Isidora Sánchez

Have you ever heard someone said “I miss my grandma’s cooking” or “today i’ll go to my grandma’s house, i am going to eat so much”? well, right now i am going to tell you about a special person and her special food, my beautiful grandmother, Rebeca.

Rebeca Oyarce, daughter of Aladino and a woman with the same name as her, was born on December 25, 1941.

She’s known between her friends as a very outgoing and happy person, but it wasn’t always like that. Her early days were marked by a illness that compromised her childhood, she wasn’t able to go to school and enjoy that beautiful part of her life.

At the age of 13, while her older sister were studying to become hair stylist, she was still recovering from her illness while helping her mother with the housework. She learned to cook, sew and clean but couldn’t leave the house still.

When she turned 18, she met a older man named Carlos Sánchez and fell in love quickly. They started dating with her parents permission but not without first meeting him. He was a gentle but serious man, a hard worker that gain her heart with his own charms. They got married in november of 1960, on a small wedding where their family and friends were invited.

After their wedding, they settle in Rancagua because of Carlos work, where they bought a small house.

Their first son was born on 1960, exactly the same day of her birthday, as she always says: “what a great birthday gift God gave me”. They named him Juan Carlos.

Realizing the money Carlos made wasn’t enough, she made a big plan. At first she wasn’t the most social person in the world, but the need was bigger, she started to sell things to the people of the neighborhood. It started with small things like eggs, butter, sugar, etc. but with the time she noticed a lot of people liked her cooking, so she made some empanadas, pajaritos and pastel de choclo. They sold quicker than any of the other things.

In 1960, her daughter was born, they named her Ximena. She was a special little girl who got the character of his dad. She was always angry and didn’t liked to share any of her toys with her brother. But Rebeca wasn’t going to let a little girl take over her life, she raised her well and made her change her attitude.

3 years later, Patricio was born, he was the opposite of Ximena, gentle, nice and respectful.

The house was getting smaller with the arrival of every kid, so they decided to make an extension of the house where they put a small kitchen, Rebeca was the happiest woman of the world.

Everything went well for the family, but the country was starting to change. Carlos and Rebeca had never liked politics, but they supported Allende. They saw how their country and everything they built was tumbling down. They saw the soldiers in the street, their friends getting killed, the lack of food and the fear in their children’s faces. But Rebeca was strong and gave strength to her kids and husband.

The worst part was when Carlos, as a worker of CODELCO, had to stay weeks at work. She didn’t even know if he was alive.

Luckily, he came back, skinny and sad, but he came back, and they could maintain the faith in their country.

After all of this, the happiness came back to their lives. They were able to raised their children as they wanted to.

And a last surprise was ready for them: their youngest son, Victor.

Juanca, Xime, Pato and Victor graduated from school and started working.

Everyone of her children got married and had babies, and that’s where I enter.

As a grandmother, she has always been a woman I admire. Even when she wasn’t able to enjoy her early days, she learned that is never too late to live life. She’s a happy and social woman that has love for everyone. She doesn’t care who you are, she is always going to have a soft bed and a warm plate of food for you.