Long Live Spain is an English language blog about my love and passion for Spain. As a fan of global politics I have a very strong interest in Spanish politics. You see? Spanish blood flows through my veins.

All eight of my Great-Grandparents were born and raised in Spain. Four of my Great-Grandparents were Castilian. One of my Great-Grandparents was Catalan. One of my Great-Grandparents was Aragonese. One of my Great-Grandparents was Valencian. One of my Great-Grandparents was Portuguese. Two of my Grandparents were born in Spain but raised in America. Two of my Grandparents, both of my Parents, my Aunts, my Uncles, my Cousins, my Siblings and I were born and raised in America.

All of my Grandparents, Parents, Aunts, Uncles, Siblings and I were raised to love Spain almost as much as we love America. We were also raised to love Portugal as well. However, my Great-Grandparents and Grandparents instilled their love and passion for all of Spain in my Parents, Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, Siblings and I. And I can beyond a reasonable doubt say that all of us are Americans first, and Spanish a close second. While we're not Spanish citizens we consider ourselves Spanish after we're Americans. My Great-Grandparents raised us all as Spaniards who are American.

So while my Parents, Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, Siblings and I aren't fluent in Spanish we understand enough of it to get by. I am learning Spanish and hope to be fluent in a few years. And I hope to write Long Live Spain in Spanish as soon as I am confident in my ability to properly express myself in Spanish. So far, I am far from it! It's very difficult for me to put words together to be able to converse and write in Spanish. But may my love and passion for Spain inspire me to be fluent in the language that all of my Great-Grandparents and my Grandparents were fluent in. Because that is one of my great wishes.

Another of my Great Wishes is that Spain will flourish and succeed. It was a world Super Power in the past. And while I'd never want America to stop being a Super Power, I really wish Spain could somehow return to being a global Super Power. I believe it can, and I believe it will!

In the words of President John F. Kennedy, "Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country." Spaniards, I believe in you & love you!