Anthony: A sales manager for one of the largest health clubs in the Chicago land area. He lives in a condo in Schiller Park.
What is your ethnicity/race and how has it affected you in life thus far?
Well I'm a hundred percent Italian, first generation. Both of my parents are from Italy. Well growing up both of my parents spoke English, but they weren't educated here. I learned a great deal from my older sisters. As in regards to the work industry, well One thing with my parents being born in another country... the drive to go to college was there, but it also wasn't if that makes sense. So that's kind of a set back; I'm 27 now and attending college. I feel as though if my parents had been college graduates in America it would have been easier for me to relate. Going on from there in the work field I always had the stereotypical spiky hair Diego look pretty much. Alot of people looked at me that way. I remember when I was 23, after working for the company since I was 18, and my supervisor laughed at me. I feel this was because of race and gender. Basically just being Italian, being stereotyped as a "wiseguy." I felt this might have hindered me in the past. But also I think it had helped me to get places in life, if that makes sense. So it's a curse and a blessing. I have meet many other Italian Americans and Europeans that are more open and willing to help.
With all the problems in the financial district; how has this affected your job and your view of the business world?
Well I mean all the problems right now... basically... with one industry doing bad obviously another is slowly starting to worsen, repeating itself over and over again. A person then losses their job and are unable to purchase the things they had prior to working. Which causes another company to go out of business and so on. Me working at a health club...uh....everybody that still needs to work out now a days is now saying where, why, and how much. So it has affected my work as making major changes as far as what we charge our customers and what we pay our employees. I mean this time is really killing.... really hurting myself and others around me.
What is your view on the war in Iraq?
The war in Iraq. . . I have a brother -in-law a few years back was an army ranger that spearheaded Iraq. He actually had the opportunity to guard Saddam Hussein prior to his execution, so his unit actually did that job. Probably alot of influence from my brother-in-law, but I have always supported the war in Iraq. I feel that these are people there, that are good innocent people, not associated with any terrorists; that maybe these people may have been hurt in the cross fires. Other than that ...uh.. there were alot of terrorists in that nation... along with Afghanistan, and other parts of the middle east. But they had a horrible dictator, Saddam Hussein, who was just an evil man. A murderer. A Killer. I think it was good he was taken out of power, who knows what he would have done next in the middle east. I feel that we should remain there until the Iraqi Army and Government of Iraq is strong enough. I don't ever think we will fully be out of there, the presence of the United States... uh.. Do I wish one day we will eventually get out? Yes, but I don't think it is going to happen. It is also a good thing for the United States as well. We are able to occupy land there. Obviously now we have dibs on their oil; financially... our countries in a big deficit because of it as well, so I think we should be able to reap some benefits and gain some money because of it . Getting parts in the oil, getting parts in the land, there is alot. It is a rich land, not financially wise, but the earth like oil and other products from there. It can be beneficial to the United States and Iraq as a Nation.
Where do you stand on Abortion?
Abortion, I can say at one time uh... I can say I was always against it until I got in a scenario where I thought I got my girlfriend pregnant. And I felt myself so scared and basically I was about to have a child. As I thought, we were unsure she skipped her period. Uhh I thought ohh my gosh this is it. It was a scary period for a couple of months she gained weight and when the reality came she took a couple of pregnancy tests and it was no.. no.. no and umm to learn and find out she wasn't pregnant, but her birth control was going crazy on her. I look back at that time, and remember feeling so scared of killing my own child. Umm I really wasn't a believer of any kind of faith at that time, but more of a agnostic. Umm I believe that whoever created us punished me for what I did, so I was very scared about possibly having an abortion. But if it would have come to I might have gone through with the abortion. But honestly, I don't know how I would live with myself to this day to know that I would have had a child and he or she is now dead. Thank God that didn't happen. A few years after, I became a believer of Jesus Christ and my ways and opinions changed. I thank God first and foremost that I didn't go through with it. Uhh... I don't sit and condemn people that do it, I mean it's wrong even by choice. But I go back and even if she was pregnant and did have an abortion, I don't know how I would live with myself to this day. It's very sad. But you know what it comes down to, my mother always said "if you want to play with fire you're going to get burned." I feel that if your responsible enough to be sexually active with a woman that's not your wife and you do get pregnant...uhh...step up and take responsibility for that child. Even if it was a one night stand, you were more than willing to do that act and now it's time to take responsibility for the consequences. So in essence, I am against abortion. I would never recommend it for anybody. I believe that having children now is a blessing, a gift from God. Umm and alot of people have asked me, "well what if someone is raped?" Well the bible states in Romans 8:28, that "all things work together for good to those who are in Christ." And I look back at alot of stories that I've heard of women being raped and having these children. Well guess what, alot of these children now a days could be CEOs of companies. People that I actually know and have heard of are pastors. These are all byproducts of rape. So I mean if someone gets raped and becomes pregnant, I still don't see it necessary for abortion. It happened, it was sinful and wrong, but it's still a child and you still have an opportunity to make the best as well. So if you can't deal with it (because I know it can be very stressful) then give it up for adoption and go on with your life. It may not have been something you wanted, but that child is there and a gift from God. That if you don't want to take care of it someone else will be more than happy to take care of it. But when it comes down to it myself. I am against abortion.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
StoryCorps Reading Notes
Robert Kukla
Reading Notes: StoryCorps
For the Story Corp RN I chose the Mary Warm Interview, the Ramon “Chunky” Sanches Interview and the Lourdes Villanueva Interview. For me, the over all theme is diversity and individual differences, both Ramon and Lourdes talk about growing up as immigrants while Mary talks about having Down Syndrome, however each shows that really, they may be different, but they are human like everyone else.
The overall themes of each story are Diversity and Embracing Differences.
The Ramon and Lourdes interviews reminded me of this movie I saw once called Walkout; in the movie its about Mexican American students who protest the inequality in their school.
1. What does Equality mean to you?
2. Describe the relationship between you and your mother, is it similar to Lourdes and her son?
3. How did Mary’s interview make you feel?
The three things I would further research are Mexican Americans in America, Down Syndrome and diversity in Public Schools.
One idea that struck me was in Ramon’s interview, how he described that teachers would change Spanish names and Americanize them. I found that interesting.
Reading Notes: StoryCorps
For the Story Corp RN I chose the Mary Warm Interview, the Ramon “Chunky” Sanches Interview and the Lourdes Villanueva Interview. For me, the over all theme is diversity and individual differences, both Ramon and Lourdes talk about growing up as immigrants while Mary talks about having Down Syndrome, however each shows that really, they may be different, but they are human like everyone else.
The overall themes of each story are Diversity and Embracing Differences.
The Ramon and Lourdes interviews reminded me of this movie I saw once called Walkout; in the movie its about Mexican American students who protest the inequality in their school.
1. What does Equality mean to you?
2. Describe the relationship between you and your mother, is it similar to Lourdes and her son?
3. How did Mary’s interview make you feel?
The three things I would further research are Mexican Americans in America, Down Syndrome and diversity in Public Schools.
One idea that struck me was in Ramon’s interview, how he described that teachers would change Spanish names and Americanize them. I found that interesting.
Oral History by: Eve
I decided to interview my Grandmother about adopting two young boys that I now call my uncles. These two boys came from a family of more than a dozen children, each one experiencing extreme neglect and abuse. It was 1973, one was eight and the other ten. They had been removed from their home and placed in the foster care system after a horrific accident involving one of the other siblings.
My grandmother came from a catholic family, and she grew up in the fifties so having a husband, and a large family were important to her. By the time she was 23, she had three children less than three years apart. The third pregnancy was the hardest. The doctor told her that having another child could be very dangerous and possibly cause her death. She took his advice without question, but she knew she wanted more children.
Seven years later when the kids were a little older, and my grandfather had worked his way into a well paying job, they were ready to adopt. My grandmother said she wanted to ease her children into the idea of adding to the family, so they decided to take in these two boys on a temporary basis. This would allow them to see how it would all work.
My grand parents thought they had prepared for their arrival. The social worker told them not to be surprised by anything. My grandmother said, “ I made the beds, got new sheets, and toothbrushes. I cleaned out drawers for them. I was trying to make them feel as much a part of the family as I could, but when we sat down to have dinner, I realized I didn’t have enough kitchen chairs.” That was just the beginning.
Later when it was time for bed the oldest boy said to my grandmother, “ What are we supposed to call you anyway?” She hadn’t thought of that one either.
She replied, “ What do you want to call me?”
He said, “How ‘bout ma’.”
She then told them both she didn’t like when people said ma’ but they could call her mom if they wanted. My grand mother has always been a stickler for proper grammar. I guess she was even then.
A few months into their stay it was beginning to get cold outside. One day, my grandmother came into the kitchen to find the two boys fighting under the kitchen table. When she got them to come out and tell her what was going on she discovered they were fighting over the heating vent. She informed them of the other vents in other rooms of the house and she told me, “ They ran around the house, laughing out loud like idiots trying to find all the heating vents.” She paused and said “ Then I realized they didn’t have heat. They had never had heat. I guess that’s what they meant by don’t be surprised.”
The struggles continued. The two boys had come from the same family, but the abuse they endured manifested in them in completely different ways. The older one was very strong willed, manipulative, and kind of an alpha male. The younger one was the exact opposite. He was so introverted and traumatized; he had made up his own language. His older brother had to translate for him. Eventually these problems were worked out but it took a lot of time and patients on the part of my grandparents.
Eventually the boy’s parents were stripped of their rights and they came up for adoption. My grandparents had no doubts about adopting them right away. The process was quick and easy because the boys were old enough to decide weather or not they wanted to be adopted.
A few years later another family in the neighborhood adopted a baby. This was a big deal for them because they had waited a number of years for a newborn to adopt. My grand parents and their five teenage children went to the neighbor’s house to celebrate the new arrival. Later that night when they returned home the five kids started joking about how ugly the baby was. This banter continued for a few minutes until my grandfather joined the conversation. He informed the kids that all babies were ugly, and then went on to describe how when they were born, each one of his biological kids was ugly in there own special way.
After he finished, the younger of the two adopted boys asked, “What did I look like Dad?”
It was amazing. He had only been with his new family for three years. Did he forget where he came from? My grandmother believes he was so traumatized that he blocked out all of his past. “His only good memories were with us,” She said.
Without missing a beat, my grandfather looked right at him, laughed and said, “Oh my God! You were just as ugly as the rest of 'em.”
Friday, February 27, 2009
OH: Life With HIV
I conducted an interview with a man who is HIV positive. He agreed to do so only under the condition that his name and information remain confidential. He will go under the pseudonym of Al.
Al is a 26 year old gay, white, male living in Chicago. He moved here from a small town in the Midwest 6 and half years ago. He first tested positive for HIV 4 years ago at the age of 22. He now has his own apartment, works, and goes to school at the collegiate level.
Q & A
Did you know about HIV as you were growing up in your younger years?
• “I didn’t know too much about it. They talked about it a little bit in school, but didn’t know much else about it.”
What was your initial reaction when you tested positive?
• “I wasn’t too surprised because I was, kind of, already [prepared] for it”…”I sort of already knew because I was with my ex boyfriend, and somebody had told me that he was HIV positive and that I should get myself tested.”
How long were you with your ex boyfriend at the time?
• “We were together for 2 and a half years.”
Did you expect something like this from him?
• “I was really involved with drugs when I was with him. When I asked him if he was HIV positive before we had unprotected sex he actually told me he didn’t know. I just took that as ‘Oh he probably just had unprotected sex once and hasn’t been tested since so that doesn’t mean he’s positive… just that he doesn’t know.’ I was young and immature, and on drugs so I just interpreted that as he didn’t have HIV instead of saying to myself ‘this is a risky situation.’ I didn’t realize the risk I was putting myself into.”
Are you on drugs now?
• “No. Not anymore. I’ve been clean now for three and a half years.”
How did you get tested?
• “I actually was scared to go [to a clinic] to get tested because I was ashamed because I already [suspected] what the results were going to be so I just did an ‘at home’ test.”
What is an ‘at home’ test?
• “Basically you buy [the test] at any pharmacy such as Walgreens, and you take it home, prick your finger, and blot blood on three circles. Then you just mail it off through fed ex. They give you a prepaid envelope and everything. Then you call in one or two weeks for your results through the phone. It’s anonymous.”
Once you found out your results, what was your next step?
• “They told me that I should get a hold of a physician or somebody who dealt with infectious diseases, and take further actions. I talked to a few close friends about it who I knew were HIV positive as well. I actually went to a walk in clinic that’s for gay and lesbians in Chicago called Howard Brown. I had labs done, and went on the internet to do my own research about it and about the different forms of medication for it. There was actually one particular study that was testing a new anti-retro viral medication that I was interested in. After I got my labs done I actually applied for the study. The study would accept me, but my doctor didn’t recommend I start taking medication at that point. They said it was completely up to me, though. But they recommended against it so I didn’t [participate in the study].”
Why would a doctor recommend not starting medication immediately after testing positive?
• “HIV is a progressive disease, and when it’s new in your body it doesn’t cause much harm right away. It replicates pretty quickly, but as long as your white blood cell count is high enough that you’re not in immediate danger of illness then they don’t recommend starting [medication] right away. See, once you start it you can’t stop taking them. If you mess up and don’t take them the way you are supposed to, or even just after a long period of time, they just stop working as effectively. Therefore, it’s better to start them when you need them then to take them right away.”
Did you ever start to feel depressed or have a breakdown eventually?
• [He pauses to think about the answer for 10 seconds.] “I think it hit me more after I stopped using drugs, and realized [the significance it had]. I never really had a ‘breakdown’ but I think I realized the severity of the situation.”
Had you not stopped using drugs, what implications would that have had to your health in regards to having HIV?
