I am so happy to hear from Paul. Even though I asked him from one souvenir, he gave me four that I will cherish forever. Look at that bird! Everything about the colors used here makes me feel like home in Mexico.
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
New Zealand
I am so happy to hear from Paul. Even though I asked him from one souvenir, he gave me four that I will cherish forever. Look at that bird! Everything about the colors used here makes me feel like home in Mexico.
Saturday, June 2, 2012
Lincoln Middle School
The year of 2011 will be unforgettable for me. I joked around with the fact that I was a rabbit in the Chinese calendar and the rabbit year of 2011 positioned me at an advantage to win the lottery.
I never bought a lottery ticket.
I was busy looking for a teaching job where I could learn more about the Rio Grande Valley.
Fresh out of college, I applied in 2010 to a top ranked painting school in the United States and got accepted for its Post-Bac program which I did not accept.
At my interview with them in Chicago, I realized they misunderstood my border culture. I had to correct them more than once about things I felt the world already knew about the border. I talked and talked to get my point across. After talking too much, I came to a pause and I wondered there for the first time: Do I really know my culture?
I began to criticize myself like I did to Octavio Paz's "Laberinto de la Soledad." How could he talk about the Mexican identity and get some things wrong? How could he get the borderland identity wrong?
I am in debt with Lincoln Middle School for the knowledge I gained in one year.
I would have not wanted another student population than the one I got this year. I made it a purpose to talk about college every single day and lost track of how often I mentioned it until one of my students made a remark: Why do you always talk about college? We are in M-i-dd-le School. I can still see some students taking a deep breath and others getting mad at this one student that was going to make me give a speech about, again, E-d-u-c-a-t-i-o-n.
I hope I made a difference. A good difference.
I still remember my teachers and professors that acted ( and I am glad they did) like my mother or father guiding me in what I was to become. My choice at the end but they gave me their valuable opinion about what steps provided more opportunities in the long run. I love their on going selfishness of still supporting me in my life and career.
After finishing this school year, I am more humane. I know I needed this for my writing and art to grow.
Now, it is the summer of 2012. I am transforming what I create and with full knowledge of different perspectives of the Rio Grande Valley. I give thanks to my students and my co-workers that gave me a good heart.
I did not win the lottery but I sure gained the good and the bad to create a good work of art.
I never bought a lottery ticket.
I was busy looking for a teaching job where I could learn more about the Rio Grande Valley.
Fresh out of college, I applied in 2010 to a top ranked painting school in the United States and got accepted for its Post-Bac program which I did not accept.
At my interview with them in Chicago, I realized they misunderstood my border culture. I had to correct them more than once about things I felt the world already knew about the border. I talked and talked to get my point across. After talking too much, I came to a pause and I wondered there for the first time: Do I really know my culture?
I began to criticize myself like I did to Octavio Paz's "Laberinto de la Soledad." How could he talk about the Mexican identity and get some things wrong? How could he get the borderland identity wrong?
I am in debt with Lincoln Middle School for the knowledge I gained in one year.
I would have not wanted another student population than the one I got this year. I made it a purpose to talk about college every single day and lost track of how often I mentioned it until one of my students made a remark: Why do you always talk about college? We are in M-i-dd-le School. I can still see some students taking a deep breath and others getting mad at this one student that was going to make me give a speech about, again, E-d-u-c-a-t-i-o-n.
I hope I made a difference. A good difference.
I still remember my teachers and professors that acted ( and I am glad they did) like my mother or father guiding me in what I was to become. My choice at the end but they gave me their valuable opinion about what steps provided more opportunities in the long run. I love their on going selfishness of still supporting me in my life and career.
After finishing this school year, I am more humane. I know I needed this for my writing and art to grow.
Now, it is the summer of 2012. I am transforming what I create and with full knowledge of different perspectives of the Rio Grande Valley. I give thanks to my students and my co-workers that gave me a good heart.
I did not win the lottery but I sure gained the good and the bad to create a good work of art.
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