I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to take part in such an extremely insightful and powerful project. This digital story has allowed me to dig deep into what it means to be American. Not only have I discovered that there is no "right answer" to this question, but I've also become much more comfortable with the idea that there's nothing wrong with celebrating more than one culture in your life. This was very moving for me. I will not longer be discouraged in participating on culture day! :) With that being said, I would love to take part in the class E-Book. Thank you for the opportunity Dr. Zamora!
Sunday, May 18, 2014
Digital Story
I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to take part in such an extremely insightful and powerful project. This digital story has allowed me to dig deep into what it means to be American. Not only have I discovered that there is no "right answer" to this question, but I've also become much more comfortable with the idea that there's nothing wrong with celebrating more than one culture in your life. This was very moving for me. I will not longer be discouraged in participating on culture day! :) With that being said, I would love to take part in the class E-Book. Thank you for the opportunity Dr. Zamora!
What Does It Mean To Be An American?
What does it mean to be an American? This can mean many different things to a person. I know that I am proud to be an American, but I ask myself why? Thinking about this loaded question has made me question myself as a person. I find myself wondering - Who am I?
I’ve asked my parents this question many times growing up. What I really wanted to know was what nationalities I could associate myself with. Their response was always the same: You’re a mutt - You’re German, Swedish, Polish, Dutch, French, Irish & English. I always thought this was cool that I was such a mix of different backgrounds - but unfortunately, there is an emptiness that comes with it.
My family & I have never embraced any culture other than the traditional “American” lifestyle. I guess coming from a family of so many different backgrounds, it’s hard to embrace just one.
Not having a country or culture that I can say I’m proud to be a part of always made me feel left out. This was ESPECIALLY true on culture day at school. Everyone bringing awesome food and music from their native countries. This was always such a wonderful time for my classmates because it was their time to share their culture with the rest of us. As for me, I remember thinking - what the hell can I bring in to show off to the class? burgers with AMERICAN cheese? hotdogs? maybe some apple pie? This was always so awkward for me because my family doesn’t embrace any of our heritage.
I remember one year, maybe 5th grade? I had told my mom that I NEEDED to bring in something for culture day - I could not go another year without having something to be proud of to share with the class. I remember to this day, my mom had given me these creepy wooden shoes. “They’re Dutch” she said. And now, these weren’t shoes passed down from generation to generation by my Dutch ancestors; these were shoes bought at a department store. No emotional ties what-so-ever.
Another year, we were asked to draw & color a flag from a country that was part of our heritage - At the time I was attending the same school my mother was teaching at - My mother, eager to see what flag I have chosen to represent me, walks into my classroom & finds my work of art up on the wall. “You’re not Italian!!” she exclaimed as she looked at my beautifully colored flag of Italy. We cracked up about it at the time, but I always remembered how silly I felt. So ignorant of my own background.
I’ve tried to embrace my heritage in my own way. I bought rosetta stone a couple of months ago, hoping to learn German. This was a complete fail. It just didn’t feel right to me. Was I not meant to be a part of any culture?
Last year, I had decided to dye my hair a VERY dark brown. I remember coming home and my father being FURIOUS with me. “You’re German! how could you dye your hair dark like that?!” I thought this was so bizarre. Just because I have blonde hair and blue eyes - does that make me German?
Then this got me thinking — Just because I eat corn beef and cabbage and celebrate St. Patrick's’ day, does that make me Irish? Just because we eat Swedish meatballs and our last name is Swedish, does that justify our Swedish heritage? Does my obsession with the Beatles and Led Zeppelin have anything to do with my English heritage? Probably not. But it does make up who I am.
My family and I have our own traditions. We love going to baseball games, having BBQs, listening to music, and getting together for every holiday imaginable. Even if these are just “American” traditions - I’m okay with that.
We can embrace our heritage anyway we chose, THAT’S WHAT LIVING IN AMERICA IS ALL ABOUT. America is about freedom - its about accepting people from all different cultures. That is what this country thrives on.
So to answer my original question - “Who Am I?” I am a German-Irish-Polish-Dutch-French-Swedish-English-AMERICAN and I’m proud of that. It’s okay that my family does not embrace any one culture over another. That’s what makes us unique. I guess you can say our family is our own melting pot.