• “I know of people who have continued using drugs after testing positive. What I used was Crystal Methamphetamine. It’s very bad for you to use with the anti-retrol viral medications. It diminishes the effect [of the medication], and your body already has high toxic levels because of the medication. To add drugs on top of that can be very hazardous. I know people who have continued this unhealthy lifestyle and have died of cancer before dying of HIV. Although, it’s not only the toxicity levels of the drugs mixed with the HIV medication, but it has a lot to do with your lifestyle. You’re up for hours on end, your mind is not where it should be, and you’re not eating the way you should. Your body needs to have the proper nutrients, and using drugs specifically impedes that. Especially with party drugs. You won’t remember to take your medications, or you’ll take it really late. Living in this sort of behavior of skipping doses can cause the medication to not work effectively anymore. ”
How do you feel today?
• “I feel like the world is in my hands now. Before, when I was on drugs I felt like I could accomplish anything, but I didn’t accomplish nothing at all. Now, being off drugs and being an HIV positive person, [I’ve learned] that I can achieve my goals. See, I know that HIV is not going to kill me in the next five, ten, even twenty or thirty years.”…”Now, the average life expectancy is over thirty years from the day you start taking your medication. And that’s today. What is it going to be thirty years from now? There will probably be a cure! I don’t live life day by day thinking about when I am going to die. I can easily die of a car accident or plane wreck before I die of HIV [complications]. So yeah, overcoming all the adversaries that I’ve had to overcome I feel like I can achieve anything I set my mind to.”
Have your dating patterns and relationships changed because of your HIV status?
• “Mmmm…. Yes. To a certain degree because when you are dating somebody you have to disclose [your HIV status] to them. I mean, you can’t have sex with somebody, even if it’s [protected sex], without telling them about your status. So yeah, it definitely has made a change.
“You usually want to disclose early on, and if it’s too early there really isn’t a chance for you to develop some sort of… care for that person. It’s easy for them to just push you off to the side because they haven’t really formed any strong, personal attachments. This is especially for younger people who are not educated about HIV, how it works, and how you can protect yourself from it. Mixed status couples can actually have a long relationship with their status not changing… one being negative and the other being positive.”
What is the most difficult part of being HIV positive?
• “I think it’s knowing that you could have done something to prevent it, and you’re never really going to be able to feel 100% safe again in a relationship. There’s always going to be, even if small, that thought in the back of your mind. Also, just remembering to take your medication everyday and at the same time. Usually, it becomes routine and it’s like nothing. Sometimes you forget, though, and you get all worried like: ‘what will my next labs say?’”
Does your family know about your status?
• “No. That’s another thing. My family not knowing such a huge thing about my life is difficult. I feel that I will outlive my parents, though, so I don’t need to tell them. [If I do] they will just think I am going to die and it will really hurt them. The hard part about disclosing your status to people is them not understanding, and having them think right way that I’m going to die soon or that I’m really sick. They’re not really 100% educated about it and they’ll freak out, and be afraid to kiss me on the cheek, or give me a hug.” … “That’s not how you can transmit the disease. It can only be through an exchange of a concentrated amount of the virus in your blood, breast milk, or semen. There are actually new studies that say if you are undetectable because of taking your HIV medication (which means there are less than 40 copies of the HIV virus per ml of your blood), if you are currently taking meds, and don’t have other std’s then you are not an infectious person. I just read about this [study] on the internet. It was in Switzerland actually. They are really advanced in HIV research.”
Do you consider yourself to be a healthy person today?
• “Yes. I am undetectable and my cd4 count is high. A [person without HIV] is considered healthy and normal with a cd4 count between 600 to 1000 per ml. Mine is actually 1280. While on medication I am actually healthier than the average person in terms of my immune system.” [He smiles.]
Al is a 26 year old gay, white, male living in Chicago. He moved here from a small town in the Midwest 6 and half years ago. He first tested positive for HIV 4 years ago at the age of 22. He now has his own apartment, works, and goes to school at the collegiate level.
Q & A
Did you know about HIV as you were growing up in your younger years?
• “I didn’t know too much about it. They talked about it a little bit in school, but didn’t know much else about it.”
What was your initial reaction when you tested positive?
• “I wasn’t too surprised because I was, kind of, already [prepared] for it”…”I sort of already knew because I was with my ex boyfriend, and somebody had told me that he was HIV positive and that I should get myself tested.”
How long were you with your ex boyfriend at the time?
• “We were together for 2 and a half years.”
Did you expect something like this from him?
• “I was really involved with drugs when I was with him. When I asked him if he was HIV positive before we had unprotected sex he actually told me he didn’t know. I just took that as ‘Oh he probably just had unprotected sex once and hasn’t been tested since so that doesn’t mean he’s positive… just that he doesn’t know.’ I was young and immature, and on drugs so I just interpreted that as he didn’t have HIV instead of saying to myself ‘this is a risky situation.’ I didn’t realize the risk I was putting myself into.”
Are you on drugs now?
• “No. Not anymore. I’ve been clean now for three and a half years.”
How did you get tested?
• “I actually was scared to go [to a clinic] to get tested because I was ashamed because I already [suspected] what the results were going to be so I just did an ‘at home’ test.”
What is an ‘at home’ test?
• “Basically you buy [the test] at any pharmacy such as Walgreens, and you take it home, prick your finger, and blot blood on three circles. Then you just mail it off through fed ex. They give you a prepaid envelope and everything. Then you call in one or two weeks for your results through the phone. It’s anonymous.”
Once you found out your results, what was your next step?
• “They told me that I should get a hold of a physician or somebody who dealt with infectious diseases, and take further actions. I talked to a few close friends about it who I knew were HIV positive as well. I actually went to a walk in clinic that’s for gay and lesbians in Chicago called Howard Brown. I had labs done, and went on the internet to do my own research about it and about the different forms of medication for it. There was actually one particular study that was testing a new anti-retro viral medication that I was interested in. After I got my labs done I actually applied for the study. The study would accept me, but my doctor didn’t recommend I start taking medication at that point. They said it was completely up to me, though. But they recommended against it so I didn’t [participate in the study].”
Why would a doctor recommend not starting medication immediately after testing positive?
• “HIV is a progressive disease, and when it’s new in your body it doesn’t cause much harm right away. It replicates pretty quickly, but as long as your white blood cell count is high enough that you’re not in immediate danger of illness then they don’t recommend starting [medication] right away. See, once you start it you can’t stop taking them. If you mess up and don’t take them the way you are supposed to, or even just after a long period of time, they just stop working as effectively. Therefore, it’s better to start them when you need them then to take them right away.”
Did you ever start to feel depressed or have a breakdown eventually?
• [He pauses to think about the answer for 10 seconds.] “I think it hit me more after I stopped using drugs, and realized [the significance it had]. I never really had a ‘breakdown’ but I think I realized the severity of the situation.”
Had you not stopped using drugs, what implications would that have had to your health in regards to having HIV?
• “I know of people who have continued using drugs after testing positive. What I used was Crystal Methamphetamine. It’s very bad for you to use with the anti-retrol viral medications. It diminishes the effect [of the medication], and your body already has high toxic levels because of the medication. To add drugs on top of that can be very hazardous. I know people who have continued this unhealthy lifestyle and have died of cancer before dying of HIV. Although, it’s not only the toxicity levels of the drugs mixed with the HIV medication, but it has a lot to do with your lifestyle. You’re up for hours on end, your mind is not where it should be, and you’re not eating the way you should. Your body needs to have the proper nutrients, and using drugs specifically impedes that. Especially with party drugs. You won’t remember to take your medications, or you’ll take it really late. Living in this sort of behavior of skipping doses can cause the medication to not work effectively anymore. ”
How do you feel today?
• “I feel like the world is in my hands now. Before, when I was on drugs I felt like I could accomplish anything, but I didn’t accomplish nothing at all. Now, being off drugs and being an HIV positive person, [I’ve learned] that I can achieve my goals. See, I know that HIV is not going to kill me in the next five, ten, even twenty or thirty years.”…”Now, the average life expectancy is over thirty years from the day you start taking your medication. And that’s today. What is it going to be thirty years from now? There will probably be a cure! I don’t live life day by day thinking about when I am going to die. I can easily die of a car accident or plane wreck before I die of HIV [complications]. So yeah, overcoming all the adversaries that I’ve had to overcome I feel like I can achieve anything I set my mind to.”
Have your dating patterns and relationships changed because of your HIV status?
• “Mmmm…. Yes. To a certain degree because when you are dating somebody you have to disclose [your HIV status] to them. I mean, you can’t have sex with somebody, even if it’s [protected sex], without telling them about your status. So yeah, it definitely has made a change.
“You usually want to disclose early on, and if it’s too early there really isn’t a chance for you to develop some sort of… care for that person. It’s easy for them to just push you off to the side because they haven’t really formed any strong, personal attachments. This is especially for younger people who are not educated about HIV, how it works, and how you can protect yourself from it. Mixed status couples can actually have a long relationship with their status not changing… one being negative and the other being positive.”
What is the most difficult part of being HIV positive?
• “I think it’s knowing that you could have done something to prevent it, and you’re never really going to be able to feel 100% safe again in a relationship. There’s always going to be, even if small, that thought in the back of your mind. Also, just remembering to take your medication everyday and at the same time. Usually, it becomes routine and it’s like nothing. Sometimes you forget, though, and you get all worried like: ‘what will my next labs say?’”
Does your family know about your status?
• “No. That’s another thing. My family not knowing such a huge thing about my life is difficult. I feel that I will outlive my parents, though, so I don’t need to tell them. [If I do] they will just think I am going to die and it will really hurt them. The hard part about disclosing your status to people is them not understanding, and having them think right way that I’m going to die soon or that I’m really sick. They’re not really 100% educated about it and they’ll freak out, and be afraid to kiss me on the cheek, or give me a hug.” … “That’s not how you can transmit the disease. It can only be through an exchange of a concentrated amount of the virus in your blood, breast milk, or semen. There are actually new studies that say if you are undetectable because of taking your HIV medication (which means there are less than 40 copies of the HIV virus per ml of your blood), if you are currently taking meds, and don’t have other std’s then you are not an infectious person. I just read about this [study] on the internet. It was in Switzerland actually. They are really advanced in HIV research.”
Do you consider yourself to be a healthy person today?
• “Yes. I am undetectable and my cd4 count is high. A [person without HIV] is considered healthy and normal with a cd4 count between 600 to 1000 per ml. Mine is actually 1280. While on medication I am actually healthier than the average person in terms of my immune system.” [He smiles.]
High school teacher
Kim Gerber
How school and students have changed over the years I have been a teacher.
Part 1: A brief history of my teaching.
My teaching career consists of 3 parts. My teaching career began at a small private school in Indiana. This was a new religiously based school that required teachers to do a multitude of tasks including cleaning our own chalkboards, floors, and driving the bus.
My second job was at a more established private high school. At this school the workload was more like the public school, but still each teacher had at least 3 preps.
I left this last school in 1991 and now have been at Leyden High School for 18 years. This is the school that I will use to discuss how “school and students have changed of the years.”
Part 2: How School has changed over the past 18 years.
The first change I will mention is tracking. Tracking is the idea of putting students into a course based on ability, reading, and behavior. When I first came to Leyden High School we had 3 levels for freshmen: the practical level, the “regular” level and the “honors” level. The practical level was for the students who lacked some of the skills to be in the “regular” level and students who had behavior problems. The regular level was for the “average” student and the “honors” level was for the more
“advanced” students.
Being a new teacher I taught 3 of these practical classes which was quite a challenge, but also very rewarding. These students really appreciated when teachers helped them and some worked their way out of the “practical” classes into the “regular classes.
Before too long this tracking was replaced by “mainstreaming”. That is putting the regular and practical classes together. This created some very difficult teaching situations as many of these students were very disruptive. In the last few years tracking has been re-established. Now the practical levels are called “academy”
The next big change is our school is becoming more and more diverse. We have students who were born in many different countries and have multitude of cultural backgrounds. This was true of Leyden when I first came but this diversity has increased throughout the years. I love the Leyden diversity. It provides us with a multitude of interesting students and cultures.
The third big change in the school is the movement from individual teaching to cooperative teaching. When I first started teaching teachers made their own tests, set up their own curriculum, and created their own activities. Obviously you could use another person’s activities, but it was not encouraged. Now we all use the same tests and finals and work on curriculum together.
The last big change in the school is the movement from “creative “ teaching to focus on the material that is going to be on the state tests given to students their Junior year. When I first started teaching at Leyden the emphasis was on creative and engaging lessons that could be used in the class. Now the emphasis is on preparing students for their state tests during their junior year.
Part 3: Change in students.
This is a tougher topic than the school changes but my “gut” response to analyzing the change in students is they have not changed that much. Students still worry about their friends, their futures, and their families. Some students care a lot about their grades and some really could care less. Some students are the greatest young people you would ever want to meet, some I wouldn’t trust at all. Yes they come from all different parts of the world, use their cell phones as much as teachers will allow them, and cannot seem to live without their compact music players, but underneath all that they still have the same basic needs as those from 18 years ago.
Kim Gerber
How school and students have changed over the years I have been a teacher.
Part 1: A brief history of my teaching.
My teaching career consists of 3 parts. My teaching career began at a small private school in Indiana. This was a new religiously based school that required teachers to do a multitude of tasks including cleaning our own chalkboards, floors, and driving the bus.
My second job was at a more established private high school. At this school the workload was more like the public school, but still each teacher had at least 3 preps.
I left this last school in 1991 and now have been at Leyden High School for 18 years. This is the school that I will use to discuss how “school and students have changed of the years.”
Part 2: How School has changed over the past 18 years.
