Rosario's English Blog

Writing prompt: One stereotype that I often get, and it's the most frequent, is "oh, you're Hispanic, you must be catholic". Although yes, the majority of them are, there is a good amount that aren't. I'm that a mount that isn't catholic. When I am told this, I simply correct them by saying, " No, I am not catholic, I'm Christian". Sometimes it bothers me, but at the same time, I'm not going to go back and forth because some people simply do not know that not everyone is catholic.  Summary: We were working on the stereotypes paper, and we had to identify some positive, neutral, and negative stereotypes of certain groups of people. Reflection: Today I learned that, whether we hear positive, negative, or neutral stereotypes, no one really knows how things are but ourselves, and it is very important. 

 Writing Prompt: One strength I've developed in this course over the past week is being able to use the creative side of my mind and put it on a piece of paper. I'm working more on my presentation and talking, and this class has been helping me a lot. One challenge I anticipate and am trying to work on is talking when I'm called on the spot. I feel like I know what to say because there is no right or wrong, but I'm overthinking it and just dropping the ball. But with that, it actually helps me think faster and come up with ideas. Summary: Today, we were working on finalizing our mask identity project. Once that is finished, we will work on our Mask Reflection Paper.  Reflection:  Today I learned, working on my mask, that's I am very proud to be one of the few people that choose to live with my culture. Expressing myself with pride. 

 Prompt Response: Something I wish I had more of is hair. As silly as it sounds, having fragile hair that falls out so easily can be very frustrating. I inherited it from my mother since her hair is thin as well. But two out of six siblings have thin hair. In our culture, we are supposed to have long, thick, and silky hair. My hair is just super thin and naturally dry. I'd love to have luxurious hair like that.  Summary: Today in class,I learned how to use adobe. Reflection: Today in class, I learned that everyone in my class values their culture. I didn't know how people would perceive them, as well as the stereotypes associated with them. I enjoyed seeing everyone's presentation. 

 Writing Prompt: A time when I felt completely lost was when my grandmother passed away. In my culture, we value our grandmothers. She passed away during COVID due to heart failure. The reason I felt completely lost was that my mother was never home due to her work, as she was both the woman and the man of the house. Although my siblings were there, my grandma was my mother too. It felt like my whole heart was ripped from my chest. I did not eat for a few days; I did not want to leave myself room. I fell into depression. All I can do is stare and zone out. It was like that for about 2-3 months. I've never witnessed or been through a loss in my family, so it took a big toll on me. Till this day, I still feel like a piece of me left and died within me, but I did find peace in the darkness. I was able to find bits and pieces to put me back together, and I found my way.  Summary: Today in class, we presented our identity masks, and then we completed our blog post.  Reflection...

Prompt Response: I was taught about my cultural norms at a very young age and how to apply them to my daily life. Learning about cultural identity really made me realize I was doing certain things not because I wanted to, but because I was told to. Although I disagree with them, I know that if it weren't for these cultural norms or rules, I wouldn't be the great person I am today. In my culture, we believe the father is the leading male of the house. Growing up, my father wasn't in my life, which made my two older brothers be that leading lead. It affects me because I see that they didn't want to have that kind of responsibility. So my family broke a norm, my mother became my father. We were judged because it wasn't something you see at all. If you look at how our family is shaped today, we are doing just fine and better than ever. I do still believe that the male role is very important to have.  Summary: Today in class, we watched a video about a girl finding her i...

 Prompt Response: One tradition in my culture is the quinceañera. A quinceañera is a cultural tradition; it is when a girl becomes a woman. We have a big party with various foods, a Big puffy dress, special dances, shoe changing, a crown given, a ring given, and most importantly, spending it with friends and family and the whole neighborhood. I think this tradition contrasts with the cultural identity of expectations in the script "Girl" because although we are taught at a young age how our behavior should be, we are rewarded without hard work. It mentally gives us that support we need, to let us know we are doing something right, that we are one step closer to putting what we were taught into action. The quinceañera is like one final goodbye to your young ladyhood. It is where we are able to act foolishly and like a kid.  Summary: Today, we answered a prompt based on the script we read and reflected on how our family traditions can be similar or different. Reflection: Today ...

 Prompt Response: Throughout my life, my cultural heritage has presented challenges for me and those around me. Reading this short excerpt, I was able to make many connections to how I can relate. Certain things like: your legs have to be side by side or crossed, have good posture, stay away from boys, you cannot have friends that are boys, stay away from social media, don't wear revealing clothes, keep your hair long and silky, dress like our culture once in a while, and so on. At times, it can be overwhelming, but reading this script made me think about a lot of things. Due to learning these norms, expectations, and traditions at a very young age, I wouldn't try to rebel or second-guess anything that was told to me. Of course, due to there are consequences at the end. It definitely shapes my daily expectations to this day. Now that I know some things I don't agree on, based on respect, is why I continue committing to it, and not all are so bad.  Summary: As a class, we re...

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