Archelogical Dig

My girlies

January 24, 2020

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Throughout my schooling, hanging out with the Hispanic kids was always easier. We were able to relate to one another easily. We always talked about our home lives, personal situations, etc. Although we spoke mainly in English, there were instances in class where we used our Spanish language to our advantage to talk about someone in the room (I know it was inappropriate, but sometimes the people we spoke of deserved it). We also talked in Spanish about personal issues we did not want anyone else to hear. The girls in the photo are my closest friends, and I continue to speak to them. We began our friendships in middle school.

To wrap up...

There have been many moments during my schooling years in which I never found the value of growing up bilingual. From kindergarten, I knew I was different from my classmates. It was hard to appreciate my culture and language when my peers were not able to understand what it was to be "Mexican-American." Luckily, I was able to make friends along the way during middle school and high school. These friends of mine made me aware that I was not alone, and they were like me. In addition to my job, my family members also played an important role in being open to the idea that there is no shame in being able to speak another language and that it does not make me "weirder." Being bilingual is something that I should appreciate. To this day, I am still exploring my identity through music and dancing. However, I have seen setbacks in my progress because of the institution I study in, where I sometimes get weird looks from peers who do not understand my culture. Nonetheless, this reflection made me appreciate my culture and the Spanish language even more.

Jaula de Oro

4

Los Tigres Del Norte

In embracing my identity, I love going out to bailes (dances) with my mother. Here is a video of me dancing in the background with a friend of mine (double click on the photo!) This genre of Mexican-music is called, musica huasteca. It originates from the northeastern states of Mexico.

Archelogical

Dig

Thank you for viewing my presentation!

I chose this song because, growing up, I struggled to speak English or Spanish in school and even in my own home. With English being the dominant language outside my home during elementary school, I became more comfortable speaking English and less prideful in speaking Spanish. I felt ashamed of speaking another language, and at home, I would try to show my parents that I was against speaking Spanish by only speaking English at home and communicating with them in English. It was not until I reached my last two years of high school that I realized that knowing another Language is a privilege. I embraced my Spanish language even more with my job after losing my father and when I began to listen to Mexican-regional music again.

Kindergarten Photo

Laura Gomez Granillo

LLED 5040 Sp. 24

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Album Cover

May 2009

Lyrics of the Song

Click on the photo and it will direct you to Youtube to watch them perfrom the song.

I chose this photo because this was my first year in a predominately white school. During this time, I was confused about my identity. Questions arose about why I did not look like my white peers (hair color, hair texture, skin color, and eye color). This photo was taken in May, and Mother's Day occurs in this month. My teacher tasked us to write a few sentences on why we "love/like" our moms. As you can see, I was also tasked to draw a photo of her in a "picture frame." You can notice that me and my mother's skin tone is not the same in the picture. I remember that throughout elementary school, I could never ideally match my skin tones because of the limited colors available. Also, the color of my mom's eyes is, in fact, not blue. Growing up, I always wanted blue/green/hazel eyes. I was projecting my desire to appear a certain way towards the drawing of my mother.

Me and my lovely mom

American Deli Hat

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May 2019 - Present

I chose this piece of clothing because, before my employment, I did not fully comprehend the importance of being bilingual. Coming into this job, I told my manager I spoke both English and Spanish. However, I learned how valuable speaking Spanish was in a fast-food job. Most of the cooks only spoke in Spanish, and there were occasions when my customers only spoke Spanish and needed assistance reading the menu and ordering their food. I learned much more Spanish terminology throughout my employment, ranging from food to cooking items and greetings. Without this job, I would not have gained the confidence to speak Spanish openly in public without thinking someone was shaming me.

The work look