The first change I will mention is tracking. Tracking is the idea of putting students into a course based on ability, reading, and behavior. When I first came to Leyden High School we had 3 levels for freshmen: the practical level, the “regular” level and the “honors” level. The practical level was for the students who lacked some of the skills to be in the “regular” level and students who had behavior problems. The regular level was for the “average” student and the “honors” level was for the more
“advanced” students.
Being a new teacher I taught 3 of these practical classes which was quite a challenge, but also very rewarding. These students really appreciated when teachers helped them and some worked their way out of the “practical” classes into the “regular classes.
Before too long this tracking was replaced by “mainstreaming”. That is putting the regular and practical classes together. This created some very difficult teaching situations as many of these students were very disruptive. In the last few years tracking has been re-established. Now the practical levels are called “academy”
The next big change is our school is becoming more and more diverse. We have students who were born in many different countries and have multitude of cultural backgrounds. This was true of Leyden when I first came but this diversity has increased throughout the years. I love the Leyden diversity. It provides us with a multitude of interesting students and cultures.
The third big change in the school is the movement from individual teaching to cooperative teaching. When I first started teaching teachers made their own tests, set up their own curriculum, and created their own activities. Obviously you could use another person’s activities, but it was not encouraged. Now we all use the same tests and finals and work on curriculum together.
The last big change in the school is the movement from “creative “ teaching to focus on the material that is going to be on the state tests given to students their Junior year. When I first started teaching at Leyden the emphasis was on creative and engaging lessons that could be used in the class. Now the emphasis is on preparing students for their state tests during their junior year.
Part 3: Change in students.
This is a tougher topic than the school changes but my “gut” response to analyzing the change in students is they have not changed that much. Students still worry about their friends, their futures, and their families. Some students care a lot about their grades and some really could care less. Some students are the greatest young people you would ever want to meet, some I wouldn’t trust at all. Yes they come from all different parts of the world, use their cell phones as much as teachers will allow them, and cannot seem to live without their compact music players, but underneath all that they still have the same basic needs as those from 18 years ago.
WARNING: THE CONTENT YOU WILL BE READING HAS STRONG LANGUAGE. NOT SUITED FOR YOUNG TEENS
Behind the life story of a store manager….
His name is S.M. (for security purposes). He was born in Harvey Illinois but was raised in Markham Illinois. When he was about sixteen he moved to Chicago and had been living in the city since. He worked for Walgreens Company for about fifteen years. He is now thirty two years old, married, and has two little boys; one is nine and the other is two. This is his story.
When I was growing up, I never had a stable family. My parents were never married, so my dad was never around; therefore I lived with my mom. When I was about 8 years old, my mom had a boyfriend named Doug, and he was a biker man. We used to always go to those biker rally shows. Then, one day Doug was fucking around and blew his own head off. So my mother went and dated another guy that sold a lot of weed. Yea, you can call him a drug dealer. Well, the cook county sheriff and the DEA raided the house and my mother was locked up for two years.
Why was she locked up?
She was selling dope with him and I ended up living with my grandparents. When she got out I moved back with her. My mom ended up seeing a guy named Greg. He was very abusive. He had always beaten my mom. My mom had been in the hospital many times with broken jaws, concussions, shit like that. One time when I was ten years old, I saw him beating my mom and I could not take it so I took out a gun and almost killed the man. My mom could not face the fact that her boyfriend was the problem and she end up putting me in the Madden Mental Health Institute for two years. Well guess what? She ended up marrying the guy and now I have two step sisters.
So how do you feel about your mother now? Do you still speak to her?
Well let’s just say I haven’t spoken to her for seven years.
By the time I was thirteen years old, I was gang banging hard. I became one of the Gangster Disciples. As the only white kid in the group, I had to gang bang harder than the rest of them. I was known as ‘the shooter,’ because that was the only way for me to get some respect. The shooter’s job is to shoot anyone or anything that is asked of him. I was always getting into trouble throughout high school. I was thrown out from three high schools and I been to juvy like forty times. When I was about sixteen years old, I started to work at a restaurant and I lived with my friend named Bee. We were selling heavy dope. I would help him sell at night and worked at the restaurant by day. Well, there was this one kid that Bee had sold dope to, and the kid was caught. He flipped out and tricked on my friend. Therefore, it leads the cop to go undercover. One day I called off worked and stayed home with my friend. An under cop came to our door and bought dope from Bee. (Chuckled) Yea it would happen on the day I called off. The girl left the house and then came back to ask to use the washroom. Well once we opened the door, our apartment was raided by the cook county sheriffs. They took us down to the Markham Court house. The cops had never seen me before and asked a lot of questions. As the good friend Bee is, he took all the heat on himself. After that, I moved to the city, Chicago and lived with my aunt. I began working at Walgreens and moved out of my aunt’s home after six months. I had my own place in Bridgeport and that was where I met all of my crazy friends (Chuckled). We used to get into a lot of troubles. We would always sell dope and have gun battles in the back yard. By the time I was twenty one, the case of Lenard Clark came about.
In 1997, a black teen, Lenard Clark, wandered into Bridgeport and three white teens allegedly shouted racial slurs and brutally attacked Clark, who was then left unconscious. The case had brought a lot of controversy about racism. The only eyewitness, named Michael Cutler, was willing to testify against the accused, but then he was killed six weeks before the trial. Police said he was a random victim of a robbery. Five years later, the FBI is taking a look at the murder, which, according to one former state legislator, had the characteristics of a 'classic mob hit.'
Well, one of my best friends’ little brother was at the incident when Lenard Clark was brutally beaten. He was supposed to testify in the case of Lenard Clark. His named was Michael Cutler. He was a good kid. He had a full scholarship to a college in Kentucky. One day he came back one spring for the testimony of the Lenard Clark case. Well, he decided to take his girlfriend out. He was then on his way home, and while he parked his car and a guy came up to his window and shot him one time in the heart. The week after his funeral, my best friend, Michael Cutler’s older brother and I went to a party. It was 3 AM when we left. We decided to head to a restaurant. While we were walking there, a house party just let out. There were about twenty dudes rushing us. We all started fighting and then the police came, so everyone ran off. My boy and I went looking for our friend and found him stabbed on the floor. I winded up holding his intestines until the ambulance came. That was not the worst part. I had to be the one telling his mother her son is in the hospital for being stabbed just a week after her first son was killed.
Well as time goes on, I was still doing knuckle head shit, like fighting and doing couple shootings. During those times, I was still working at Walgreens. I was then sent to work at a Walgreens up north. That was where I met my wife. Because of her, I was able to keep my life back on track. I stop doing stupid shit that I usually do and settled down. We then got married.
How long have you been married to your wife now?
Well we been together for twelve years but married for ten years. She was my little stalker (Laughed).We ended up having two boys, one is nine years old and the other is two. If it wasn’t for my family, I would probably been dead. Many people said that I wouldn’t live until I am twenty, but I proved them wrong. I am now working at Walgreens as the store manager and volunteering as a coach for the kids’ football league. I want to give my kids the life I never had. Yea, you can say my wife and kids saved my life.
Behind the life story of a store manager….
His name is S.M. (for security purposes). He was born in Harvey Illinois but was raised in Markham Illinois. When he was about sixteen he moved to Chicago and had been living in the city since. He worked for Walgreens Company for about fifteen years. He is now thirty two years old, married, and has two little boys; one is nine and the other is two. This is his story.
When I was growing up, I never had a stable family. My parents were never married, so my dad was never around; therefore I lived with my mom. When I was about 8 years old, my mom had a boyfriend named Doug, and he was a biker man. We used to always go to those biker rally shows. Then, one day Doug was fucking around and blew his own head off. So my mother went and dated another guy that sold a lot of weed. Yea, you can call him a drug dealer. Well, the cook county sheriff and the DEA raided the house and my mother was locked up for two years.
Why was she locked up?
She was selling dope with him and I ended up living with my grandparents. When she got out I moved back with her. My mom ended up seeing a guy named Greg. He was very abusive. He had always beaten my mom. My mom had been in the hospital many times with broken jaws, concussions, shit like that. One time when I was ten years old, I saw him beating my mom and I could not take it so I took out a gun and almost killed the man. My mom could not face the fact that her boyfriend was the problem and she end up putting me in the Madden Mental Health Institute for two years. Well guess what? She ended up marrying the guy and now I have two step sisters.
So how do you feel about your mother now? Do you still speak to her?
Well let’s just say I haven’t spoken to her for seven years.
By the time I was thirteen years old, I was gang banging hard. I became one of the Gangster Disciples. As the only white kid in the group, I had to gang bang harder than the rest of them. I was known as ‘the shooter,’ because that was the only way for me to get some respect. The shooter’s job is to shoot anyone or anything that is asked of him. I was always getting into trouble throughout high school. I was thrown out from three high schools and I been to juvy like forty times. When I was about sixteen years old, I started to work at a restaurant and I lived with my friend named Bee. We were selling heavy dope. I would help him sell at night and worked at the restaurant by day. Well, there was this one kid that Bee had sold dope to, and the kid was caught. He flipped out and tricked on my friend. Therefore, it leads the cop to go undercover. One day I called off worked and stayed home with my friend. An under cop came to our door and bought dope from Bee. (Chuckled) Yea it would happen on the day I called off. The girl left the house and then came back to ask to use the washroom. Well once we opened the door, our apartment was raided by the cook county sheriffs. They took us down to the Markham Court house. The cops had never seen me before and asked a lot of questions. As the good friend Bee is, he took all the heat on himself. After that, I moved to the city, Chicago and lived with my aunt. I began working at Walgreens and moved out of my aunt’s home after six months. I had my own place in Bridgeport and that was where I met all of my crazy friends (Chuckled). We used to get into a lot of troubles. We would always sell dope and have gun battles in the back yard. By the time I was twenty one, the case of Lenard Clark came about.
In 1997, a black teen, Lenard Clark, wandered into Bridgeport and three white teens allegedly shouted racial slurs and brutally attacked Clark, who was then left unconscious. The case had brought a lot of controversy about racism. The only eyewitness, named Michael Cutler, was willing to testify against the accused, but then he was killed six weeks before the trial. Police said he was a random victim of a robbery. Five years later, the FBI is taking a look at the murder, which, according to one former state legislator, had the characteristics of a 'classic mob hit.'
Well, one of my best friends’ little brother was at the incident when Lenard Clark was brutally beaten. He was supposed to testify in the case of Lenard Clark. His named was Michael Cutler. He was a good kid. He had a full scholarship to a college in Kentucky. One day he came back one spring for the testimony of the Lenard Clark case. Well, he decided to take his girlfriend out. He was then on his way home, and while he parked his car and a guy came up to his window and shot him one time in the heart. The week after his funeral, my best friend, Michael Cutler’s older brother and I went to a party. It was 3 AM when we left. We decided to head to a restaurant. While we were walking there, a house party just let out. There were about twenty dudes rushing us. We all started fighting and then the police came, so everyone ran off. My boy and I went looking for our friend and found him stabbed on the floor. I winded up holding his intestines until the ambulance came. That was not the worst part. I had to be the one telling his mother her son is in the hospital for being stabbed just a week after her first son was killed.
Well as time goes on, I was still doing knuckle head shit, like fighting and doing couple shootings. During those times, I was still working at Walgreens. I was then sent to work at a Walgreens up north. That was where I met my wife. Because of her, I was able to keep my life back on track. I stop doing stupid shit that I usually do and settled down. We then got married.
How long have you been married to your wife now?
Well we been together for twelve years but married for ten years. She was my little stalker (Laughed).We ended up having two boys, one is nine years old and the other is two. If it wasn’t for my family, I would probably been dead. Many people said that I wouldn’t live until I am twenty, but I proved them wrong. I am now working at Walgreens as the store manager and volunteering as a coach for the kids’ football league. I want to give my kids the life I never had. Yea, you can say my wife and kids saved my life.
Oral History
In 1989 with two kids, under the age of eight, my mother first arrived to America from Jordan. The promise of opportunity, with the fear of the unknown brought on mixed emotions. My mother spent her first two weeks, which “seemed like two years” living with her brother who had arrived two years prior. The first few weeks seemed like the longest for her because America was so different from what she knew and from where she had came from. She could not speak the language, she did not know many people, and it was had for her to adapt to the culture.
A short time after moving to America she had to enroll her two children into school, which was a scary and nerve racking experience. She knew little English and was afraid she would not be able to effectively communicate with the staff. She walked in and after a minute it was obvious she needed a translator, which she accepted gratefully since it was hard for her to understand most of what they were saying. After the initial enrollment she sent both her children to class and a feeling of sadness and loneliness came over her. She walked home alone to an empty house and tried to pass the time by through doing chores. It seemed like time was going by so slow and she could not help but miss the home she came from. When two thirty finally rolled around she went to pick up my older brother and sister from their first day of school in America. When it came time to assist them with their homework my mother was unable to help because she could not understand most of what they were learning. It upset her that she could not understand all that they were learning and she could not help them with their homework as easily as most of the other parents. She often felt overwhelmed with all the obstacles that come with moving to a new country. Not being able to communicate properly when first arriving here left her feeling powerless. Communication is such vital part of everyday life and it often takes a long time and a lot of work to learn a new language that you need to live in a new country.
A short time after moving to America she had to enroll her two children into school, which was a scary and nerve racking experience. She knew little English and was afraid she would not be able to effectively communicate with the staff. She walked in and after a minute it was obvious she needed a translator, which she accepted gratefully since it was hard for her to understand most of what they were saying. After the initial enrollment she sent both her children to class and a feeling of sadness and loneliness came over her. She walked home alone to an empty house and tried to pass the time by through doing chores. It seemed like time was going by so slow and she could not help but miss the home she came from. When two thirty finally rolled around she went to pick up my older brother and sister from their first day of school in America. When it came time to assist them with their homework my mother was unable to help because she could not understand most of what they were learning. It upset her that she could not understand all that they were learning and she could not help them with their homework as easily as most of the other parents. She often felt overwhelmed with all the obstacles that come with moving to a new country. Not being able to communicate properly when first arriving here left her feeling powerless. Communication is such vital part of everyday life and it often takes a long time and a lot of work to learn a new language that you need to live in a new country.
