Day 2 – What Latin American Country/Island I would love to go to.
Blogging everyday has already proven to be a challenge so I may have to start blogging in advanced and scheduling these bad boys...
It would be easy to say Ecuador (given my last post) since this is where my birth family is from ---- however I think I would rather go with an acquaintance or even by myself! I view traveling the way I view living with someone ---- it's just not recommended to live with friends... the bad side of people's habits and tendencies come out QUICK. For me, I think staying in one place for too long is no bueno! I'd rather just take a month or 3 off and visit every country in South America! It's just such a different world down there and every country is so different I feel like I'd be in heaven to get it all in one gulp :)
Besides South America, I would have to say Cuba. And yes, it's totally because of the risk and the thrill of being in a forbidden country! Why the hell not! I learned late in life that you cannot always believe what you see in the media or even in textbooks - therefore the antagonized politics of Cuba is one that I love to debate about for hours & learn more about. In fact, my blog may even be blacklisted by the government as we speak~ However, Cuba's history and culture is a fascinating one, and I can only imagine how beautiful their land and beaches are!
Anyway, my coworker and soon to be blogger (hooray!) will be leaving us to fullfill her life long dream of traveling the world in October! She will be traveling through South America until the holidays and then head to Europe and Asia after the New Year. I'm so EXCITED for her and extremely jealous she will be traveling all throughout South America. HOPEFULLY I can get my life together and do some traveling soon as well! I may even have to track her down over in Amsterdam ;)
Day 2 DONE!
Z
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Day 1 - What I love most about being Latino...
For me to explain this would require a separate blog with multiple entries.. in fact committing myself to this 30 day challenge, is in itself, a clear indication on how much I love the culture I come from and grew up with. Though I have to say, as a kid, I would not have always agreed with that statement. The best way I think for me to explain this entry is to pose this question - what if you found out you weren't Latino? I actually did encountered this question not so long ago, and it definitely changed the way I viewed everything.
I had joked for a long time that there was no way I could truly be part of my family - I looked different, acted different (my mother commented recently that of course my blood pressure is low because nothing ever bothers me, unlike her and my father who scream about the firmness of a tomato), and generally felt different. When my mother finally confirmed my adoption, and my sister gave the look of confirmation... the thought was out there, even if it was only for a moment - what if the culture I had represented for so long is not in fact the culture that belonged to me? At that point, I felt pretty horrible to think that I wasn't Latina and that everything I held near and dear to me wasn't rightfully mine. It was pain in my heart that I cannot describe and I suddenly realized how much of my culture surrounded me in my day to day ----- I had Puerto Rican & Dominican flags all over my apt, I was president of the Latino org on my campus, my alarm was set to play Marc Anthony and Don Omar ---- even some of my personal emails had "DRPR" in it... This was a classic example of you don't know how much you love something until it's taken away from you...
Turns out my blood has the spirit of Ecuador, so though I don't have Caribbean blood, I still have Puerto Rico and Dominican Republic attributes. I cook a mean pernil and could eat mangu all day... Sometimes there is no other word I can think of to say but coño ... and lets face it.... there's a feeling that we Latinos get when we hear the congas that we don't get when we hear Jon Bon Jovi (though amazing in his own right!).
If you ask me today, I am Ecuadorian, Puerto Rican and Dominican (I change the order depending how the person I'm talking to, and if I want to piss them off... mu ha ha). Yes I am all three. Don't try to tell me otherwise or my blood pressure will in fact rise as one poor soul learned the hard way... ~=|
Anyway, between the music, the food, the comradery and even the controversial histories of each country there's a lot to love about being Latino. I hope you have one in your life! Ha~
- Z
For me to explain this would require a separate blog with multiple entries.. in fact committing myself to this 30 day challenge, is in itself, a clear indication on how much I love the culture I come from and grew up with. Though I have to say, as a kid, I would not have always agreed with that statement. The best way I think for me to explain this entry is to pose this question - what if you found out you weren't Latino? I actually did encountered this question not so long ago, and it definitely changed the way I viewed everything.
