The very first CD I ever bought with my own hard-earned money was Shakira’s Laundry Service Album—and I still remember how proud (and just a little bit obsessed) I was. It must have been 2001 when my sister and I had that album on repeat, studying every beat and observing every fluid movement she made in her iconic videos like Whenever, Whatever, or Underneath Your Clothes.
She made having big, curly hair look cool — hair that looked like mine, which felt extra special since I didn’t really grow up seeing many girls with curls like that. But it wasn’t just the hair. Her hips moved like they had a mind of their own, totally separate from the rest of her body, and her belly flowed so smoothly, I couldn’t help but feel completely lit up watching her.
I remember I was sitting on my parents’ couch one day watching Shakira being interviewed on MTV to talk about her new album on live television, in which she explained how her dad taught her the art of Arabic belly dancing – a part of her Lebanese heritage – by trying to flip a coin on her belly. Learning to dance like this had, as she shared with the audience, been a way for her to overcome her shyness.
Of course, I didn’t waste a second running off to find a coin myself, and I practiced the flipping alone in my bedroom for weeks, over and over again. Don’t ask me to do it now, years later, but I might well do it again someday.
To this day, I have followed her journey faithfully, but I haven’t found this fragment of the episode yet, so if anyone finds it, I’m more than happy to receive it and watch it again.
Anyway, life as a singer and a dancer – let alone a belly dancer — didn’t turn out my destiny. However, it instilled in me a specific curiosity towards Latin culture. There is something about their family values— its willingness to accept all who stagger in its doors, its sarcastic sense of humor, its never-ending flow of opinions, well formed and not, its willingness to scrap — that serves for me, as a happy metaphor for a culture I love.
I like Sevilla. So, any excuse to come back, for me, is a good one. It’s not a “fair” show, it’s not comprehensive, it’s not the “best” of the city, or what you need to know or any of those things. If you’re gonna cry that I “missed” an iconic feature of Sevilla life — or that there are better Tapas restaurants than Topo Gigio, then you missed the point and can move right on over to Travel Channel where somebody is pretending to like deep dish pizza right now.
Language is such a big part of what connects a culture—it allows you to experience that culture in a much deeper, and more profound way. I’ve noticed that the little details of a culture really come through in the way people talk, joke, and express themselves. There’s no better way to learn about a foreign culture than by chatting with locals.
In other words, my commitment to learning Spanish grew from my deep love for the music and everything it represented, especially through its iconic figure, Shakira. I hope to catch her live one day soon as she takes the stage on her latest world tour. The beating heart of this incredible show is the dedicated community of fans and the artist herself, who brings it all to life.
And today is a special day. On February 2022 I started as a beginner and today, April 2025 I received my diploma in Spanish language from the University of Amsterdam. Meaning that I’m fluent in speaking now.
It was a long ride and most of it was extremely fulfilling and exciting. Special thanks to my teacher Mila, who have been with me since the start.
Here is a list of the last 3 personal letters I’ve sent:
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