Final Essay

Waking Up to the Struggle

“You need to wake up! You’re a dalaga now, a young woman. Back in my day…” These were the words my mom constantly woke me up with, blocking the doorway of my bedroom talking in her naturally high pitched loud voice. Starting out my day with another story of how fortunate I am, how I should be ever so thankful, another story to nod my half-asleep head to, so I can just get through the door and head towards the bathroom. None of the stories ever clicked in my head, I was stuck in my teenybopper, know-it-all stage of life, where only I knew what was best for me. I set my own obligations, I worried about things that I thought were important to me and I knew only it was going to be me, myself and I who were going to tell me what I should do. Don’t get me twisted, I had this mentality but I never broadcasted it towards my elders, I was still raised with the foundation of respect. I guess you can place it on that it was just how my personality was; my head racing with my own thoughts but never exposed out of me, just to avoid an argument, or another story.

You Are What You Eat

“Culture is fluid. Culture is smoke. You breathe it. You eat it. You can’t help hearing it…” -Richard Rodriguez, 23.

“Back home if you were brown you were looked upon being poor! The only reason a person would be brown would be because they would be working in the fields all day…”

I am a pacific islander; no I am an Asian American, wait! I don’t know what I am. Growing up filling in those bubbles to take a standardized test all I knew to fill in was oriental, or Asian American. Then going into middle school everyone’s talking about how, we aren’t part of Asian we are Pacific Islanders, so I rode that bandwagon and put my fist up for that. It was up until my senior year of high school when I took an ethnic studies class for Asian American Studies. Our teacher was Ivan, I heard about how his class let’s you take a step back, and toss the book out, let’s you realize what’s in front of you; but I took it because it was just a require A-G class I was suppose to take. I was stuck in a state of unknown, and an identity crisis I put upon myself. Little did I know, in that semester I would learn more about myself than I would have within a year. I dissolved that ignorant view of what I had about my tao, my people, and finally saw how my culture was and has become. I am a Filipina.
My mom would get so angry during summer about why I loved soaking up that California sun and being browner than I needed to be. I was stuck in a rut. Why not show my true colors and have that natural brown glow of a Filipina that I loved so much? For a fact, through all the stories my mom has told me, that her and her nine sisters grew up in the barrio, with a not so wealthy life style, so why would she have that trend of thought? She wanted to identify herself with that westernized aspect that Philippines brought upon, “the whiter the better.” My culture has lost its sense of originality after being raped around the world, stripping us from our true identity throughout the years. The fact that during the San Francisco Giants Filipino heritage night all that Filipinos seemed to be about were lumpias, and Manny Pacquiao bobble heads, which by the way had blue eyes, really?! As a woman in my culture I want to explore and learn about my true roots, before the raping of the Spaniards and the colonization of the U.S. I want to climb the green hills of the Philippines and see what the true native, the Igorot, used to consist in my family’s country. With having my education I will be able to afford to travel around the islands and find out for myself what my country is made of.

Flying Myself to Hell

“It applies to needing and wanting to belong of seeing from the outside and wondering how to get in and then, once inside realizing there are always those still on the fringe” –Manuel Munoz, 8.

“Anak, child, only you can make your decisions in life, that is what you have over your own katao, body.”

I was sick. Sick from the abuse I gave to my body, torturing my own spirit only bringing myself to a deeper slumber of pain. I lost a good friend and a cousin this year. Disappointments shooting like darts left and right. My family panicking by the threats of lay-offs running around blind sited, just like how ants would when they would get lost once their trail gets disturbed. I was questioning my faith, why would my God do this to me? I found myself numbing the chaos around me putting myself in my own little world, with my best friends Mary Jane and Stacey. It was an outer body experience where everyone loved everyone and there were no worries except for that sudden rush of hunger. There I was escaping the pain and heartache of losing my two brothers, ignoring the worries of my family and losing my faith. I was a coward. I wasn’t strong enough to fend for myself instead I hid behind my own haze and that puff-puff pass motion drowning it with some orange juice to make it even “better.” I was stuck in a lifestyle that could of led to even better highs.
It was up until that one night when I overheard my mom having a conversation, asking what she was doing wrong, why was she a bad parent? Peaking through, tears were streaming down her face with her rosary in her hand, talking to the best guidance I once knew, God. But what I didn’t understand was why was she blaming my actions as if she had done them. She took the blame of the way I was acting. That night was a reality slap to clear the fog in my head and see that I turned my back on my real best friend, my Mom. The next day I finally saw the change in how she looked at me, she looked frightened. I saw the hurt she’s been keeping inside but too scared to hear the truth from my own mouth. It was time for a change, before I tried to go too far up that it would be too late to be placed in my own body. I wasn’t going to fly with Mary Jane or Stacey but with my true girl, my mom.