What Really Grinds My Gears
Viral: Of, relating to, or caused by a virus (a viral infection). What is the fascination with all of these “viral” videos? Every day I turn on my laptop, go to my homepage, Yahoo! by the way, I see some cat riding a vacuum, a dog bouncing a wall, another cat going crazy for a laser light on the wall, some monkey scratching his butt, smelling it and then falling off the tree (ok, that one was funny). Could it be that with all the negative things going on in our country, worlds, this is a simple way to escape for at least a few minutes? Maybe, but for me, I still can’t get into these videos, AND what is with the name?!?!?!? VIRAL VIDEOS, does anyone out there want anything to do with anything associated with the word “viral”? Am I the only one that’s noticed this? Thank you and good night.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZAGEJdmBq0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZAGEJdmBq0
Oral History by: Eva Martinez
For my oral history report i interviewed a family friend. Her name is Sandy. She was born her in Chicago and she has lived here ever since. She feels that she has lost her connection to her cultural identity. She's Puerto Rican and she feels more "American" than Puerto Rican. She says that because she doesn't speak Spanish. I feel the same way. I feel that I am more "American" than Mexican because I don't speak Spanish either. We are both able to understand it somewhat, but we are incapable of having a full conversation with someone in our native language.
Why do you feel that you have lost your connection to your culture?
I think it's because growing up my parents always made me celebrate holidays that you wouldn't normally celebrate in Puerto Rico. Plus I think my parents didn't really want me to know about my heritage because they wanted me to be more "American." They even chose my friends for me. They told me who to hang out with. They gave me the excuse that everyone who I thought was my friend who are Puerto Rican like me were "bad" people. At first I didn't understand that. I guess they were afraid that I would become like them. I guess most of the people that I was friends with, they thought they were all gangsters and they thought I would become like that. As I grew older I realized it was my parents' fault that I don't know about my culture and how to speak Spanish. They felt that not speaking English would make me less of an American. Because of my parents I had to do my own research and learn about Puerto Rico and I also found out that not every Puerto Rican or all Latinos for that matter are gangsters. That's just a stereotype they stood by. I think they were almost trying to instill a sense of fear in me about my own people. I'll admit it kinda' did, but now that I look back at that i realized that because of that fear I lost some really good potential friends.
Do you think that your parents had a difficult time growing up because their parents who immigrated to America did the same thing to them?
I do think that my parents had a difficult time growing up because they told me when they were old enough to understand what was going on, they wanted to keep their Puerto Rican heritage and be able to still be American. They felt that they would still be "American" while they were being Puerto Rican. Now that I am in college, they want me to have pride in my culture and now we go to the Puerto Rican festival every year and they are helping me with my spanish.
Oral History
I interviewed one of my coworkers. His name is Anselmo Umerez.He is 45 years old.He immigrated here from the phillipines in 2000.He is a college graduate of the phillipines.He works in the item processing department at Corus Bank as a balancer.
How was yourlife in the Phillipines?
Good,very very good.
How old were you when you came to America.
I was 37,38
Why did you decide to come to America.
I was petitioned by my mother .She wanted me and my siblings to come join her.It took us almost seven years for the petition to be approved by the U.S government.
Do you like your life here?
Financially yes, but I prefer living in the Phillinpines.
Why?
Friends,Family,everything is really really really good.The enviornment in which I lived was nice.Everything was much better.
Now,when you said financially,what do you mean by that?
What I earn here at corus,is more than what a regular employee earns in the Phillipines.I earn what a supervisor would earn in the Phillipines.This is because the dollar is worth 38 pesos in the Phillipines.
Have you ever experienced any social injustices in the United States?
No,what do you mean like racism?
Yes,any type of discrimination, maybe because of your accent?
No so far so good.
Do you plan on going back to the Phillipines.
Yes,but not permanantly I would like to go back and visit.I will possibly go in July.
How was yourlife in the Phillipines?
Good,very very good.
How old were you when you came to America.
I was 37,38
Why did you decide to come to America.
I was petitioned by my mother .She wanted me and my siblings to come join her.It took us almost seven years for the petition to be approved by the U.S government.
Do you like your life here?
Financially yes, but I prefer living in the Phillinpines.
Why?
Friends,Family,everything is really really really good.The enviornment in which I lived was nice.Everything was much better.
Now,when you said financially,what do you mean by that?
What I earn here at corus,is more than what a regular employee earns in the Phillipines.I earn what a supervisor would earn in the Phillipines.This is because the dollar is worth 38 pesos in the Phillipines.
Have you ever experienced any social injustices in the United States?
No,what do you mean like racism?
Yes,any type of discrimination, maybe because of your accent?
No so far so good.
Do you plan on going back to the Phillipines.
Yes,but not permanantly I would like to go back and visit.I will possibly go in July.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Question
If "internment of all suspected enemy aliens was the only safe coarse to put 'the fear of God' in the hearts of those who would assist the enemy" then, what incentives did the US have for sending most Japanse in America to internment camps and not just those suspected (Okihiro 52)?
Oral History-Interview
I interviewed my friend's mother. Her name is Graciela Shorey, 50, and she immigrated from Belize to the United States about ten years ago. After moving here she got a divorce from her husband who was back in Belize, and remarried. Graciela has been happily married for the past five years and has two teenage daughters from her first marriage.
Was life simpler during your childhood?
-Yes it was, compared to this time now in which we’re living. It was much better, I guess, because we had the freedom to play outside without the scare of being kidnapped. We use to play with all the kids in the neighborhood; although I come from a very small country that is much different than living here in the U.S. We use to play at night outside, our parents were not concerned about our safety because there was nothing bad happening and we enjoyed our childhood. So I sometimes feel nostalgic and sorry to see that my grandkids are not growing in an era that was like mine. They don’t have the childhood that I have; it was much more fun to be doing hula hoop, playing hop scotch, playing cans outside, pretending that they were our instruments making noise in the neighborhood. The neighbors had their windows open, their doors open. We would sleep without having to worry if we locked the doors or windows. We didn’t have to worry about the cops not being around like now. So, it was much better.
Can you describe what it was like coming from a fairly large family?
-It was very interesting to be part of seven kids because even though there was a lot of fighting going on, it was fun to be around brothers and sisters. It felt like there was always a party going on at my house. At bed time our dad always had to come scold us or wag us with his hands because even though we had lots of bed rooms in our house, every one wanted to be together in one bedroom until we really got sleepy. So, we would start playing then we would end up fighting. That is when he would come because everybody is screaming for “dad” “mom”. So he had to get up and send every one to their bed rooms. That is one of my most cherished memories as a little girl. I enjoyed having lots of sisters and brothers.
Would you say you lived in poverty or not?
-I wouldn’t say that I come from a poor family because I knew people that were a little worst, or didn’t live in the conditions that we lived in. I was one from a lucky family that was able to get a house that was safe against the hurricane. My country has hurricanes so the government would help build houses for the families that needed them, and my dad was a lucky one that got this house so, we had the opportunity to have a bathroom inside of our house, while other people did not. They had toilets outside: its like a little house, it has a bench with 2 big holes, and a little one. The big ones are for the adults, and the little ones for the kids. We didn’t have these in other parts of the country. We had those because we were the ones with the danger of the hurricane; we had these nice houses. Other people had to build their houses on their own, the ones that were not threatened by hurricanes. So I guess that our style of living was much better than a lot of peoples. When we visited our grandparents we suffered because we had to go to those toilets that had roaches inside. So I didn’t like those, because you’re scared that while your sitting there a roach would come to sting you or walk on top of you. So that was something that I always considered that we were not poor; that we were privileged because we had water in our houses, inside. And other people did not, they had wells; they had little thatch houses, which we didn’t have. We had board, lumber, and tin roofs. We had very nice treats, nice lights in our communities compared to other people that they didn’t even have paved streets. They were just something that is called marl, so when the traffic is passing by the dust would come; when the rain would be pouring it would turn into mud. We didn’t have that, because we lived in front of the highway that is also the international high way that travels through all of the country. So we were very privileged. We lived in a town that is like 20 miles away from the border to the northern side with Mexico. So it was a very nice town. I felt privileged.
So when would you say life became more complicated for you as you were growing up?
-Life became a little more complicated when I became a teenager and I started to think about boyfriends, or should I say boyfriend; because I had only one in my life. The culture was different, so your parents would teach you that the first boyfriend you have, you have to get married to him. They would even give you a time table or a time frame for the couple to decide when they want to get married. Maybe they were able to get a little extension. So I couldn’t think about going to high school because those parents didn’t believe that high school was suppose to be for girls, but just for boys. The girls all they had to do was to learn how to cook and do laundry and ironing and cleaning the house; take care of kids. So from young that was my belief that I had to do these things for my family. So that’s when life started to get a little more complicated. I got married very young. I was just sixteen when I got married. We started a family and had to budget the little earnings that my ex-husband earned. Then the kids started to come; I just had two kids. That was not so bad. To raise a family was the best thing that could have happened to me. But the bad part is that, like I said before, the men in the Hispanic culture behave very uncivilized, I think. Because they believe the women don’t have the same rights as men. They believe that women as are loose if they behave like a man. Only a man can do things outside a marriage. And a woman has the obligation to forgive them. Women could never do anything because the men would never forgive a woman that cheats. So that’s when I started to see life being very complicated, because you get to see your husband going out early at night, not returning until wee hours of the morning. And then you say well this is life; you don’t like it, that’s the complication. But you have to accept it, and that is very hard so that was the most difficult part of my life. To the extreme that I could not stand it anymore and finally I had to divorce my husband, because of the things he did. Which were more than extreme, badly behaved. I decided to divorce him and his family supported me in all my decisions. That is how I ended up here in this country. I might have had everything a person needs at home, not rich, but comfortable. You have a car, money to live comfortably. But then you don’t have the respect of the man that you know should respect you. When I was young, there was no TV. in the country that would show us that women should deserve respect. Once the country started to receive television through satellite we started to see all these programs. All these psychologists and therapists that say how a woman is suppose to be treated. We started to see how mistaken we are, we are not suppose to tolerate these things. So one tries to make life better for one and the kids also.
So after moving to this country, do you believe many of your views have changed about the world and life?
-Yes it has, in many ways, especially living in a big city. I miss my country. I miss the interaction with people. In my country when we were walking down the street and we would meet who ever, we would always greet them. If it was morning we would say good morning, good evening, goodnight with a smile. We would actually make eye contact, which I noticed when I first came here. I would walk down the street and say good morning and be completely ignored. I started to feel this pain in my chest and a lump in my throat, because I was not expecting this from people in a city. I thought they would be the same as in my country. We were raised to be that way with people. To greet everyone, strangers, or people we knew. And to find out that you’re living in a city where it’s like, you’re walking in between zombies. I felt they were zombies. I was like “oh my god, will I have to be dealing with this everyday”. Some people are nice, and greet back. But some people just ignore, and that is very painful coming from a place like I described before. So those are some of the changes that I really don’t like and I miss from my country. I wish people would be better, because in a city one should be much nicer; especially cities that are visited by tourists all around the world. People should be sweet, not really interacting to the level where you might compromise yourself. But just be friendly, greeting people on the way through the streets. when you’re living in a city. Life is so fast, I say fast, because everything is like in a hurry. I guess that’s why people get stressed out. Because you have to go out and drive in between so much traffic and people are walking down the street on their phone and believe you have to wait for them to cross the street. They aren’t even worrying about the car that is coming. They just take their time. That is disgusting to me, to see people on their phones. I say I wish they would have never invented cells. I guess in a way its good, but if people would know to use it for the purpose it was probably invented. But people here are driving on their phones. Even kids now days are on their phones. Well even my country is like that now, because when I call back home its like everybody has a cell. At least there isn’t as much traffic as in a city, so at least they can take their time than we can here. Here the day goes by without you accomplishing a lot of things, if you just step out of your house. That is why I like staying in doors, I mean I don’t like going out because I feel my energy was wasted in things I did not enjoy.
So would you say that these different influences have changed the way you are raising your daughter?
-I guess so, and it makes me scared. It makes me scared because it is so much different than when I was young. Like I said before, my parents would never let me out by myself or worst with my boyfriend. They always had a chaperone for me. If they weren’t there, they always sent a brother or a sister with me. They always took good care of us. There was no television. All those movies are so gross now. Every channel has a lot of adult content in it, and I guess that is what makes the teenagers more exposed to that sexual activity that is going on. I can’t cope with that yet. It will take me a while to be able to cope with that especially when you are raised the way I was raised. And I feel scared that my daughter would go sometimes with somebody I don’t even know. And that something might happen to her. Especially watching all these movies about girls that go out and never make it back home because they were killed. I always tell me daughter to be careful. I want to know the name, phone number, and address should in case something would happen to her because I would like to know with whom she went out. So should in case something happen to her at least I would be able to tell the cops with whom she went out. She sometimes doesn’t want to tell me. She says “oh mom, he’s not a boyfriend”, but I’ve been watching movies that sometimes it was just a friend and they raped the girl. I just wouldn’t want something bad to happen to my daughter. And then not having more brothers and sister makes it difficult for me to send someone with her. And they neighborhoods where she sometimes goes out are always my concern. It’s true that when something can happen, it can happen anywhere but if you go to a place that is dangerous it’s like you’re asking of something to happen. So I think that my views are changing. I know that I have to understand that there is a difference from 40 yrs ago but its still hard for me to accept and see things they way my daughter would like for me to see it.