I’ve asked my parents this question many times growing up. What I really wanted to know was what nationalities I could associate myself with. Their response was always the same: You’re a mutt - You’re German, Swedish, Polish, Dutch, French, Irish & English. I always thought this was cool that I was such a mix of different backgrounds - but unfortunately, there is an emptiness that comes with it.
My family & I have never embraced any culture other than the traditional “American” lifestyle. I guess coming from a family of so many different backgrounds, it’s hard to embrace just one.
Not having a country or culture that I can say I’m proud to be a part of always made me feel left out. This was ESPECIALLY true on culture day at school. Everyone bringing awesome food and music from their native countries. This was always such a wonderful time for my classmates because it was their time to share their culture with the rest of us. As for me, I remember thinking - what the hell can I bring in to show off to the class? burgers with AMERICAN cheese? hotdogs? maybe some apple pie? This was always so awkward for me because my family doesn’t embrace any of our heritage.
I remember one year, maybe 5th grade? I had told my mom that I NEEDED to bring in something for culture day - I could not go another year without having something to be proud of to share with the class. I remember to this day, my mom had given me these creepy wooden shoes. “They’re Dutch” she said. And now, these weren’t shoes passed down from generation to generation by my Dutch ancestors; these were shoes bought at a department store. No emotional ties what-so-ever.
Another year, we were asked to draw & color a flag from a country that was part of our heritage - At the time I was attending the same school my mother was teaching at - My mother, eager to see what flag I have chosen to represent me, walks into my classroom & finds my work of art up on the wall. “You’re not Italian!!” she exclaimed as she looked at my beautifully colored flag of Italy. We cracked up about it at the time, but I always remembered how silly I felt. So ignorant of my own background.
I’ve tried to embrace my heritage in my own way. I bought rosetta stone a couple of months ago, hoping to learn German. This was a complete fail. It just didn’t feel right to me. Was I not meant to be a part of any culture?
Last year, I had decided to dye my hair a VERY dark brown. I remember coming home and my father being FURIOUS with me. “You’re German! how could you dye your hair dark like that?!” I thought this was so bizarre. Just because I have blonde hair and blue eyes - does that make me German?
Then this got me thinking — Just because I eat corn beef and cabbage and celebrate St. Patrick's’ day, does that make me Irish? Just because we eat Swedish meatballs and our last name is Swedish, does that justify our Swedish heritage? Does my obsession with the Beatles and Led Zeppelin have anything to do with my English heritage? Probably not. But it does make up who I am.
My family and I have our own traditions. We love going to baseball games, having BBQs, listening to music, and getting together for every holiday imaginable. Even if these are just “American” traditions - I’m okay with that.
We can embrace our heritage anyway we chose, THAT’S WHAT LIVING IN AMERICA IS ALL ABOUT. America is about freedom - its about accepting people from all different cultures. That is what this country thrives on.
So to answer my original question - “Who Am I?” I am a German-Irish-Polish-Dutch-French-Swedish-English-AMERICAN and I’m proud of that. It’s okay that my family does not embrace any one culture over another. That’s what makes us unique. I guess you can say our family is our own melting pot.
Saturday, April 12, 2014
The Third and Final Continent.
This short story reflects on one Indian man’s immigration experience in America. We experience the narrator’s journey through his stories and inner thoughts as he starts a new life in a foreign country.
Throughout the story, we gain an insight to the narrator’s culture and his way of life. Being raised in an Indian culture, he has never consumed whiskey or beef. This was difficult for him being in America since buying a hotdog or hamburger is so convenient and cheap. Instead, he resorts to eating cornflakes for his meals. Also, he speaks about the conveniency of having bottles of milk delivered to his door; whereas in America, that is not the case.
We catch a glimpse of his Indian culture when we hear his thoughts about the table in Mrs. Croft’s apartment. “The table’s legs fully concealed, much like a woman.” It is well known that women in certain cultures are forbidden to show any skin. I thought this was very interesting that he would subconsciously make a connection like this.