If It Can Shut Then It Can Open

“Well, querida, we’ve come too far and suffered too much to lose hope now, especially of our dreams. But you must Open you heart and be strong! And then the full moon will always be your special friend’”- Victor Villasenor, 266.

“Be patient anak, God has a special plan and in due time he will reveal it to you little by little.”

Throughout my high school career I was the best student I could possibly be. Working hard, taking “zero periods” to accomplish more credits to get into San Francisco State just like my older cousins have. I found myself pushing more every year because I knew once I did it would pull through with all the freedom and independence I knew I would enjoy moving out to college. Finally hitting my senior year, I felt it; this was going to be the year of all years to finally celebrate all my hard work and just to wait for the date when we walk across the stage with our oversized red togas. It became an even better year when I got the acceptance letters from CSU East Bay, San Jose State, and most importantly San Francisco State! Then my bubble burst when my mom told me the wonderful news of my brother going back to school; choosing from the ultimatum my parents gave him of going to school with their full financial support or not going and their support disappearing as well.
Like I said I’m not one to speak out my emotions so I just gave my brother a smiling face and a thumbs up and excused myself to my room. I cried of course from anger, resenting my brother’s decision. Yeah, I was happy for him, I had to be; he was my brother. But he wanted to turn his life around now?! When it was my turn to actually start my life, great. I was bitter for a while but I eventually got over it. I used it as a motivation to make sure during my college years I wouldn’t turn out like him, it could even be a phobia. There wasn’t any use in crying over it, but to move forward and working as hard as I did in community college to get into an even better university. Going to community college gave me a better respect for the broad opportunities it provides to have an even more stable and better future. Like the saying goes when one door closes another one opens!
Now I beg my parents to tell me another story of when they were younger. Bringing back the first day my parents met in elementary school; to the days where my mom would cry because she got kicked out of her university for not having enough money for that terms tuition. I listened attentively to their stories of struggle from their stories of success. I use these as tools to remind me I’m not only going to school to become whatever occupation I want to pursue but to carry on the sacrifice my family went through to get all of us here today. I’m going to college to represent the tears my mom shed from her struggles. I’m here before you today to stand up for my grandparents being vilified in the plantations of Hawaii. I do believe in my faith having my own mission for me to accomplish in my lifetime. Relying on the fact that what didn’t kill up in the past only made us stronger today. I am a college student.

ROG

Rain of Gold Blog Assignment: Write two questions to any of the characters in chapters 18,19 and 20. Ask a question directly to the character, as though you were interviewing him/her about his/her intentions, thoughts, motives, purpose etc. Be prepared to discuss these questions on Tuesday. Then select one quote from each chapter that you want to discuss. Explain WHY you selected this quote and why you want to discuss it in your group on Tuesday.

Dona Guadalupe: why did you drill Juan with all the questions, what was different about Juan than all the other suitors that came to your home , such that of Carlota's?

Juan Salvador: How did you take it when you were losing faith on your friends that didn't support you on your time of need?

Ch18 ""Hold your ground!" yelled Salvador. "You've done nothing wrong! drinking wateris your right! Don't move! We're human beings! Not dogs! Damn it!"" (352)

He uses his bad temper and love for Lupe as his intentions for trying to save Don Victor and Lupe from the fat Anglo. Which earned him some bonus points with Lupe's dad.

CH19""But, sadly, the things of the heart are seldom what the seem.." (423)


CH20 "She grabbed him byt he earand twisted him down to the floor until he was kneeling" (449).

