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Hello, my name is Karina and I would like to tell you about where my family comes from.

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My parents were born in El Salvador, the smallest country in Central America.

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They immigrated to America when they were 20 years old.

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Growing up, I would visit El Salvador once a year and spend summers with my grandparents.

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I remember driving through lush, green farmland and feeling amazed by the many volcanoes.

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There are, in fact, 22 volcanoes in this tiny country.

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Thankfully, though, only six of them are active.

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Volcanoes are the perfect backdrop for the colorful street art and hilltop villages.

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The higher we would drive, the more we would encounter coffee fields.

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El Salvador is a major exporter of coffee beans.

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In fact, it ranks in the top 20 list of countries that export the most coffee worldwide.

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Apart from enjoying delicious coffee, I also love the food.

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The national dish is called pupusas.

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Pupusas are thick, handmade tortillas served with a filling inside.

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My favorite ones are pupusas filled with pork, cheese, and refried beans.

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They are served with fermented cabbage slaw.

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My grandparents live on a farm with cows, bulls, chickens, and roosters.

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During my visits, I would play soccer with my cousins, eat pupusas, and relax on a hammock.

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They are everywhere.

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During birthday celebrations, we would have piñatas and listen to a mariachi band.

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I enjoyed spending my summers there.

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The lifestyle in America is completely different, but more on that later.

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Thanks!