We also sense a similar tone when Mrs. Croft is laying out the rules of the house. She mentions that he must not bring any “lady friends” over. He quickly mentions that he is married and that she needn’t worry about that. The narrator explains that being married “was a duty expected of me, as it was expected of every man”. (Arranged marriages are a common practice in Indian culture). I think this was a perfect example of how cultures differ when it comes to relationships and marriage. Mrs. Croft sees a young man living by himself and assumes that he will often bring women back to his room. This seems absurd to the Indian man because you are expected to be married at his age or else you would be shunned from society (or considered a spinster).
We are able to experience the narrator’s struggles of being a foreigner in America throughout the story. He mentions using American currency while using a pay phone; “sorting through the coins with which i was still unfamiliar, smaller and lighter than shillings, heavier and brighter than paisas.” This just goes to show how something as simple as coins, that we as Americans use everyday, can become a hurdle to someone who is foreign to the culture. This was eye-opening for me. When I think about the struggles that immigrants have to face, the major thing that usually comes to mind is having a language barrier. However, there is SO much more to it than just having a different language - it is a complete culture shock.
I think the reason the narrator forms a bond with Mrs. Croft is because she still holds on to her values, even though they may seem outdated. For example, she believes unmarried males and females should never be left in a room together alone and women should not be wearing dresses higher than the ankle. The narrator can relate to values such as these so it is obvious why he refers to her as the “first American life I had admired.”
By the end of the story we see that the narrator has become more comfortable with the American culture. When his wife Mala puts on her sari he tells her, “theres no need to cover your head, i don’t mind, it doesn't matter here.” This was comforting because it shows the reader that he is starting to feel more at ease with living in his new country
Even though the narrator and his family have embraced the American culture, they are still proud of where they've come from. However, they are afraid that their son will loose touch of their Indian heritage, being that he was born in America. When talking about their Indian traditions, “We sometimes worry he will no longer do these things after we die”. They want to be sure that their values and traditions with be passed on and kept alive, despite what country or culture they are living in. He is proud to be the person he’s become, but he never wants to loose sight of where he came from.
.
 |
| Traditional Indian Sari |
We catch a glimpse of his Indian culture when we hear his thoughts about the table in Mrs. Croft’s apartment. “The table’s legs fully concealed, much like a woman.” It is well known that women in certain cultures are forbidden to show any skin. I thought this was very interesting that he would subconsciously make a connection like this.
We also sense a similar tone when Mrs. Croft is laying out the rules of the house. She mentions that he must not bring any “lady friends” over. He quickly mentions that he is married and that she needn’t worry about that. The narrator explains that being married “was a duty expected of me, as it was expected of every man”. (Arranged marriages are a common practice in Indian culture). I think this was a perfect example of how cultures differ when it comes to relationships and marriage. Mrs. Croft sees a young man living by himself and assumes that he will often bring women back to his room. This seems absurd to the Indian man because you are expected to be married at his age or else you would be shunned from society (or considered a spinster).
We are able to experience the narrator’s struggles of being a foreigner in America throughout the story. He mentions using American currency while using a pay phone; “sorting through the coins with which i was still unfamiliar, smaller and lighter than shillings, heavier and brighter than paisas.” This just goes to show how something as simple as coins, that we as Americans use everyday, can become a hurdle to someone who is foreign to the culture. This was eye-opening for me. When I think about the struggles that immigrants have to face, the major thing that usually comes to mind is having a language barrier. However, there is SO much more to it than just having a different language - it is a complete culture shock.
I think the reason the narrator forms a bond with Mrs. Croft is because she still holds on to her values, even though they may seem outdated. For example, she believes unmarried males and females should never be left in a room together alone and women should not be wearing dresses higher than the ankle. The narrator can relate to values such as these so it is obvious why he refers to her as the “first American life I had admired.”
By the end of the story we see that the narrator has become more comfortable with the American culture. When his wife Mala puts on her sari he tells her, “theres no need to cover your head, i don’t mind, it doesn't matter here.” This was comforting because it shows the reader that he is starting to feel more at ease with living in his new country
Even though the narrator and his family have embraced the American culture, they are still proud of where they've come from. However, they are afraid that their son will loose touch of their Indian heritage, being that he was born in America. When talking about their Indian traditions, “We sometimes worry he will no longer do these things after we die”. They want to be sure that their values and traditions with be passed on and kept alive, despite what country or culture they are living in. He is proud to be the person he’s become, but he never wants to loose sight of where he came from.