Ch21 "DO YOU HEAR ME?' she screamed, leaping forward and grabbing Jose between the legs by his balls. 'These tanates of yours,' she said, yanking the startled boy by his balls, 'are your responsibility!'"(458)

ch22 "'To water with love and watch your seed grow? And to trust and always be understanding?' continues Dina Guadalupe, still holding onto the clay pot" (489).

Ch23 "Ah bull! Everyone drinks. Next you'll tell me she doesn't fart, eihter" (524).

Ch 24: " This was it; this was indeed, life- la voda" (545).

CH 25 "The two old she-boars looked at each other and started alughing,laughing until they had tears in their eyes" (550).

Critical Thinking

In 300 words or more, write a posting onto your blog on a news item that is interesting to you and examine it from at least two opposing viewpoints. Please describe your opinion on the subject. Post the blog by 11:59 pm on Tuesday, November 24.

The news item that was presented in class was a huge eye opener. If it was pointed out in class, I would have never noticed the difference in scenery. They made the viewers believe what they put together and tried to make their point have a better argument in supporting it with some concrete details. Too bad they got caught on their trickery and apologized for it. Even though they apologized for it they made a "smart a**" remark about the people who put a complaint against it, which I thought was pretty immature. At first when I was watching the segment I was more focused on what I saw and only paying attention to the headline and what was being said often. I based my opinion on the segment based on the footage because I wasn't interested and the speaker's did not really grab my attention. Once the different sceneries were pointed out, that's when i realized the segment did have some "fishy" stuff going around. If it's those minor details that you lack to notice change the whole story or even make the story false then it shows how much most busy americans don't pay attention and how most of our societies views can be mainly based upon lies that they go a wrong impression of a certain subject. If I was a critical thinker and was on my toes like that I could of probably questioned things like that, But since I wasn't really absorbing everything they were saying and on auto-pilot while watching the news segment I got that wrong impression that everyone got, and how the group they were supporting looked like they were true to their word when in reality they "mistakenly" mis-inputted the wrong footage at that same exact time where it would fit. Being a critical thinker would open the eyes of most people and even get people to start asking more questions to our government!

Summary Evaluation

o What was the most challenging part of writing the summary? What was the least challenging? Why?
o Did you get the grade you expected on this summary? Why or why not?
o Based upon my comments, the summary rubric and the concept handout, what do you think your strengths are?
o How will you improve for the next summary?

The most challenging part of the summary for me was to know how to use the transitions smoothly. I had trouble trying to find a good flow for my summary to not have it repetitive. Grabbing the things I wrote in my outline had to be altered and edited to make it fit and to make sense in my summary. The least challenging part of the summary was relating to it. It was an interesting topic to summarize because I can relate to it and I have experienced what Tan was talking about. I received the grade that I was anticipating. If I revised it thoroughly maybe I would of caught on to the changes that Susie wanted me to make and receive a slightly higher one, but overall I was satisfied with the grade I received. My strengths based on Susie's comments seemed to be the summarizing and paraphrasing portion. I seemed to capture Tan's ideas in my summary. I believe in this because of that connection I mentioned earlier, if I couldn't understand or relate to what Tan was writing about I wouldn't of been able to re-illistrate her ideas. On the next summary I will probably improve in taking the reading concept handouts and focusing on structuring my summary on the tips that they give. I feel if I focus more on the tips and format the Reading Concept Handouts inform me about then my summaries should be stronger.