So in your opinion, what lifestyle did you consider better? The one in your country or the one here?
-100% the one in my country in Belize. Even though the dad was never a role model or men are not role models. But I guess women are also trying to fight for their rights and the respect they deserve. But raising kids there was much better. But as I’ve said before even in my country the life style has changed. Everybody is trying to be like America. They copy everything that they see on the TV, the styles, the way of behaving. I guess that even in my country it would be challenging at this time. I am aware that things cannot be the way they were in those times. So I guess even there I would have difficulty raising kids. But I wish it would be like when I was a kid. That was much better to raise kids.
So it’s not the country it’s the time?
-The era. It’s not the country because there was no TV to show the lifestyle of the U.S. We just listened to the radio. We listened to beautiful songs that were English songs. I would listen to Neal diamond, to a lot of singers that are around. You had to use your imagination. You had to use it every time you listened to the songs because you couldn’t even picture how the singers looked. So it was like you hear the voice, you love it, so you use your imagination to imagine what they were trying to say in their songs. There were lots of romantic singers in those times. So the time is much different. The kids are exposed to too much violence in those movies, so I think that the kids before where not exposed to these things so it was better.
Was life simpler during your childhood?
-Yes it was, compared to this time now in which we’re living. It was much better, I guess, because we had the freedom to play outside without the scare of being kidnapped. We use to play with all the kids in the neighborhood; although I come from a very small country that is much different than living here in the U.S. We use to play at night outside, our parents were not concerned about our safety because there was nothing bad happening and we enjoyed our childhood. So I sometimes feel nostalgic and sorry to see that my grandkids are not growing in an era that was like mine. They don’t have the childhood that I have; it was much more fun to be doing hula hoop, playing hop scotch, playing cans outside, pretending that they were our instruments making noise in the neighborhood. The neighbors had their windows open, their doors open. We would sleep without having to worry if we locked the doors or windows. We didn’t have to worry about the cops not being around like now. So, it was much better.
Can you describe what it was like coming from a fairly large family?
-It was very interesting to be part of seven kids because even though there was a lot of fighting going on, it was fun to be around brothers and sisters. It felt like there was always a party going on at my house. At bed time our dad always had to come scold us or wag us with his hands because even though we had lots of bed rooms in our house, every one wanted to be together in one bedroom until we really got sleepy. So, we would start playing then we would end up fighting. That is when he would come because everybody is screaming for “dad” “mom”. So he had to get up and send every one to their bed rooms. That is one of my most cherished memories as a little girl. I enjoyed having lots of sisters and brothers.
Would you say you lived in poverty or not?
-I wouldn’t say that I come from a poor family because I knew people that were a little worst, or didn’t live in the conditions that we lived in. I was one from a lucky family that was able to get a house that was safe against the hurricane. My country has hurricanes so the government would help build houses for the families that needed them, and my dad was a lucky one that got this house so, we had the opportunity to have a bathroom inside of our house, while other people did not. They had toilets outside: its like a little house, it has a bench with 2 big holes, and a little one. The big ones are for the adults, and the little ones for the kids. We didn’t have these in other parts of the country. We had those because we were the ones with the danger of the hurricane; we had these nice houses. Other people had to build their houses on their own, the ones that were not threatened by hurricanes. So I guess that our style of living was much better than a lot of peoples. When we visited our grandparents we suffered because we had to go to those toilets that had roaches inside. So I didn’t like those, because you’re scared that while your sitting there a roach would come to sting you or walk on top of you. So that was something that I always considered that we were not poor; that we were privileged because we had water in our houses, inside. And other people did not, they had wells; they had little thatch houses, which we didn’t have. We had board, lumber, and tin roofs. We had very nice treats, nice lights in our communities compared to other people that they didn’t even have paved streets. They were just something that is called marl, so when the traffic is passing by the dust would come; when the rain would be pouring it would turn into mud. We didn’t have that, because we lived in front of the highway that is also the international high way that travels through all of the country. So we were very privileged. We lived in a town that is like 20 miles away from the border to the northern side with Mexico. So it was a very nice town. I felt privileged.
So when would you say life became more complicated for you as you were growing up?
-Life became a little more complicated when I became a teenager and I started to think about boyfriends, or should I say boyfriend; because I had only one in my life. The culture was different, so your parents would teach you that the first boyfriend you have, you have to get married to him. They would even give you a time table or a time frame for the couple to decide when they want to get married. Maybe they were able to get a little extension. So I couldn’t think about going to high school because those parents didn’t believe that high school was suppose to be for girls, but just for boys. The girls all they had to do was to learn how to cook and do laundry and ironing and cleaning the house; take care of kids. So from young that was my belief that I had to do these things for my family. So that’s when life started to get a little more complicated. I got married very young. I was just sixteen when I got married. We started a family and had to budget the little earnings that my ex-husband earned. Then the kids started to come; I just had two kids. That was not so bad. To raise a family was the best thing that could have happened to me. But the bad part is that, like I said before, the men in the Hispanic culture behave very uncivilized, I think. Because they believe the women don’t have the same rights as men. They believe that women as are loose if they behave like a man. Only a man can do things outside a marriage. And a woman has the obligation to forgive them. Women could never do anything because the men would never forgive a woman that cheats. So that’s when I started to see life being very complicated, because you get to see your husband going out early at night, not returning until wee hours of the morning. And then you say well this is life; you don’t like it, that’s the complication. But you have to accept it, and that is very hard so that was the most difficult part of my life. To the extreme that I could not stand it anymore and finally I had to divorce my husband, because of the things he did. Which were more than extreme, badly behaved. I decided to divorce him and his family supported me in all my decisions. That is how I ended up here in this country. I might have had everything a person needs at home, not rich, but comfortable. You have a car, money to live comfortably. But then you don’t have the respect of the man that you know should respect you. When I was young, there was no TV. in the country that would show us that women should deserve respect. Once the country started to receive television through satellite we started to see all these programs. All these psychologists and therapists that say how a woman is suppose to be treated. We started to see how mistaken we are, we are not suppose to tolerate these things. So one tries to make life better for one and the kids also.
So after moving to this country, do you believe many of your views have changed about the world and life?
-Yes it has, in many ways, especially living in a big city. I miss my country. I miss the interaction with people. In my country when we were walking down the street and we would meet who ever, we would always greet them. If it was morning we would say good morning, good evening, goodnight with a smile. We would actually make eye contact, which I noticed when I first came here. I would walk down the street and say good morning and be completely ignored. I started to feel this pain in my chest and a lump in my throat, because I was not expecting this from people in a city. I thought they would be the same as in my country. We were raised to be that way with people. To greet everyone, strangers, or people we knew. And to find out that you’re living in a city where it’s like, you’re walking in between zombies. I felt they were zombies. I was like “oh my god, will I have to be dealing with this everyday”. Some people are nice, and greet back. But some people just ignore, and that is very painful coming from a place like I described before. So those are some of the changes that I really don’t like and I miss from my country. I wish people would be better, because in a city one should be much nicer; especially cities that are visited by tourists all around the world. People should be sweet, not really interacting to the level where you might compromise yourself. But just be friendly, greeting people on the way through the streets. when you’re living in a city. Life is so fast, I say fast, because everything is like in a hurry. I guess that’s why people get stressed out. Because you have to go out and drive in between so much traffic and people are walking down the street on their phone and believe you have to wait for them to cross the street. They aren’t even worrying about the car that is coming. They just take their time. That is disgusting to me, to see people on their phones. I say I wish they would have never invented cells. I guess in a way its good, but if people would know to use it for the purpose it was probably invented. But people here are driving on their phones. Even kids now days are on their phones. Well even my country is like that now, because when I call back home its like everybody has a cell. At least there isn’t as much traffic as in a city, so at least they can take their time than we can here. Here the day goes by without you accomplishing a lot of things, if you just step out of your house. That is why I like staying in doors, I mean I don’t like going out because I feel my energy was wasted in things I did not enjoy.
So would you say that these different influences have changed the way you are raising your daughter?
-I guess so, and it makes me scared. It makes me scared because it is so much different than when I was young. Like I said before, my parents would never let me out by myself or worst with my boyfriend. They always had a chaperone for me. If they weren’t there, they always sent a brother or a sister with me. They always took good care of us. There was no television. All those movies are so gross now. Every channel has a lot of adult content in it, and I guess that is what makes the teenagers more exposed to that sexual activity that is going on. I can’t cope with that yet. It will take me a while to be able to cope with that especially when you are raised the way I was raised. And I feel scared that my daughter would go sometimes with somebody I don’t even know. And that something might happen to her. Especially watching all these movies about girls that go out and never make it back home because they were killed. I always tell me daughter to be careful. I want to know the name, phone number, and address should in case something would happen to her because I would like to know with whom she went out. So should in case something happen to her at least I would be able to tell the cops with whom she went out. She sometimes doesn’t want to tell me. She says “oh mom, he’s not a boyfriend”, but I’ve been watching movies that sometimes it was just a friend and they raped the girl. I just wouldn’t want something bad to happen to my daughter. And then not having more brothers and sister makes it difficult for me to send someone with her. And they neighborhoods where she sometimes goes out are always my concern. It’s true that when something can happen, it can happen anywhere but if you go to a place that is dangerous it’s like you’re asking of something to happen. So I think that my views are changing. I know that I have to understand that there is a difference from 40 yrs ago but its still hard for me to accept and see things they way my daughter would like for me to see it.
So in your opinion, what lifestyle did you consider better? The one in your country or the one here?
-100% the one in my country in Belize. Even though the dad was never a role model or men are not role models. But I guess women are also trying to fight for their rights and the respect they deserve. But raising kids there was much better. But as I’ve said before even in my country the life style has changed. Everybody is trying to be like America. They copy everything that they see on the TV, the styles, the way of behaving. I guess that even in my country it would be challenging at this time. I am aware that things cannot be the way they were in those times. So I guess even there I would have difficulty raising kids. But I wish it would be like when I was a kid. That was much better to raise kids.
So it’s not the country it’s the time?
-The era. It’s not the country because there was no TV to show the lifestyle of the U.S. We just listened to the radio. We listened to beautiful songs that were English songs. I would listen to Neal diamond, to a lot of singers that are around. You had to use your imagination. You had to use it every time you listened to the songs because you couldn’t even picture how the singers looked. So it was like you hear the voice, you love it, so you use your imagination to imagine what they were trying to say in their songs. There were lots of romantic singers in those times. So the time is much different. The kids are exposed to too much violence in those movies, so I think that the kids before where not exposed to these things so it was better.
Oral History
Mike was only 20 years old when he left his small home town to fight for his country in the Vietnam War. In 1968 Mike decided to join the Army so he would be able to further his education. Having enlisted during the heat of the war, he was sent to Vietnam two years after he enlisted. In 1970, Mike left his wife and new born son and headed to a camp in California for training. Since Mike was going to work as a Medic while in Vietnam he had to learn two years worth of medical education in six months. After six months of intense medical schooling at the San Diego Core School, he was then sent to a Fleet Marine School, where he was prepared for the challenges that awaited him in Vietnam. At this camp Mike learned how to fight in the jungle, and what to do if he was attacked.
Once in Vietnam, Mike served as a medic for the Marine Core. Mike treated soldiers who had minor illnesses and injuries. Although he never cared for soldiers with major injuries, he did see soldiers that had their arms or legs blown off. Mike was also responsible for going on missions to fire air support to the Marines. These missions usually occurred at night and lasted for about thirty minutes. Fortunately, Mike never had to go into the jungles and fight in combat. However, he was still very scared while being in Vietnam. Mike did experience being under fire a couple of times, but he never had to decide if he should kill someone or not. Mike survived his tour of duty in Vietnam. However, he knew many people from his home town that died in the war. Mike also had friends that he trained with in camp that died in Vietnam. In 1971 Mike’s term was up and he was able to return home.
Mike was treated with respect and honor when he returned home. Although it was hard to adjust to life in a normal surrounding, Mike didn’t experience any psychiatric effects from being in Vietnam. Because Mike left a year before the war had ended he avoided watching it on the news because they showed the war for what it truly was and he didn’t want to see those horrific images again. Having been against the war himself, Mike didn’t take offense from protestors. Mike didn’t take part in any protest, but he did see the Vietnam War as a senseless war and he believed that there was no reason for the U.S. to be a part of it.
During the war the U.S. government sprayed Agent Orange all over Vietnam. The chemicals in the Agent Orange caused many medical problems for a number of soldiers, including Mike. In 1973 Mike was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s disease. Although Mike has had many medical issues as a result of being in Vietnam, he does not regret fighting for his country. During the time the war was going on, some of Mike’s friends ran away to Canada. Mike knew that he could do this, but he didn’t. Instead, Mike left his family, lived in Vietnam for a year where he lived in fear that he might die, saw things that many people never want to see, and developed a number of illnesses. However, amidst all the fear and hardships that Mike encountered in and after Vietnam, if he had to do it all over again he would still go. Fleeing to Canada was and still wouldn’t be an option for Mike. Like all men and women that fight for our country, Mike is a true hero.
Once in Vietnam, Mike served as a medic for the Marine Core. Mike treated soldiers who had minor illnesses and injuries. Although he never cared for soldiers with major injuries, he did see soldiers that had their arms or legs blown off. Mike was also responsible for going on missions to fire air support to the Marines. These missions usually occurred at night and lasted for about thirty minutes. Fortunately, Mike never had to go into the jungles and fight in combat. However, he was still very scared while being in Vietnam. Mike did experience being under fire a couple of times, but he never had to decide if he should kill someone or not. Mike survived his tour of duty in Vietnam. However, he knew many people from his home town that died in the war. Mike also had friends that he trained with in camp that died in Vietnam. In 1971 Mike’s term was up and he was able to return home.