.
Sunday, March 16, 2014
My Name.
“My Name” is an excerpt from Sandra Cisneros’ The House on Mango Street. In this small - but powerful - section, we are introduced to the main character, Esperanza. Right off the bat, as the reader, we get the sense that Esperanza is facing an internal conflict. She is torn between two lives; one that she inherited and one that is her own.
In the first paragraph, she speaks about her name with great despair. Her use of metaphors are extremely powerful. “It means sadness, it means waiting”. Possibly waiting for someone to really understand her? “It is like the number nine. A muddy color”. The number nine may be symbolic to Esperanza not feeling whole or good enough; she is not quite a ten. When I think of her describing her name as “muddy”, it makes me think she feels her name is tainted.
In the next paragraph, we find out that she has inherited her name from her grandmother, who she describes as being a “horse woman”. She explains that it is bad luck if you're a female who is born in the year of the horse because “Mexicans don’t like their women strong”. This touches upon gender roles in the Mexican culture. We start to gain an insight on why Esperanza is feeling despair with her name.
She explains that her grandmother never wanted to get married. However, she was carried away by her grandfather “as if she were a fancy chandelier”. The chandelier is symbolic to Esperanza’s feelings; she does not want to be a display piece for others, she wants to be free.
I personally loved this paragraph. I feel it accurately represents her need for individuality. Esperanza feels almost as if she is branded with the name she inherited. Because she inherited her grandmother’s name, she feels she might inherit “the sad fate” that her grandma was dealt. Esperanza desperately wants more for her life. She does not want to feel inferior gender-wise, as her grandmother had felt.
The “place by the window” reference symbolizes her fear that one day she will find herself feeling sorry for not becoming the person she had the potential of being. She wants to break free from the normal Mexican culture.
Esperanza explains that she wants to “baptize” herself under a new name. This is extremely symbolic to Esperanza’s desire for individuality. She wants to be re-birthed under a new name to start a new fate and to become a new person. The only way she feels she can escape her fate is to live her life under a new original name - not one that she has inherited that is tainted with someone else’s story - but one that is perfect for her; Zeze the X.
In the first paragraph, she speaks about her name with great despair. Her use of metaphors are extremely powerful. “It means sadness, it means waiting”. Possibly waiting for someone to really understand her? “It is like the number nine. A muddy color”. The number nine may be symbolic to Esperanza not feeling whole or good enough; she is not quite a ten. When I think of her describing her name as “muddy”, it makes me think she feels her name is tainted.
In the next paragraph, we find out that she has inherited her name from her grandmother, who she describes as being a “horse woman”. She explains that it is bad luck if you're a female who is born in the year of the horse because “Mexicans don’t like their women strong”. This touches upon gender roles in the Mexican culture. We start to gain an insight on why Esperanza is feeling despair with her name.
She explains that her grandmother never wanted to get married. However, she was carried away by her grandfather “as if she were a fancy chandelier”. The chandelier is symbolic to Esperanza’s feelings; she does not want to be a display piece for others, she wants to be free.
“And the story goes she never forgave him.
She looked out the window her whole life,
the way so many women sit their sadness on an elbow.
I wonder if she made the best with what she got
or was she sorry because she couldn’t be
all the things she wanted to be.
Esperanza. I have inherited her name,
but I don’t want to inherit her place by the window.”
I personally loved this paragraph. I feel it accurately represents her need for individuality. Esperanza feels almost as if she is branded with the name she inherited. Because she inherited her grandmother’s name, she feels she might inherit “the sad fate” that her grandma was dealt. Esperanza desperately wants more for her life. She does not want to feel inferior gender-wise, as her grandmother had felt.
The “place by the window” reference symbolizes her fear that one day she will find herself feeling sorry for not becoming the person she had the potential of being. She wants to break free from the normal Mexican culture.
Esperanza explains that she wants to “baptize” herself under a new name. This is extremely symbolic to Esperanza’s desire for individuality. She wants to be re-birthed under a new name to start a new fate and to become a new person. The only way she feels she can escape her fate is to live her life under a new original name - not one that she has inherited that is tainted with someone else’s story - but one that is perfect for her; Zeze the X.
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