reading response

In the text "Feminists Shouldn't Be a Dirty Word," by Christina Libby I disagree that feminism was being discriminated on, because in her essay she states that the random students she interviewed agreed that they weren't feminist but also said they weren't against feminist ideas. I wasn't convinced enough that feminism was marked as a "dirty word." Libby seemed to implied, to me, that she expected everyone to have a straight answer on her question, rather than being ignorant about it. I feel that the students couldn't answer her question was because they didn't really know the concept of feminism to acknowledge whether they feminists or not feminists. The lack of knowledge from the students is what frustrates Libby the most because that would be the reason why she couldn't get a straight answer. Libby although does provide reasons why there are not more self identified feminists. She mentions the views that other people give towards it, how some see it as a group of "man-haters." There are views on the type of characteristics they have that they are ferocious, passionate, loud. Many others who are mostly men say that it is only for womyn. Because of the word feme the random public automatically assume that it is limited to only womyn, and womyn only. Libby feels that more people should identify themselves as feminists because feminism is all about giving people a choice, giving people opportunities that don't suppress them by sexism, sex exploitation and any other kind of oppression. Libby wants the random people she interviewed to know that just because feminists are majority of womyn, mostly womyn who felt that oppression or were ruled over that oppression because of their gender doesn't mean that men cant feel that same way. She means that men are open to feminism because it affects them too, that men can be oppressed by their gender, sex exploitation and sexism. She wants people to know that feminism is a group of PEOPLE that give those who are oppressed in any way a choice.

memorizing

Blog on the most valuable technique learned from Chapter 8. Can you use it in all types of memorization? If so, why and if not, why not?

The most valuable technique that I read in this chapter is the way, you can manipulate it. I can't remember anything or learn anything just by reading it, if I read then i would have to put little side notes on the material to make sure I'm understanding it. For math, I can't just read the chapter, I would have to read the chapter then when I am done reading and annotating the chapter I would have to practice the problems to make sure I understand what the concept of the chapter is. Another good point that this section of the chapter pointed out is to disect whatever the part you are trying to memorize. Pull it apart and put it together in a way you can understand, which ties in with the techniques of personalizing, and making it stick type of memorization. I feel like all of these techniques are all valuable because in a way they all connect with each other. Because most of the techniques tell you to break it down, connect with it, and then let it make sense in you head to have it imprinted naturally. I feel that for me I can only memorize something if I can learn to understand it. If i can break it apart and connect with whatever i have t memorize i'll usually remember it but if I just tried cramming and just trying to memorize it without knowing or having any idea what it is about then 99.9% of the time I won't be able to remember it or apply anything to it because I did not make that connection with it or did not try to understand what i was mainly suppose to be doing. I can only memorize something if i have practiced it and applied it to whatever i had to be doing and actually learn what it is I am suppose to be focused on. Cramming is never a good solution that i can do because it rarely works, the times it does the work you can try asking me anything about it and i wouldn't be able to answer you. Since most of the time it doesn't work instead of cramming most of the time i would just accept the fact that i wasn't prepared and not attempt to rush through my learning process. The most efficient way for me to remember anything is if I learn and understand it first.

Transfer Motivational conference

In 300 words or more, write a posting onto your blog about the biggest highlight of the transfer Motivational Conference for you? You may want to discuss the workshops you attended, the she speakers, or your experience in meeting other Puente students. You can also include photos in your post. Please post the blog by the beginning of class Tuesday, November 10.

The Transfer Motivational Conference, TMC, gave me a better insight on what schools to look at or I would be interested in. I talked to majority of the schools that had their tables and asked them why would I pick your school.. Some were taken back on my question and others answered my question gracefully. It was good to hear what they had to offer in order for me to pick which school best suited for me. The conference was pretty fun, getting to see the roll call and other schools show their puente pride. One of the workshops we attended was the Women's Independence one and the speaker had a good story to share with the students about her journey. She had a great sense of humor but most of her jokes were said in spanish words or phrases so I felt kind of secluded while everyone was laughing and there I was clueless. I know puente was founded by chicano students and is more focused on the Latino students but when speakers would come up and talk about opportunities it was more focused on latino students, I felt like their main focus was to boost up the latino culture. I see nothing wrong with that but I guess I want that same connection with my culture to feel what majority of my classmates felt with that connection with their same "gente." During parts of the conference I felt somewhat out of place but tried my best to make connections to what the speakers were saying.

P.S. word travels fast in Sac Town (Alicia and I would know ;) )

Anzaldua's Blog Response 2

Anzaldua inserts her own language in her writing. She lists down examples of what type of language latinos use.The way she wrote it was more like and instruction manual. She showed how to pronounce certain word, food about their culture, movies and music that was created by latinos. She describes how with their language even though they were looked down upon made their culture stronger and how today t is one of the dominant cultures here. She basically states her opinions than provide proven facts to support her thesis. In the beginning she uses a metaphor to describe what she is talking about. She proves that without speaking out and stepping out out of your comfort zone that latinos got their chance to publish books, star in movies, and sing on records. "We are you linguistic nightmare, your linguistic aberration, your linguistic mestijae, te subject of your burla" (paragraph 21, Anzaldua). She indicates more of what she views of how their language is percived here.

