She was heavily influenced by a European sense of civility and fashion, owning a bevy of fine wool sweaters, silk blouses, long skirts and exquisite jewelry. But she was not a fan of the British, as I found out when I told her I was going to England for the summer. She wrote me a long letter warning me to beware of the Islanders, whom she described as “personajes desbocados,” or debauched libertines. Once, I attempted to write her a letter in Spanish and she responded in type, with my letter attached and all of my misspellings circled in red. Still, she noted my good effort—after all, I had been raised in the United States. She was immensely proud to see me get my college degree and start a career.
