies told every Christmas Eve when I was very little, and it interested me so much that I joined.
What was your position in the Army?
First and foremost, I was a soldier. When I first joined at the age of 18, I was given the assignment of being an Office Clerk, when I re-entered at the age of 37 I started as a Heavy-Wheeled Vehicle Mechanic and my unit’s Wrecker Driver. One year later, I was trained and certified as a Tank Mechanic, working on some of the fastest and most aggressive tanks in the U.S. Army. I also was noted as the fastest promoted soldier in my battalion, due to my troubleshooting skills and to repair any vehicle quickly.
What was it like to be in the Army?
The training was a bit hard, but thanks to my father being in the military, I was able to get through it. Basically, growing up with a military father, he trained all his children, including me, like we were in the military. The live-fire training was a little scary (They shoot real bullets and bombs over your head, while you crawl on the ground). Learning to shoot most all weapons was a lot of fun too (I am a Sharpshooter). I was born into a family of mechanics, so once I arrived home at my duty station, I was the top mechanic in my unit. Also, driving all vehicles that I repaired or helped to repair was the best. I drove one of the fastest tanks in the world and other armored vehicles. The most important part of it for me was that I was surrounded by other soldiers that were more like my family than my real family.
What kind of food do people eat in the army?
We ate a variety of traditional American dishes (Sometimes pizza, hamburgers on holidays, lobster) and we ate three times a day including dessert : )
Afterwards we asked her some other questions about USA and her trips around other countries.
Interview 7