Anzaldua Blog Response

2. Write about a time when you felt that someone in authority tried to silence you or criticize the way you spoke.

My cousin Kevin and I were both born in the United States and all my other older cousins were born in the Philippines. Kevin and I were the only one’s living with our parents and other aunts and uncles at the time because everyone else kids including our older siblings were still in the process of coming to America. I grew up in a house filled with four of my mom’s sisters and two of her brothers, my dad’s sister, and maybe five other people who came from the Philippines that my family took in, so it was rather crowded. I learned the way they spoke and our true dialect but I was still deeply influenced with the workings of Sesame Street, Barney, and Banana’s in Pajamas educating me on how to truly speak English, but my English was still not proper enough, it would have been considered “broken.” The summer before hitting third grade our family headed back to the Philippines for my grandparents’ 50th anniversary. We spent three months there, my cousins there were shy to communicate with Kevin and me because they didn’t want to sound dumb attempting to speak English or they had no clue. Kevin and I decided to adjust for them and speak what we still knew of our dialect, but they laughed at us or made fun of us because our Filipino accent was replaced by this “stiff” American tongue. My grandmother get irritated with us when we would speak to her and mispronounce a word, she would impersonate us and have all our older cousins tease us about how we’re not considered Filipino anymore; that we misplaced our culture somewhere drowned in those stars and stripes; feeling misplaced, unidentified by my own culture and family! By the end of the three months our tongues loosened up adjusting to our native language when getting back to school we realized that kids would comment on the way we spoke. One of the girls in my class told me I talked funny and sounded out words like how her grandmother would have done it. Frustrated not knowing where I stood. Questioning myself should I adjust again to the “proper” English I can relearn, or would that mean my family was right that I was replacing my native tongue, betraying my family’s culture…

VARK

Read/Write: Write one-paragraph summary of what you have learned about yourself as a result of reading this chapter.

I learned that everyone has their own style of learning. One of the biggest advices this chapter provided me with is the understanding of how students learn and how proffessors teach. It is key to be compatible with the way your prfoessor teaches. TO engage yourself with the lecture. I learned that there are many ways to get yourself interested. For myself i learned that in order for me to learn from the lecture or lesson plan I would have to make connections with it. Personally I would make connections within the lesson plan to get myself interested. Another thing I noticed is in order for me to really pay attention I have to have a good visual of the screen or board to keep myslef concentrated. I would say I am a visual learner but mostly reading and writing becuase I like taking notes to keep myself organized with the lessons and in order for me to refer back to them when i need to study. In the mentorship program I attended my mentor was telling me that for one of his classes he has a new prfessor every class. The professor they have specializes on the area they are studying in that class. Which would be pretty cool since you can experience different types of teaching styles which would keep the class exciting. Although the bad side to it would be learning how to adjust to each professor and not knowing what to expect. Overall, college has been a way different experience to learning than high school; it has it's challenging points but it keeps me motivated to know what i can achieve in the end.

Lit Circle Blog 3

When is the Meaning of Faith Misunderstood?