Mike was treated with respect and honor when he returned home. Although it was hard to adjust to life in a normal surrounding, Mike didn’t experience any psychiatric effects from being in Vietnam. Because Mike left a year before the war had ended he avoided watching it on the news because they showed the war for what it truly was and he didn’t want to see those horrific images again. Having been against the war himself, Mike didn’t take offense from protestors. Mike didn’t take part in any protest, but he did see the Vietnam War as a senseless war and he believed that there was no reason for the U.S. to be a part of it.
During the war the U.S. government sprayed Agent Orange all over Vietnam. The chemicals in the Agent Orange caused many medical problems for a number of soldiers, including Mike. In 1973 Mike was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s disease. Although Mike has had many medical issues as a result of being in Vietnam, he does not regret fighting for his country. During the time the war was going on, some of Mike’s friends ran away to Canada. Mike knew that he could do this, but he didn’t. Instead, Mike left his family, lived in Vietnam for a year where he lived in fear that he might die, saw things that many people never want to see, and developed a number of illnesses. However, amidst all the fear and hardships that Mike encountered in and after Vietnam, if he had to do it all over again he would still go. Fleeing to Canada was and still wouldn’t be an option for Mike. Like all men and women that fight for our country, Mike is a true hero.
From Olivia: Creative Response #2: Guidelines
I've been talking to many of you individually about this, but here are the assignment guidelines:
1. You are going to sign up for a day on which to present your CR2. This not a speech or a power point presentation; this is a brief "show and tell" type of format. You will not turn anything in. You will not be judged on your artwork. You will be graded on the effectiveness of your analysis and your ability to summarize your position in one to two sentences (aloud). It's kind of like presenting a thesis to us orally and then supporting your thesis with your "piece of art."
2. Your assignment: make an original piece of art (poetry, drawing, music, painting, performance, sculpture, collage, comic strip) alone OR with a partner.
3. The artwork MUST illustrate any social group experiencing any of the Five Faces of Oppression.
4. The social group you illustrate MUST comply with IMY's definition.
5. The social group MUST be experiencing at least one of the Five Faces.
6. Your grade is broken down this way: a) the effort of making an original, creative, and thoughtful piece of art is worth 5 points, b) your ability to summarize your analysis, orally, in a thesis statement is worth 5 points, c) your ability to smoothly connect IMY's theories with your own observation (social group, faces of oppression) is worth 10 points.
E-mail me with questions.
1. You are going to sign up for a day on which to present your CR2. This not a speech or a power point presentation; this is a brief "show and tell" type of format. You will not turn anything in. You will not be judged on your artwork. You will be graded on the effectiveness of your analysis and your ability to summarize your position in one to two sentences (aloud). It's kind of like presenting a thesis to us orally and then supporting your thesis with your "piece of art."
2. Your assignment: make an original piece of art (poetry, drawing, music, painting, performance, sculpture, collage, comic strip) alone OR with a partner.
3. The artwork MUST illustrate any social group experiencing any of the Five Faces of Oppression.
4. The social group you illustrate MUST comply with IMY's definition.
5. The social group MUST be experiencing at least one of the Five Faces.
6. Your grade is broken down this way: a) the effort of making an original, creative, and thoughtful piece of art is worth 5 points, b) your ability to summarize your analysis, orally, in a thesis statement is worth 5 points, c) your ability to smoothly connect IMY's theories with your own observation (social group, faces of oppression) is worth 10 points.
E-mail me with questions.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Oral History
I interviewed my wife, Kerry who found out as a child that she was adopted. Her adoptive parents then got divorced, and both remarried. These events have put her in a situation where she now has three sets of parents.
How old were you when you found out that you were adopted, and how did you find out?
I was five years old and I was in the bathtub with my mom. I asked her why her feet didn’t look like mine. She said, “even though you were meant to be my baby, I didn’t carry you in my tummy."
What was your reaction? Did you feel betrayed, or not?
No, I didn’t feel betrayed. I was just a little confused. For some reason, I was ok with it because I trusted her. I was much too young to wonder about who carried me, so I really didn’t ask any other questions for awhile.
At what point did you seek out to meet your biological parents? Do you have any other siblings?
I tried to find them when I was eighteen but my mother wouldn’t sign off on it. Therefore, I had to wait until I was twenty one. When I finally did meet them, I found out that my biological parents got back together, married each other, and had four more children. The sad thing is that they changed their mind about the adoption just hours after they signed off on it, causing them to spend years of regret that they let me go. To this day, it still eats them up inside and occasionally they will bring it up. When they do, it is very uncomfortable for me because I am happy with who raised me. However, I can still feel their pain.
Why did she refuse to sign the approval?
She felt threatened that I would discover this new relationship and leave her behind, so to speak. I think she thought the curiosity of me not knowing who they were would steer me away.
Did you find out why your biological parents gave you up, and do you think it was justified?
Larry’s (biological father) mother threatened Roxanne (biological mother) by telling her she would not be able to have any contact with Larry unless she took care of the situation. She was very young and scared and thought that this was the best option for me. Considering the situation, I do too.
How old were you when your adoptive parents separated, and did you feel like you might have been responsible for the separation?
I was five when they split up and, yes, I felt responsible. As crazy as it seems, I thought they split up because I used to ask to sleep with them every night in their bed.
Did these kinds of separations affect your relationships as far as boyfriends are concerned? Did you have a fear of commitment?
I had a hard time being in relationships where I didn’t have a lot of control. However, when my mother remarried, it was such a healthy marriage. That is the relationship that I remember the most. I feel that this kind of saved my own relationships from being affected.
How hard is it to grow up with three sets of parents? Do they all reach out to you, and which ones are the closest to you now?
It is very difficult. I constantly feel torn in different directions and they always make me feel like I am not spending enough time with them. My adoptive mother, by far, is the closest to me.
Do you worry about hurting anyone’s feelings when you are visiting the others? If so, which ones?
I always felt bad when I visited my biological parents because I felt like I was betraying my mother, or cheating on her. I still do, even when I visit them now. Even though she knows that I do see them, I don't ever mention it to her.
Do you think these situations have altered your outlook on marriage, divorce, adoption, or abortion? If so, how has it?
I’m a little more anti-abortion now because I feel like my birth mother could have easily gone that route. I think adoption is a wonderful thing. I feel that nature versus nurture is definitely 50/50. I can see some similarities with my birth family, but much more with the family that raised me. As far as marriage is concerned, I feel that couples should do everything they can to try to make it work out. However, my father cheated on my mother, and in the long run, my mother ended up with a much better person when she remarried. I don't feel that couples should stay together just for the sake of staying together if they're not in love.
Does being adopted make you feel like an outcast?
No. It used to bother me when I was younger because kids were mean and teased me. I grew up in such a small town and they used to comment that I didn’t look like my mother at all. To try to cover it up, I told them that I looked like my father, knowing that they would never meet him. They would never meet him because he was gone by the time I started school. But now that I am much older, I kind of favor it. With so many unhappy families out there that feel like they are stuck with what they have, it’s a wonderful feeling to know that I was wanted and that people went out of their way to take me in and love me.
How old were you when you found out that you were adopted, and how did you find out?
I was five years old and I was in the bathtub with my mom. I asked her why her feet didn’t look like mine. She said, “even though you were meant to be my baby, I didn’t carry you in my tummy."
What was your reaction? Did you feel betrayed, or not?
No, I didn’t feel betrayed. I was just a little confused. For some reason, I was ok with it because I trusted her. I was much too young to wonder about who carried me, so I really didn’t ask any other questions for awhile.
At what point did you seek out to meet your biological parents? Do you have any other siblings?
I tried to find them when I was eighteen but my mother wouldn’t sign off on it. Therefore, I had to wait until I was twenty one. When I finally did meet them, I found out that my biological parents got back together, married each other, and had four more children. The sad thing is that they changed their mind about the adoption just hours after they signed off on it, causing them to spend years of regret that they let me go. To this day, it still eats them up inside and occasionally they will bring it up. When they do, it is very uncomfortable for me because I am happy with who raised me. However, I can still feel their pain.
Why did she refuse to sign the approval?
She felt threatened that I would discover this new relationship and leave her behind, so to speak. I think she thought the curiosity of me not knowing who they were would steer me away.
Did you find out why your biological parents gave you up, and do you think it was justified?
Larry’s (biological father) mother threatened Roxanne (biological mother) by telling her she would not be able to have any contact with Larry unless she took care of the situation. She was very young and scared and thought that this was the best option for me. Considering the situation, I do too.
How old were you when your adoptive parents separated, and did you feel like you might have been responsible for the separation?
I was five when they split up and, yes, I felt responsible. As crazy as it seems, I thought they split up because I used to ask to sleep with them every night in their bed.
Did these kinds of separations affect your relationships as far as boyfriends are concerned? Did you have a fear of commitment?
I had a hard time being in relationships where I didn’t have a lot of control. However, when my mother remarried, it was such a healthy marriage. That is the relationship that I remember the most. I feel that this kind of saved my own relationships from being affected.
How hard is it to grow up with three sets of parents? Do they all reach out to you, and which ones are the closest to you now?
It is very difficult. I constantly feel torn in different directions and they always make me feel like I am not spending enough time with them. My adoptive mother, by far, is the closest to me.
Do you worry about hurting anyone’s feelings when you are visiting the others? If so, which ones?
I always felt bad when I visited my biological parents because I felt like I was betraying my mother, or cheating on her. I still do, even when I visit them now. Even though she knows that I do see them, I don't ever mention it to her.
Do you think these situations have altered your outlook on marriage, divorce, adoption, or abortion? If so, how has it?
I’m a little more anti-abortion now because I feel like my birth mother could have easily gone that route. I think adoption is a wonderful thing. I feel that nature versus nurture is definitely 50/50. I can see some similarities with my birth family, but much more with the family that raised me. As far as marriage is concerned, I feel that couples should do everything they can to try to make it work out. However, my father cheated on my mother, and in the long run, my mother ended up with a much better person when she remarried. I don't feel that couples should stay together just for the sake of staying together if they're not in love.
Does being adopted make you feel like an outcast?
No. It used to bother me when I was younger because kids were mean and teased me. I grew up in such a small town and they used to comment that I didn’t look like my mother at all. To try to cover it up, I told them that I looked like my father, knowing that they would never meet him. They would never meet him because he was gone by the time I started school. But now that I am much older, I kind of favor it. With so many unhappy families out there that feel like they are stuck with what they have, it’s a wonderful feeling to know that I was wanted and that people went out of their way to take me in and love me.
Cultural Document
Our culture, based on this video on YouTube, shows that our society is big on humiliating people when they least accept it. Our society makes funny of everyone and that isn’t very nice to do. We shouldn’t make funny of anyone just because they are different like the saying states we shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, so we shouldn’t judge people, yet we all do it. Our society makes jokes of everyone because I believe it is a way for the individual to feel better about themselves. This is a link to the video… http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j97V-aMjeTk&feature=PlayList&p=6027CBDE32C32D57&index=3
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Oral History
Mary, 50
I interviewed my mom just two days after her 50th birthday. She was born in Kamishly, Syria, but left shortly thereafter with her mother to Beirut, Lebanon. Her sister and two brothers stayed in Syria, but would rejoin them later in Lebanon. However, in an unexpected turn of events, the family had to move back to Syria after a civil war started in Lebanon in 1973 (one of my mom’s brothers actually stayed in Beirut because he was married, settled in, and did not want to leave). In 1985, my mom and her sister left for America to join their mother and brother who had arrived there earlier. My mom returned to Syria in 1989, where she met and married my father. During that same visit, she also returned to Beirut to see what had become of the city. After that last visit to Beirut, my parents stayed in Australia for a year before eventually returning to this country.
Mommy, why did you leave Kamishly for Beirut?
It was really because your grandma had found a job in Beirut. Not that it was the best job, but it was one that provided us with enough to just barely make it. But, it was just the two of us – your aunt and uncles stayed in Kamishly because they were studying at the time, and your grandma didn’t want them to leave their studies.
How old were you then? Were you against leaving Syria?
I was only around six or seven years old, so I don’t really remember quite well. But, it was hard because my aunts, you know, your grandma’s sisters were there, and we were leaving for another country (but remember that the two countries are not far from one another).
How was your life in Beirut?
Oh, Beirut was beautiful. It was really nice; everything was good. The weather was amazing, and the city itself was wonderful. And I, as a child, enjoyed it even more because your grandma worked as a nanny for these very friendly people who also had high statuses back then. So, I got to play with the children, and I remember they had such a nice house with all these great toys and playground sets. And I was amazed by it because I never really had what they did.
Why then did your family decide to leave?
I don’t know if we would have left if the war didn’t start. I remember I was only 13 years old. The war really happened out of the ordinary. We were living our lives normally, and then all of a sudden, we see fighting. I think it was a civil war between the Palestinians and the Lebanese, but I am not sure. Maybe between Muslims and Christians. I don’t know. All I remember was that there were bombings going on everywhere. We had to stay in our basement. We stopped doing everything. We stopped working and going to school. You would see bodies on the ground. Innocent people were dying. It was so devastating. So your grandma decided it was better to leave and go back to Syria. You see, we still had a home there from before. So we just left everything, everything, and we fled.
What did you miss the most?
You know as a child, you remember the simple things. I really have never forgotten our white cat Jeanie. She was such a good cat. She would leave through the window and gently scratch against the door when she wanted to come back inside. She was really well-behaved. I missed her a lot.
When revisiting Beirut after the war had finished, did you consider living there again?
I really don’t think I would. Mostly because I love it here, and the US is such an amazing country. But the truth is, it is not the same Beirut either. When I went back, it was not pretty. The houses were all torn and ruined. The war had really hurt it. It was so different. Peoples’ lives were different. It was so sad what had happened to the beautiful city it once was.