I had joked for a long time that there was no way I could truly be part of my family - I looked different, acted different (my mother commented recently that of course my blood pressure is low because nothing ever bothers me, unlike her and my father who scream about the firmness of a tomato), and generally felt different. When my mother finally confirmed my adoption, and my sister gave the look of confirmation... the thought was out there, even if it was only for a moment - what if the culture I had represented for so long is not in fact the culture that belonged to me? At that point, I felt pretty horrible to think that I wasn't Latina and that everything I held near and dear to me wasn't rightfully mine. It was pain in my heart that I cannot describe and I suddenly realized how much of my culture surrounded me in my day to day ----- I had Puerto Rican & Dominican flags all over my apt, I was president of the Latino org on my campus, my alarm was set to play Marc Anthony and Don Omar ---- even some of my personal emails had "DRPR" in it... This was a classic example of you don't know how much you love something until it's taken away from you...
Turns out my blood has the spirit of Ecuador, so though I don't have Caribbean blood, I still have Puerto Rico and Dominican Republic attributes. I cook a mean pernil and could eat mangu all day... Sometimes there is no other word I can think of to say but coño ... and lets face it.... there's a feeling that we Latinos get when we hear the congas that we don't get when we hear Jon Bon Jovi (though amazing in his own right!).
If you ask me today, I am Ecuadorian, Puerto Rican and Dominican (I change the order depending how the person I'm talking to, and if I want to piss them off... mu ha ha). Yes I am all three. Don't try to tell me otherwise or my blood pressure will in fact rise as one poor soul learned the hard way... ~=|
Anyway, between the music, the food, the comradery and even the controversial histories of each country there's a lot to love about being Latino. I hope you have one in your life! Ha~
- Z
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
The 30 Day Latino Blog Challenge
Latino Heritage Month Sept 15th - Oct 15th 2010
Taken from Latinegro's blog --- I've decided to try this out since I do better with topics than free-writing...Enjoy!
Z
The 30 Day Latino Blog Challenge. 30 days, 30 blogs, 1 message to celebrate Latino Heritage Month. I challenge myself and any Latino blogger to write everyday for the next 30 days. The rules are simple. The blog must be at least 2 paragraphs on the selected topic, although there are 2 entries for poetry. The blog can be written in anyway chosen.
Latino/Hispanic Heritage Month is from September 15 - October 15. So this challenge will begin tomorrow. I am a strict person with my writing so I will be writing everyday until this is over. I will also say that the 2 poems will appear on my Poetry Page. Good Luck to all who try this, if not...happy reading.
Day 1 – What I love most about being Latino
Day 2 – What Latin American Country/Island I would love to go to.
Day 3 – Favorite Spanish food
Day 4 - What Latino Blog I recommend
Day 5 - A story about growing up Latino
Day 6 - A Poem (original or quoted)
Day 7 - Post a picture about your culture and explain its significance
Day 8 - Latino Racism
Day 9 - Talk about Music related to your culture
Day 10 – Talk about a Latino Musician in pop music
Day 2 – What Latin American Country/Island I would love to go to.
Day 3 – Favorite Spanish food
Day 4 - What Latino Blog I recommend
Day 5 - A story about growing up Latino
Day 6 - A Poem (original or quoted)
Day 7 - Post a picture about your culture and explain its significance
Day 8 - Latino Racism
Day 9 - Talk about Music related to your culture
Day 10 – Talk about a Latino Musician in pop music
Day 11 – Latinos in the Media
Day 12 – Do I speak Spanish?
Day 13 – Afro Latinos you see everyday
Day 14 - Favorite Latino Musician
Day 15 – Latinos in Movies
Day 16 – What Do I know about Tainos
Day 17 – Why I love Latinas (or Latino Men)
Day 18 – Latino Art
Day 19 – Religion
Day 20 – Latino Stereotypes I wish I could change
Day 21 - What Latin American Country/Island I have been to.
Day 22 – Do you consider yourself more Latino than American?
Day 23 – Hispanic or Latino..What do you prefer?
Day 24 – Should Puerto Rico be a State?
Day 25 - Post a picture about your familia and explain its significance
Day 26 – Favorite Latino Actor or Actress
Day 27 – Favorite Latino Author
Day 28 – Family Ancestry
Day 29 – Latino Politics – What affects you?
Day 30 – What I learned in the last 30 days..
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