The meaning of faith can be taken upon different ways. Faith can be determined by how you practice your beliefs or how much you rely on them. In the novel, Rain of Gold, Victor Villasenor demonstrates how faith was used to motivate these two families. Since the beginning of the book Lupe's and Juan's family have had a strong sense of faith. Although now you can tell which of them took a different reaction to their faith. As Juan goes through the hardships of making a living in the United States he collects his hardships had has one reason of blame, God. His mother brought him up to believe in the Almighty and have good faith in Him, because he would be their "savior." Juan looked at it as if he was convinced the Almighty would save him then why hasn't he and why did he have to go through the hardship. When he returned to his family from Montana Juan's view on faith towards the Almighty was non-existant compared to his belief that the Devil existed, since all he's gone through was hell and since that's what's he's been through that's what he believes exists. Where as, Lupe and her family have all their faith on the Almighty. When Sophia reunited with her family she told them her story of her hardship but her view on what she went through was different than Juan's. "She laughed, shaking her head, and Lupe realized that this was something that her family always seemed to do when they spoke of the terrible misfortunes they suffered. They didn't get angry or upset, like so many other Mexicans did; no, they smiled and laughed as if even these bad fates had been handed to them by a mischievous but good-hearted God" (241). Lupe's family does not blame and are outraged with God but laugh and have that optimism that it happened for a good reason. The way the Juan reacts and the way Lupe's family reacts when they think of their suffering is based on how strong they can keep their faith, Lupe's family stayed together while Juan sold himself and like his mother said, "'That's not on your own. That's alone!...'" (227). Juan was alone and last his faith because there wasn't anyone there to keep him together except the surrounding of gambling, hustling, and alcohol.

Lit Circle Blog 2

How does sacrifice influence/impact the family?

Dona Guadalupe has been the stone of the family. By this I mean she’s been the only solid thing for the family since everything around them was falling apart. But now that Don Victor is back Dona Guadalupe can now give the responsibility of having the strength behind the family to Don Victor. This is the first time Dona Guadalupe shows her weakness towards the family. She’s been showing them nothing but strength and bravery since the whole revolution but now that Don Victor has returned he is the strength where she can show her weakness too. Don Victor leaving his family was a major sacrifice as well. He’s been gone trying to find work to support his family but being so distant he was helpless in helping them because there was no way he could reach them. When he came back Victoriano resented his father’s return. The sacrifice that Don Victor made to leave his family put a strain in the relationship he had with Victoriano, because Victoriano felt like his father’s return was too late. He thought why would it have mattered if he came now when all the hardship they went through already happened without him there. Don Victor made Victoriano sacrifice his childhood to become the “man of the house.” He was given this responsibility as a little boy when his father first left the canyon. While he could have been playing with kids in the fields he was watching over all his sisters, on top of helping his mother maintain the household, finding something to provide them with. Each sacrifice that each person made put not only a strain on themselves but with members of the family. The relationship everyone now has, has some bit of tension within it. The reunion of the family felt awkward because of this. Half of the family members were happy that everyone was together and some felt different about it. Victoriano felt that it wouldn’t have been necessary but he has too much respect to tell his father. So did Lupe, because of her father leaving she didn’t know who this stranger was and didn’t want their mother to meet with him.

What is the value of family?

The value of family depends on certain people, with the way they were brought up. For Dona Guadalupe the value of her family being together was crucial since she was the one showing no face of fear or struggle always being the “rock of nuestra casa.” The way I was brought up my family was my rock. Since birth I was surrounded by uncles and aunts, playing with cousins. There was a time where one of my friends questioned me, why I hang out with my family so much. I asked her why don’t you? She told me that she only has her immediate family here and they’re usually busy. I mind you I was seven at the time and I thought about not having family around, not having our ritual of family parties every weekend. I understood now why she questioned my love of my family, why I spent so much time with them, so I told her, why don’t you see for yourself and see why I love my family so much. She saw how we interact with each other, all the food displayed on the table, everyone enjoying one another’s company. She told me how her family weekends were never like this and we both understood each other’s value in our families. Just how Carlota screamed at Lupe for not giving their father any attention. Lupe didn’t believe she needed to because she didn’t know this man. Don Victor left when Lupe was just a child and he doesn’t blame her for holding her ground. Whereas Carlota was old enough to remember her father and adore him all the while. Don Victor gave Lupe to be familiarized with him and get comfortable, while Lupe was trying to figure out who this man was; why everyone was so excited to see him. She hasn’t experience of having her father around, she doesn’t understand why her mother is putting a white mask on and spraying sweet smell on her. She stood her ground because she was afraid, she was afraid because she doesn’t know who this man is.