I interviewed my mom just two days after her 50th birthday. She was born in Kamishly, Syria, but left shortly thereafter with her mother to Beirut, Lebanon. Her sister and two brothers stayed in Syria, but would rejoin them later in Lebanon. However, in an unexpected turn of events, the family had to move back to Syria after a civil war started in Lebanon in 1973 (one of my mom’s brothers actually stayed in Beirut because he was married, settled in, and did not want to leave). In 1985, my mom and her sister left for America to join their mother and brother who had arrived there earlier. My mom returned to Syria in 1989, where she met and married my father. During that same visit, she also returned to Beirut to see what had become of the city. After that last visit to Beirut, my parents stayed in Australia for a year before eventually returning to this country.
Mommy, why did you leave Kamishly for Beirut?
It was really because your grandma had found a job in Beirut. Not that it was the best job, but it was one that provided us with enough to just barely make it. But, it was just the two of us – your aunt and uncles stayed in Kamishly because they were studying at the time, and your grandma didn’t want them to leave their studies.
How old were you then? Were you against leaving Syria?
I was only around six or seven years old, so I don’t really remember quite well. But, it was hard because my aunts, you know, your grandma’s sisters were there, and we were leaving for another country (but remember that the two countries are not far from one another).
How was your life in Beirut?
Oh, Beirut was beautiful. It was really nice; everything was good. The weather was amazing, and the city itself was wonderful. And I, as a child, enjoyed it even more because your grandma worked as a nanny for these very friendly people who also had high statuses back then. So, I got to play with the children, and I remember they had such a nice house with all these great toys and playground sets. And I was amazed by it because I never really had what they did.
Why then did your family decide to leave?
I don’t know if we would have left if the war didn’t start. I remember I was only 13 years old. The war really happened out of the ordinary. We were living our lives normally, and then all of a sudden, we see fighting. I think it was a civil war between the Palestinians and the Lebanese, but I am not sure. Maybe between Muslims and Christians. I don’t know. All I remember was that there were bombings going on everywhere. We had to stay in our basement. We stopped doing everything. We stopped working and going to school. You would see bodies on the ground. Innocent people were dying. It was so devastating. So your grandma decided it was better to leave and go back to Syria. You see, we still had a home there from before. So we just left everything, everything, and we fled.
What did you miss the most?
You know as a child, you remember the simple things. I really have never forgotten our white cat Jeanie. She was such a good cat. She would leave through the window and gently scratch against the door when she wanted to come back inside. She was really well-behaved. I missed her a lot.
When revisiting Beirut after the war had finished, did you consider living there again?
I really don’t think I would. Mostly because I love it here, and the US is such an amazing country. But the truth is, it is not the same Beirut either. When I went back, it was not pretty. The houses were all torn and ruined. The war had really hurt it. It was so different. Peoples’ lives were different. It was so sad what had happened to the beautiful city it once was.
letter
Dear Amy Steel,
Hi, how are you doing? My name is Loan Le and I had read about you in a small excerpt in a book. I cannot say that I understand how you feel about your sexuality because I am a heterosexual. I can say that I understand what you are going through and I completely disagree with the system. I have many homosexual friends and they are no different from any of my other friends. The big discrimination against homosexual back in the fifties is no different from being racist again other color. It is horrible to see that so many people had to marry and have kids in order to hide their true sexuality. It must been very difficult for you to pretend to love someone that you have no interest with. In this new century that I am living in, a lot had changed. Now, many people are not afraid to show their true self. Do not get me wrong, there are people that do hide their sexuality but not from the government. They hide for their own personal reason.
As I read more about you, I can see how strong you were of your own sexuality. There are many people that will never tell their families that they are a homosexual. The fact that you were able to tell your family that you are gay knowing that they are against it is very impressive. In today’s world, two people of the same sex are able to get marry and even have children together. I actually have a friend that has two mothers. The only problem is he does not have a male figure in his life. He even confessed to me that he is sometime embarrassed to tell anyone that he has two mothers. Because of that, he feels that he had to do more masculine activities to show that he is not sissy. He was a big jock when he was in high school and now he is working as a construction worker. I cannot give him any advice on his situation because I was never in his predicament. In fact, I my feelings about the situation is opposing to his.
I grew up with two parents but by the time I was twelve years old, my father left my family. In my family I have an older sister, which is twenty four now, a younger brother, which is sixteen now, and I will be twenty one in September. My brother was only seven when my father left, and was raised with only females in the family. He now goes to Loyola Academy and always had first honors in his classes. I had once asked him how he felt growing up without a male figure and he told me that my mother is his male figure and she is all he need. If you have any advice about my friend’s situation I would love to hear about it.
In fact I have many questions to ask you about the fifties. When did you know that you were gay? How do you feel knowing that you could not run to your family and talk about it? How did you feel when the police arrested you for “vagrancy?” Do you think the cop knew you were gay and actually arrested you for discrimination? Have you ever thought how your life would be if you were ever straight? Did you ever wish that you had never told your family and kept it a secret? If the whole world was gay but there was a discriminatory against heterosexuals, will you ever accept that from your children? Will you think the same way as your parents?
I want to thank you for your time. Well I would love to hear from you soon. Please write back as soon as a possible
Love Always,
Loan Le
Monday, February 23, 2009
Oral History
I interviewed my mother, Amy Ng; she is the mother of two, who emigrated from China to Chicago. Amy immigrated to America to find a better life and to start a new life with her husband who also immigrated to America in 1983. They immigrated to America because they wanted to have a better future for their child. The following is my interview with her:
How long have you been living in America?
I came to America in 1987, 23 years old. Years passed by and I have learned enough English to communicate with others. At first I had problems learning English but after four years I finally succeeded in learning the basics.
How was your life in China?
I lived with my mom, my dad and I have a younger brother. The highest education I had was elementary school and high school. I had no chance to go to college so I decided to get a job and provide income for my family. My father worked as a flour maker and my mother worked as a textile worker. Life was decent enough to find a job in textile work. I was paid $40 a month and the pay was affordable to buy our daily needs. I got married in 1986 to my lovely husband and then we decided to go to America to start a new life. We wanted to have a better education for our children because my husband and I didn’t have the chance to gain in our lifetime.
How was life in America for you once you immigrated to the US?
Once I immigrated to America I lived with my husband in an apartment. The rent is around $220 a month and I decided to help my husband provide income. I got a job in downtown working as a cashier in a fast food restaurant earning about $5.25 an hour. Been working there for three years part time job and life was pleasant. I take the train to work every other day and do grocery shopping on the weekend. The neighborhood where I lived was a mixed of white and Chinese. I remember clearly in the winter I was discriminated by white boys as I parked the car. I didn’t know why I was discriminated but I knew that there is racism. “Life was definitely greener on this side,” I heard this saying from other people who have also immigrated to America. Things have gotten better as years passed by. Later on I gave birth to two children; one boy and one girl. My husband decided to have my mother and father immigrate to America to help take care of our children while we go to work. It was a blessing to have my parents here to sure the moments and have my side of the family in America.
How long have you been living in America?
I came to America in 1987, 23 years old. Years passed by and I have learned enough English to communicate with others. At first I had problems learning English but after four years I finally succeeded in learning the basics.
How was your life in China?
I lived with my mom, my dad and I have a younger brother. The highest education I had was elementary school and high school. I had no chance to go to college so I decided to get a job and provide income for my family. My father worked as a flour maker and my mother worked as a textile worker. Life was decent enough to find a job in textile work. I was paid $40 a month and the pay was affordable to buy our daily needs. I got married in 1986 to my lovely husband and then we decided to go to America to start a new life. We wanted to have a better education for our children because my husband and I didn’t have the chance to gain in our lifetime.
How was life in America for you once you immigrated to the US?
Once I immigrated to America I lived with my husband in an apartment. The rent is around $220 a month and I decided to help my husband provide income. I got a job in downtown working as a cashier in a fast food restaurant earning about $5.25 an hour. Been working there for three years part time job and life was pleasant. I take the train to work every other day and do grocery shopping on the weekend. The neighborhood where I lived was a mixed of white and Chinese. I remember clearly in the winter I was discriminated by white boys as I parked the car. I didn’t know why I was discriminated but I knew that there is racism. “Life was definitely greener on this side,” I heard this saying from other people who have also immigrated to America. Things have gotten better as years passed by. Later on I gave birth to two children; one boy and one girl. My husband decided to have my mother and father immigrate to America to help take care of our children while we go to work. It was a blessing to have my parents here to sure the moments and have my side of the family in America.
Oral History: My Father Stephen Charles Mayer
My name is Stephen Charles Mayer and I was born October 1, 1959. I grew up really, in the western suburbs of Chicago. My family was middle class; my father was essentially a missionary for much of my early years.
His mother was a self-made millionaire of all things, when woman were generally not successful business women, but she was. And so she gave us enough money to have a better lifestyle than the amount of money my father earned, so we could grow up in a neighborhood where people, generally men, made more than my father earned.
So we, in our town in Wheaton Illinois, which is where most of my memories of my early years were made, most of the people were a mixture of Protestants and catholic middle class Americans. There were African Americans in the community, not in the neighborhood where I lived.
There was a section in town, back when there were sections in towns, where most of the Africans American lived. There was not a racially mixed community. There were probably Hispanics, but not noticeably different.
(So in the next portion of my video, the volume wont work, so I am going to paraphrase everything.)
What are some of you childhood memories?
Growing up in a small town, I remember playing outside with my siblings. I grew up the oldest of three brothers and with an older sister. I remember being able to wander the town at a relatively young age. I could go downtown, where people would recognize me as my grandmothers grandchild; she was a well know business woman in the community.
As kids, it was the age of the “Lone Ranger” where it was still okay to play “Cowboys and Indians” or “Americans and Germans.” Today that would be unacceptable and politically incorrect. You don’t hear kids playing “Americans and Terrorist,” it was a different time.
What is the difference of kids today and kids of your generation?
I don’t think there is too much of a difference. I do think that today, kids are more media driven. Growing up we didn’t have the variety of TV shows there are today. We couldn’t just put on the Disney channel, or look at YouTube, or play video games.
Even though it’s not too long ago, but a computer was also non-existent growing up. When you needed information you had to go to the library and actually look inside books. If your family had enough money, you could afford to have a encyclopedia; my grandmother gave us a collection. Writing papers, you had to use a typewriter.
Do you remember anything political?
Growing up in the sixties, I do remember the Civil Rights Movement. As a kid who was very interested in the news, I think that’s why these memories stood out in my mind. I remember when President Kennedy got shot. I remember my mother talking to our neighbor over the quote unquote white picket fence.
I also remember when Martin Luther King Jr. got shot. At that time, I remember watching a kids show, cartoons, I think, and I remember the TV screen became black, and a news coverage began about the assassination. I remember looking at my friends and not knowing who he was. We just didn’t know, which wasn’t uncommon for a kid my age. When the riots broke out in Chicago, I did remember looking east and trying to see the smoke clouds from the burning neighborhoods.
Sayonara
This is the movie I mentioned the other day. It's called Sayonara and star Marlon Brando (the Godfather). I copied this from wikipeidia if you are interested! It's a cool movie because it addresses racism at a time when it was a sensitive subject.
Sayonara (1957) is a film which tells the story of an American Air Force flier who was a fighter "Ace" during the Korean War. The film's screenplay was adapted by Paul Osborn from the novel by James Michener, and the film was produced by William Goetz and directed by Joshua Logan. Unlike most 1950s romantic dramas, Sayonara deals squarely with racism and prejudice.
Lloyd "Ace" Gruver, the son of an Army general, stationed at Itami Air Force Base (now Osaka International Airport) near Kobe, Japan, falls in love with a Japanese entertainer who is a performer for a Takarazuka-like theater company, whom he meets through his enlisted crew chief, Airman Kelly. Kelly has married a Japanese woman, Katsumi, in spite of the disapproval of the United States military, which will not recognize the marriage. The Air Force, including Gruver, is against the marriage. Gruver and Kelly have an argument where Gruver uses a racial slur to describe Kelly's fiancee, but Gruver apologizes then agrees to be Kelly's Best Man at the wedding.Kelly suffers further prejudice at the hands of a particularly nasty colonel, pulling extra duty and all the less-attractive assignments. When Kelly and many others who are married to Japanese are ordered back to the United States.
