Over the holiday break Novali was making lots of rubber band bracelets (its the cool thing) and asked me what colors I wanted in mine... she asked if I wanted blue (my favorite color) and I said no... she asked if I wanted purple (I wear a lot of my fraternity colors) and I said no...
She asked then what? I said, Red, Yellow and Green of course!
Oh, she replied, the Bolivia flag, oh yeah! Then she made me a killer bracelet.
Glad she knew the colors, and glad we still rock a lot of Bolivia stuff around the house. Interestingly I have been reading a ton about Latino integration and assimilation, immigration trends, Latino politics, etc. lately. Three reasons I keep up, one obviously because of my background as a Latino immigrant, two because I run a Latino community center now (La Casa de Amistad), but third and why I have been cramming a lot is that I am teaching two classes for the IUPUI Latino Studies Program.
I haven't read anything besides news articles and short research briefs in a long time. The last few months, and most important the last few weeks I have been reading A TON. I have cool connections with the books (selected for the course by department chair, not me). Here are the books required as text in my courses:
Fraga, Luis R. et al. Latinos in the New Millennium: An Almanac of Opinion, Behavior, and Policy Preferences. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2011.
Juan Gonzalez. Harvest of Empire: A History of Latinos in America. NY: Penguin, 2011.
In college my chapter co-hosted with the WMU Division of Multicultural Affairs Juan Gonzalez as a speaker. I got to meet him and introduce him at an event. I read his book back then and am enjoying the edits and updates in his second edition of the book. The book reminds me that I am "that" Latino, one that isn't in the typical story. I am not only from a country with a very small immigrant population here, but also bi-racial, an Immigrant that was born an American, and in case you are one of those people who says I look Latino... FYI: I don't.
The Fraga book, one of my connections here in South Bend from Notre Dame, Gil Cardenas was the first person thanked in the book for helping make it happen. The book also really hits close to home as it talks a lot about the integration of Latino populations over time here in the United States. I see the difference between the Latino population in Saginaw where I grew up as mostly 2nd and 3rd generation, versus the newer immigration population we have here in South Bend. Or the big contrast with the Chicago Latino community that is not only more diverse in country of origin, but maintains is culture differently because of their close community.
It is cool that I have a personal connection with both of the books. I have been having fun doing research for additional readings and ideas for student research projects. The best part is that this "extra" work ties in directly with my full time job and connects with my personal areas of academic interest.
It is interesting reading chapters where I connect about how Latino I am or feel, and other times I feel like I am not that Latino or it is a very different experience than mine. I think it reminds me of how hard it is being different... and all the things I was challenged with growing up.
Then this week I planned a Bolivian meal for the weekend. Bought meat for Anticuchos, trying some new peeled Yucca I found and some rice of course. I like getting to cook, and more importantly keeping some traditional foods in the house. I made a stir fry with my meat since grilling wasn't going to work indoors, and the peeled Yucca was good and much less messy. Everyone likes the yucca, not the biggest fan of the carne, it was lacking the spicy peanut sauce though.
I am trying to do more cultural cooking. I have one small serving of Chuño left to cook in the next weeks and then will need to find a way to get more. So Saturday I made all of that, today I have some paltas (avocados) for some dip while I watch American football... yep, I am that Latino, a Bolivian American just living the dream.
I think all of this will help me lead the class as I am still sorting through this cultural stuff myself, and we will learn and grow together. That is when the best learning happens, when both the teacher and the participants are growing.
She asked then what? I said, Red, Yellow and Green of course!
Oh, she replied, the Bolivia flag, oh yeah! Then she made me a killer bracelet.
Glad she knew the colors, and glad we still rock a lot of Bolivia stuff around the house. Interestingly I have been reading a ton about Latino integration and assimilation, immigration trends, Latino politics, etc. lately. Three reasons I keep up, one obviously because of my background as a Latino immigrant, two because I run a Latino community center now (La Casa de Amistad), but third and why I have been cramming a lot is that I am teaching two classes for the IUPUI Latino Studies Program.
I haven't read anything besides news articles and short research briefs in a long time. The last few months, and most important the last few weeks I have been reading A TON. I have cool connections with the books (selected for the course by department chair, not me). Here are the books required as text in my courses:
Fraga, Luis R. et al. Latinos in the New Millennium: An Almanac of Opinion, Behavior, and Policy Preferences. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2011.
Juan Gonzalez. Harvest of Empire: A History of Latinos in America. NY: Penguin, 2011.
In college my chapter co-hosted with the WMU Division of Multicultural Affairs Juan Gonzalez as a speaker. I got to meet him and introduce him at an event. I read his book back then and am enjoying the edits and updates in his second edition of the book. The book reminds me that I am "that" Latino, one that isn't in the typical story. I am not only from a country with a very small immigrant population here, but also bi-racial, an Immigrant that was born an American, and in case you are one of those people who says I look Latino... FYI: I don't.
The Fraga book, one of my connections here in South Bend from Notre Dame, Gil Cardenas was the first person thanked in the book for helping make it happen. The book also really hits close to home as it talks a lot about the integration of Latino populations over time here in the United States. I see the difference between the Latino population in Saginaw where I grew up as mostly 2nd and 3rd generation, versus the newer immigration population we have here in South Bend. Or the big contrast with the Chicago Latino community that is not only more diverse in country of origin, but maintains is culture differently because of their close community.
It is cool that I have a personal connection with both of the books. I have been having fun doing research for additional readings and ideas for student research projects. The best part is that this "extra" work ties in directly with my full time job and connects with my personal areas of academic interest.
Then this week I planned a Bolivian meal for the weekend. Bought meat for Anticuchos, trying some new peeled Yucca I found and some rice of course. I like getting to cook, and more importantly keeping some traditional foods in the house. I made a stir fry with my meat since grilling wasn't going to work indoors, and the peeled Yucca was good and much less messy. Everyone likes the yucca, not the biggest fan of the carne, it was lacking the spicy peanut sauce though.
I am trying to do more cultural cooking. I have one small serving of Chuño left to cook in the next weeks and then will need to find a way to get more. So Saturday I made all of that, today I have some paltas (avocados) for some dip while I watch American football... yep, I am that Latino, a Bolivian American just living the dream.
I think all of this will help me lead the class as I am still sorting through this cultural stuff myself, and we will learn and grow together. That is when the best learning happens, when both the teacher and the participants are growing.