Technology Project

Lit Circle Blog 1

I selected the scene was when Juan saw a dirty, ugly, old begger up along the streets of the church disgusted by the scene, when he comes to realize it was his own mother (145). That just stabbed me in the heart while i was reading, Dona Margarita was so desperate for her family to survive that she went, put her shame away and she did what she had to do for her family. It was important because this was Juan Salvador's motivation to work under any circumstances so he wouldn't see his mother beg ever again. Dona Margarita took a level of her pride and knocked it down. Her motivation was to keep her kids and grandchild healthy enough to move on. If I saw my mother begging in the streets to keep us well enough to get through another day would give me the sickest feeling in my stomach just like Juan. The impacts of economy when terms are unstable and low can pull a family apart. In Juan's family"s case they pulled together, once Dona Margarita put any embarrassment into consideration she just took it, and did her business begging to keep her family alive. Survival.

The second scene I selected was when Juan yelled out about the soldiers coming into his hometown. Everyone paniced and left the corn they were picking. Their family running for their lives not because of the soldiers but because Juan Salvador pulled "the little boy who cried wolf," schme (101). This was important because this got Juan and his family chased out of their town and started their new adventure with their family. Juan is a true hard core jokester. He has the "balls", (excuse my french,) to take that gamble and risk his families safety and lack of preparation.You have to shut some doors yourself in order for more stable doors to pen. When Juan yelled that the soldiers were coming, his family did what they were instructed, they beiieved him. The people in small villages must have been frightned by the sights of soldiers because soldiers during the revolution didn't have respect for peopple and their belongings. Their authority was way superior than any househoold of a family, becuase they carried weapons and fought with their fists. The people were "ruled by the sowrd," and obeyed the "upper" hand on whatever they wanted. Fear.

Leave Your Cell Phone at the Classroom Door

What is the value of technology when it is being vilified in another culture?

Technology is used everywhere. In a culture where technology is belittled it gives people less opportunity to use certain resources. In a third world country where computers aren't found in every household, technology wouldn't be as in high demand as it would be. Usually people who don't use technology in their daily lives such as, computers, cell phones, or internet access are people who aren't exposed. My parents were born in the era where televisions were black and white. So they are new to this whole technology mumbo jumbo. They are new users in the internet world. It's one of my limited opportunities to tell them what to do. They have questions from how to navigate facebook and friendster to how to pay bills online. Their skills are improving but my seven year old cousin seems to be more comprehensive to using the computer than my own parents. But with practicing to use it they've seemed to accomplish using skype to talk to my relatives in the philippines, comprehending more about navigating things online.

What are the effects of being vilified in a dominant culture?

The effects of being vilified in a dominant culture has its positives and negatives. The bad news is that it is painful for some people to be thought of as nothing in their community.Just because a person is a certain way people discriminate on that, and it isn't fair. It leaves the person feeling worthless. The positive sides of people being belittled in a community is that, it gives the people who are being discriminated against a cause to fight back, and that's where we get the effects of the civil rights movement, women being able to vote, having all the diverse ethnicity in one classroom.

One of the times I felt vilified was when I was about seven-years-old and I was taking ballet classes at out community center. My dance instructor was Anne Fisher, a fairly young, beautiful elegant American women. She was strict and stern with us as beginners in ballet so just simply being in her class was intimidating. It was getting closer to the middle of September and she announces that we are going to be part of the Berkley Ballet Nutcracker that she is directing during December, so of course these second graders as well as myself were excited we were going to be able to show off what we learned. So until December hit we had our usual class sessions in the community center learning choreography for our little part in the ballet, including driving to the Berkeley studio every Saturday to rehearse. The day finally comes that it's showtime. Our class was prepared and confident. While the show was going on all the dancers who were not on stage were placed in this huge room. We walk in take our spot of the room next to the second youngest dancers, we were the youngest, getting all our make-up done for our turn. When I notice that the girls sitting next to us who were probably around twelve-years-old made a comment about how colorful we are to her friend. Not by the make-up and costumes we wore but by our skin. I look around and that is when i notice that we were in a room fool of pale faces and here we are this group of assorted colors. She went on asking her friend why our group was there if we weren't from the area. Giggling to her friend about my friend, Jamey, and how they couldn't see her eyes commenting how could she dance if she couldn't see; then stretching out their faces attempting to imitate how she looked. I got discouraged and as a kid when someone says that stuff you ask yourself that same question and start believing them. It was a first for me to ever realize what it meant for someone to downgrade you like that. Even though they weren't making fun directly at me it still hurt that someone would "hate on you like that."

