It’s likely you haven’t heard the word rebusque before, but it’s a concept ingrained in Latin America’s culture. When you’re there, you’ll see it everywhere: in the street vendor who jumps on the bus with a tray full of sweets; in the father who prepares arepas at 3 a.m. to sell on a corner; and in la vendedora de rosas who knocks on your car window when you’re stopped at the light. In a land of scarce opportunities, el rebusque is using creativity to make ends meet.

This month, our editors have chosen their favorite Radio Ambulante stories about rebuscadores, and they are now available on the app. When learning about el rebusque on Lupa you’ll meet people like Mauricio, who went from sweeping garage floors in Los Angeles to hosting a successful TV show (Tunéame la nave); Olmedo, a pioneer of New York subway performances (El mago); and Alejandro, who took the bold spirit of el rebusque from the streets into the virtual world of Second Life (Wara). You’ll also hear the story of a mother who set up a clown show with her eight year old son (El show debe continuar), and the voices of Mexican seasonal workers who found an alternative to field labor in U.S. county fairs (Por la feria). If you have never heard a coyote talking about their job, we recommend you to listen to Carlos’ experience (El coyote).

Going forward, each month we’ll pick a uniquely Latin American theme and present several related stories that will take you on a fascinating cultural journey while studying Spanish. This is our first theme; we hope you enjoy it!