Creative Writing 1
Dear Stand Lenard,
Love is sometimes a beautiful thing and sometimes it can be tragic. Loving someone else can be a challenge for some and easy for others. For some their first love is themselves and for many it’s someone else. Well, let me say this it sucks that you can’t be complete about yourself like you would like to in front of your relatives. I’m sorry that you go through that and you’re absolutely right. A person doesn’t have to pick a marriage at least not in our culture but it is what it is. When I say it is what it is, I mean as in sometimes we cannot change the circumstance or people in life. We are not sure sometimes how people are going to react. Some assume right away and isolate us like we are not “normal”. Really, who knows what normal is?I would have to disagree with you when you mentioned that gay bars are depressing. I think the gay bar would be more alive with heterosexuals for the simple fact that some are not used to that type of environment and their reactions are unique. I did find it quite interesting that you said homosexuals are afraid of losing their looks. I wonder if they did what else would they have to lose. Are they afraid of being alone? For some people, despite sexual orientation, loneliness does get worse if we let it get to us and let it take control. I realized something, something that I do and maybe some can agree. I focused more on my life than I do my emotions. The undivided attention focuses towards on something else rather than what I am trying to ignore inside. One can try and try to ignore but I promise you these emotions will someday reveal its true colors. See, you already know that you are gay but it seems to me, now correct me if I am wrong, that your idea of loving an entire audience more than one person is not your reason for justification for hiding your pain. But because you know you are gay and the way you have to live your life hidden, the way you’re dealing with it and that you have for so many years. I grew to learn that one can make themselves more unhappy and lonely by doing this. By ignoring their feelings and focusing on something else. What I am about to say is easier said than done, but get over it. Love yourself and just be. Do not let others views affect you in living the life you desire. It is understandable about your family and their approval because they are all you have got. If they do not accept, would you choose to live a lie and unhappy? Try talking to them if you have not already. I am sure after so long that they will have probably figured it out and are just in denial as well.I agree with you love is a beautiful thing. Gosh! I love the love. You just can’t replace the feeling. It’s another form of security, comfort, and happiness. See, the difference between me and you is that I live more by reasoning than I do on feelings. I pay attention to others than my own feelings which leads me to my other point my friend. I used to wonder about people why many could be unhappy alone or either in a relationship. Just by this observation throughout the years I have learned to do what others are afraid to do, whom others sometimes are afraid to be with and whom others have forgotten. That answers is to love thy self and to be with themselves. Many, of my generation and those younger, have forgotten that they exist and rush into relationship or marriage. Some still have trouble trying to understand themselves as an individual. How do you go around the world loving or trying to learn about someone else before you? I don’t know, maybe it’s just me but I believe if people understood themselves more that he or she is able to understand others as well but sometimes they need fresh pairs of eyes just to help them see what they don’t, what they can’t or what they refuse to see.I have never been to confessions before but I will admit the church is sovereign. It is right; it is pure and above all good in morals. The church shaped our country and many others and the people that follow. The church standards, I believe, help create a sense of sanity and right from wrong idea or control. It established most of our laws and what is supposed to be right or feel justified. So, don’t feel that being a homosexual is wrong many just made it that way. The free will to love is a free will so you may freely love. No one can take away from you. Not even written on some piece of paper or stone. I believe that if you accept others, even those who do not accept you that they may just remember that who you fall in love with isn’t who you are but that your heart is open. Show them what kind of person you are and watch how you will become their friend and what sex you’re interested in most likely, hopefully, will be just a shrug of the shoulder and the friendship continues. I wish you the best and good luck. Remember you come first.
Sincerely,
Griselda R.
Love is sometimes a beautiful thing and sometimes it can be tragic. Loving someone else can be a challenge for some and easy for others. For some their first love is themselves and for many it’s someone else. Well, let me say this it sucks that you can’t be complete about yourself like you would like to in front of your relatives. I’m sorry that you go through that and you’re absolutely right. A person doesn’t have to pick a marriage at least not in our culture but it is what it is. When I say it is what it is, I mean as in sometimes we cannot change the circumstance or people in life. We are not sure sometimes how people are going to react. Some assume right away and isolate us like we are not “normal”. Really, who knows what normal is?I would have to disagree with you when you mentioned that gay bars are depressing. I think the gay bar would be more alive with heterosexuals for the simple fact that some are not used to that type of environment and their reactions are unique. I did find it quite interesting that you said homosexuals are afraid of losing their looks. I wonder if they did what else would they have to lose. Are they afraid of being alone? For some people, despite sexual orientation, loneliness does get worse if we let it get to us and let it take control. I realized something, something that I do and maybe some can agree. I focused more on my life than I do my emotions. The undivided attention focuses towards on something else rather than what I am trying to ignore inside. One can try and try to ignore but I promise you these emotions will someday reveal its true colors. See, you already know that you are gay but it seems to me, now correct me if I am wrong, that your idea of loving an entire audience more than one person is not your reason for justification for hiding your pain. But because you know you are gay and the way you have to live your life hidden, the way you’re dealing with it and that you have for so many years. I grew to learn that one can make themselves more unhappy and lonely by doing this. By ignoring their feelings and focusing on something else. What I am about to say is easier said than done, but get over it. Love yourself and just be. Do not let others views affect you in living the life you desire. It is understandable about your family and their approval because they are all you have got. If they do not accept, would you choose to live a lie and unhappy? Try talking to them if you have not already. I am sure after so long that they will have probably figured it out and are just in denial as well.I agree with you love is a beautiful thing. Gosh! I love the love. You just can’t replace the feeling. It’s another form of security, comfort, and happiness. See, the difference between me and you is that I live more by reasoning than I do on feelings. I pay attention to others than my own feelings which leads me to my other point my friend. I used to wonder about people why many could be unhappy alone or either in a relationship. Just by this observation throughout the years I have learned to do what others are afraid to do, whom others sometimes are afraid to be with and whom others have forgotten. That answers is to love thy self and to be with themselves. Many, of my generation and those younger, have forgotten that they exist and rush into relationship or marriage. Some still have trouble trying to understand themselves as an individual. How do you go around the world loving or trying to learn about someone else before you? I don’t know, maybe it’s just me but I believe if people understood themselves more that he or she is able to understand others as well but sometimes they need fresh pairs of eyes just to help them see what they don’t, what they can’t or what they refuse to see.I have never been to confessions before but I will admit the church is sovereign. It is right; it is pure and above all good in morals. The church shaped our country and many others and the people that follow. The church standards, I believe, help create a sense of sanity and right from wrong idea or control. It established most of our laws and what is supposed to be right or feel justified. So, don’t feel that being a homosexual is wrong many just made it that way. The free will to love is a free will so you may freely love. No one can take away from you. Not even written on some piece of paper or stone. I believe that if you accept others, even those who do not accept you that they may just remember that who you fall in love with isn’t who you are but that your heart is open. Show them what kind of person you are and watch how you will become their friend and what sex you’re interested in most likely, hopefully, will be just a shrug of the shoulder and the friendship continues. I wish you the best and good luck. Remember you come first.
Sincerely,
Griselda R.
Oral History
She is 23 and living in an apartment as independant as she can be. With her boyfriend out her cat plays around as she sits by the desk on MySpace messaging her friends. She is the first girl out of possible six or more children. Intelligent as she can be sometimes even the smart ones don't finish last. She lives in the northwest part of Chicago on the boarder of Elmwood Park (Harlem and Fullerton). With many dreams in mind she, like many other, are still looking for their big break. Their break in love, life, wealth and in health. The link provided below is an audio of the documention recorded. Be sure to click on the link higligthed 1.4MB to hear the audio. Warning! Listeners please be advised there may be use of some vulgar or improper language and your discretion is advised.
Enjoy!http://www.archive.org/details/OralHistory
Enjoy!http://www.archive.org/details/OralHistory
From Griselda
Do you think the government went too far and when would it be appropriate for the government to take matters into their own hands when making a decison such as this? Or would you say that a plan like this is an idea that shouldn't have been thought out as a solution? Consider the facts that we segregated a specific race and marginalized them for what their homeland or, for some, where their ancestors came from, did to the United States.
-Please refer to DH "Impounded" in the concentration camps for the Japanese.
-Please refer to DH "Impounded" in the concentration camps for the Japanese.
Question
Do you believe that the writer from "Baghdad Burning" is being judgemental towards America/Americans ( is he stereotyping) ? Why or why not?
I interviewed my father for this assignment. He was born and raised in Poland and moved to the US 27yrs ago. He has served in the military and worked many jobs (a jack of all trades,) and has been through a few hardships in his life as well as seen many as well. He is a critical man, very to the point, and has a great working knowledge on many things, though sometimes I think his points of view are sometimes out-dated.
What do you think when you see where the US is right now, with the financial situation and just the way life is now in 2009 so far?
I think it’s the fact that people don’t think very far ahead, the most maybe a week. They think that if I have money now it will not go away; it’s the thought process of a bird, a pigeon. They think of what they need today, but not what they WILL need in the future, or how today can affect tomorrow. It’s not about being cheap or a penny pincher, it’s just simple saving up, using good judgment on what you buy, and never settle for one price at one place, look around, research other stores. Having the $500 from marshal fields is not smart when you can get the same jacket somewhere else for $200 lets say or even cheaper. That’s dumb impulse buying. We never had all the things that are around now. The toys for kids, the type of cars, even the food. But we made due with what we did have and survived; I was never picky or would complain about this or that. When I was little, we didn’t have a deli on every corner, or a bakery. When my mom would bake bread we had that bread for a while, and once in a great while we would have sausage, and I would cut a little piece off so my parents would not notice because it was not widely available then and you had to have a butcher make it for you. When I would go to school I would take a piece of bread, dip it in some water, and sprinkle some sugar on it. “Mmm...” that was good then, a treat even. Even in the stores, you didn’t have this many choices of meats, bread, anything, that you do now. But now, people don’t value that.
You think people, even in the financial crisis, don’t value or respect what they have?
I remember one year I went to work on a project, a construction project. I had to move to live on the site in these barrack type buildings. These were not the trailers that are around now with electric heaters and insulated to the extreme. No, the barracks we stayed in were double panel wood structures; a panel outside and a panel inside, with a 5in gap in between, and straw for insulation. Inside was a single wood burning stove that was our only heat source. And no hot showers, unless you heated up a bucket of water. We had to dress warm and eat right. That was how I spent that winter. Now people want to heat their homes beyond what is smart and later complain that their bills are so high and expensive. They complain that 65 or 70 degrees is to cold, YOU even complain sometimes that it is to cold inside. But people want to have summer inside and wear shorts all year round inside their homes, and again don’t think that this will make my bills jump up.
I think that everybody is spoiled now, with all they technology and innovations, some are good but others too much excess. It caused people today to be whiney and complain about everything, not to mention people now get sicker much easier and faster. Times were simpler before and sometimes a little harder but it made us strong and resilient. You think I got sick that winter. People need to see that everything will not always go their way and times will be tough and they will need to be strong and weather it and think ahead for the future and not just about today. And most important, being able to help others out, not just your self.
What do you think when you see where the US is right now, with the financial situation and just the way life is now in 2009 so far?
I think it’s the fact that people don’t think very far ahead, the most maybe a week. They think that if I have money now it will not go away; it’s the thought process of a bird, a pigeon. They think of what they need today, but not what they WILL need in the future, or how today can affect tomorrow. It’s not about being cheap or a penny pincher, it’s just simple saving up, using good judgment on what you buy, and never settle for one price at one place, look around, research other stores. Having the $500 from marshal fields is not smart when you can get the same jacket somewhere else for $200 lets say or even cheaper. That’s dumb impulse buying. We never had all the things that are around now. The toys for kids, the type of cars, even the food. But we made due with what we did have and survived; I was never picky or would complain about this or that. When I was little, we didn’t have a deli on every corner, or a bakery. When my mom would bake bread we had that bread for a while, and once in a great while we would have sausage, and I would cut a little piece off so my parents would not notice because it was not widely available then and you had to have a butcher make it for you. When I would go to school I would take a piece of bread, dip it in some water, and sprinkle some sugar on it. “Mmm...” that was good then, a treat even. Even in the stores, you didn’t have this many choices of meats, bread, anything, that you do now. But now, people don’t value that.
You think people, even in the financial crisis, don’t value or respect what they have?
I remember one year I went to work on a project, a construction project. I had to move to live on the site in these barrack type buildings. These were not the trailers that are around now with electric heaters and insulated to the extreme. No, the barracks we stayed in were double panel wood structures; a panel outside and a panel inside, with a 5in gap in between, and straw for insulation. Inside was a single wood burning stove that was our only heat source. And no hot showers, unless you heated up a bucket of water. We had to dress warm and eat right. That was how I spent that winter. Now people want to heat their homes beyond what is smart and later complain that their bills are so high and expensive. They complain that 65 or 70 degrees is to cold, YOU even complain sometimes that it is to cold inside. But people want to have summer inside and wear shorts all year round inside their homes, and again don’t think that this will make my bills jump up.
I think that everybody is spoiled now, with all they technology and innovations, some are good but others too much excess. It caused people today to be whiney and complain about everything, not to mention people now get sicker much easier and faster. Times were simpler before and sometimes a little harder but it made us strong and resilient. You think I got sick that winter. People need to see that everything will not always go their way and times will be tough and they will need to be strong and weather it and think ahead for the future and not just about today. And most important, being able to help others out, not just your self.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Discussion Question
Why were the innocent people the sufferers of war or conflict even though they were not to blame?
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Disscusion Question
What do you think their are some stuff about the war the government doesnt want us to know? and how much do you think they are censoring?
Discussion Question
Not just with the war, but how much do you think the media has on effect of your own opinion? As in, do you look for the media for advice on topics or do you go and find things out on your own?
Friday, February 20, 2009
Oral History
Omar, 22
Omar has always been the favorite child in their family since he was the baby. As he was growing up, his mom always gave him the love and the support. But she always kept a secret from him and finally revealed it on his 22nd birthday. Omar had been adopted.
When she called me on the 22nd she seemed normal. After a few days she called me crying and said that she had to tell me something important. I had to go see her right away.
What kinds of emotions were you having while driving to see your mom?
Man, I couldn’t even tell you what I was thinking. I thought maybe my dad and her hot into an argument or maybe something happened to one of my brothers. I couldn’t drive normally, I was shaking.
What happened when you got there?
She just kept crying and crying. I had to calm her down so she could tell me. She sat me down on the couch and took a deep breath, “Omar you are adopted.” My mouth dropped and I couldn’t believe the words that were coming out of her mouth. I was in denial. I wanted to get out the house and drive somewhere far away. She told me that my real mom was her 1st cousin. My birth parents weren’t able to take care of me at all; they had to give me up.
Is your adoptive mom keeping in touch with your birth parents?
Every year when she goes to
What’s your relationship now with your mom?
My relationship hasn’t changed with her at all. All these years I’ve seen her as my mom. She is the only one who I knew as a mom to me. I know I would never be able to accept the face that I am adopted. I would never want this thought to get in my head and make me feel differently about my adoptive mother. I know somewhere and somehow my birth parents are watching over me.
**sorry its late, i finally figured it out**
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