What is the Digital Culture?

When I think of digital culture, the first thing that comes to mind are social networking websites such as: facebook, myspace, twitter, etc. The other day I was watching the news with my Dad and it was close to the ending of the segment when one of the newscasters says, “you can follow me on twitter for more details about the story.” I turned to my dad just to double check if I heard them correctly. Then the more I go through the channels the more twitter comes up and I was pretty amazed on how technology is growing more and more rapid every day, how everyone is pretty much getting connected somehow or another. From the focus book, the digital culture sort of broken down to an explanation of it. One of the popular reasons is a source of entertainments such as the social networking sites and as a source of education. This being my first year in college, I was pretty amazed on how instructors much rather prefer assignments being submitted online. Using certain websites to turn in homework is more in demand than handwriting it on a piece of binder paper. It is innovative, since it’s a way by saving trees and going green. It also talked about the pros and cons of using the internet. As far as privacy matters from being able to use it as a research tool for papers. One of the most common cons of the internet is plagiarism. Students might want to take the easy route, and be sneaky by copying and pasting from other writers and calling it their own. Although as easy as it is to come up with that brilliant idea, some brilliant person also came up with online tools to see if your paper is copy and pasted. The digital culture is spreading, and pretty soon everyone will be up to date with being part of it, my mom and dad sure are.

My Motivation to Attend College

My main motivation to attend college is my family. Ever since I was little my grandparents had this insight of me that I was going to become a doctor or someone who would save lives so when I grew up I wouldn’t have to go through that struggle that they experienced, basically wishing me the best for my future. Which I understand because they raised 12 kids off of my grandfather growing rice and putting them through school. And then it brings me to my mom and dad, hearing their stories of what circustances they had to go through to get from the barrios of the philippines to becoming a middle class american citizen, took a lot of hard work to strive for my brother and I to have a better future. My dad went to work abroad, at Saudi Arabia and Micronesia for ten years leaving my mom and brother behind. Later on my mom went to the states leaving my brother behind when he was five-years-old. Struggling to reach the “american dream.”

I have an older brother who is ten years older than me. He’s one of those naturally smart one’s who don’t need to study to get a good grade on a test. He’s gone from community college to community college trying to get his AA done, then took a long break from school. Economy is slumming down and he quits his job so now he’s back to square one. My parents give him a ultamtum of either go back to school and they’ll pay for everything or not go to school and they won’t give him any money to go to school ever again. So he chose to go to school in a nursing program. I was happy he made his decision to help benefit him later on in the future. Here’s where the twist comes, my dreams of going to SF state, dorm life after high school was crushed because my parents couldn’t afford for both of us to go to the school we wanted to go to. So I agreed to sacraficed going to SF state so my brother can go through his nursing program. I wanted my brother to benefit but at the same time I was a little bitter about the outcome. My perspective on it was that here was my turn to go through the college deal that I wanted and my chance was delayed so my brother can pick up where he left off.

I eventually got over it. A month later into the program he decides that he doesn’t want to do the whole nursing program anymore because of the difficulty. Once I found this out I was exploding inside with anger. Then dissappointment came along realizing that I was looking forward to seeing him accomplish something. Although I didn’t realized that I wasn’t the only one dissappointed when I turn to look at my parents. With him it was dissappointment after dissappointment, I know he means well and he feels bad for puttng them through this but I guess he has to do some quick soul searching to find his niche. This motivates me to do well in college to make my parents proud of their hard work to get us where we are. I want to give them something they are proud of. In a way it’s somewhat of a fear to end up like my brother, still living at home, living off of my parents, dissappointments. And I can feel the pressure from my parents to make them proud of what they raised, for me to succeed. I may sound harsh on my brother but it’s just been too long to live that kind of lifestyle. He gave me some advice to learn from his mistakes, which I plan to apply to motivate me. Everything happens for a reason and its just the whole fun in life to see the outcome of everything.