What the book I chose for the final book project is all about.

The book I chose for the final book project is called Neither Here nor There by Bill Bryson.
In the book, the author is the narrator as he travels throughout Europe. He leaves his home in England to travel all the way to Brussels down to Istanbul. As he tries to relive the trip he took 20 years before he discovers lots of fun exciting things all around Europe. Despite getting lost constantly and coming back home with no money to spend, he makes it clear that it was all worth it.

 He starts his trip in Hammerfest where he spends more than 2 weeks with the hopes of seeing The Northern Lights. After getting that out of his system he moved down to other countries including Italy, France, and The Netherlands. He along with his annoying friend, Katz had plenty to tell after that trip. They saw interesting works of art in museums, stumbled upon sex shops, and gave a lot of waiters a hard time. At arriving in Istanbul, Bryson points out how he could keep going, having Asian right there in front of him.

Instead, he goes back home to his pregnant wife to restart his everyday life once more. The only difference is that he left Europe a different person, an evolved person. Traveling in general is a wonderful thing, but traveling in Europe is more than that. In Europe, one become a kid who knows absolutely nothing by stepping again and again into a different country. Being lost in the foreign language and culture is something Bill Bryson was looking forward to doing. Thanks to reading his book, I now want to go to Europe as a traveler instead of a tourist.

What I Can Say About This Entire Experience (Blog Reflection)

I had never gotten the opportunity to create a blog a regularly write in it. I did not know how it worked but I definitely had the interest. I love to write. I love to feel as if with a simple thought process I can create something people can relate to and want to revisit later on. Early on during this semester I learned that I really do like the idea of having a blog. I feels sort of liberating and connecting at the same time. I cannot help but think that those who do not write are not as in touch with themselves as they could be. How do people keep tract of their self-growth and their feelings day to day if they do not write? How does one make sure to get a point across and come out clearer than before if it is not through the process of writing for themselves?

 One of the misconceptions about writing is that its sole purpose is to impress or provoke something in another. I believe that that is the greatest things a writer can aspire to but it is also just as important to feel something within. So, I was able to consistently feel something within throughout the entire process of writing for this blog. As time went by, I started seeing writing a blog post as less of a task and more of a little pleasure because I rarely get a chance to write something that does not look more like a scientific paper. I realized that I need to write regularly and carry a notepad with me everywhere I go. More than anything I grew as a writer by creating this blog.

My experience in the group "Tourist Through Time"

I have to admit, when I found out that we would be doing plenty of group assignments I was not too excited. I did not welcome the idea of working towards my grade with a group because I had a bad experience with a very important group project last semester. We came up with our name and got acquainted which at first did not give me much to go on.   Despite this, I tried to look past it and told myself not to judge people based on things that have nothing to do with them. Thankfully, I had the great pleasure of working with three intelligent and responsible women. Working as a team is something I enjoy when it is under the circumstances that I were present this semester. I cherish my group members’ opinions because I’ve learned that often it leads to me seeing things from a different perspective.

 On a more personal note, I was able to bond with them and share a little bit about who I am as a person. They were a very welcoming bunch despite not having known them before August. The one thing I think I treasure moat from this experience is being able to get feedback on my work from people who actually took the time to understand me. I am more than happy to say that I have absolutely no negative comment to contribute because there simply is none to make. All in all, I am glad that we got put into groups and that mine was “Tourists through Time”.

My Adventure As A Tourist

When I first heard about our latest assignment, I was intrigued. To be a tourist in my own backyard has been the most fun but difficult tasks given to me by my professors this semester.  I mean, think about it for a minute. How do you pretend as if home isn’t home? And in my case, how do you act as if alcapurrias aren’t a delicious food you’ve had many times before? I am not a good actress to begin with.

So, I decided to take on a role similar to the one of Bill Bryson one of the times he visited Europe by himself. Just like he narrates in his book Neither Here Nor There I went about Old San Juan, on my own to discover and explore what the town had to offer. I thought this could be a great practice run for when I get the opportunity to go to Europe and get lost there. I started off my little adventure at El Morro, of course. I later went for ice cream at Ben & Jerry’s since I’ve given tourists guidance there myself.  One of the most funny parts of my day was constantly asking for directions and getting looked at like “girl, I know you’re Puerto Rican”. I’m not quite sure if I blew my cover or not. It proved to be a little challenging when I’d talk to people in English and they’d struggle with it when they certainly didn’t have to. Having this experience made me feel a little bit like the ugly tourist that Jamaica Kincaid describes in her book A Small Place. Perhaps one could say that the incident when I was greeted in spanish but I responded in eglish where I got looked at funny points to the whole identity issue.  Despite this, people were very helpful and kind. I would say being a tourist for a day made me appreciate the wonders of this little island even more. I think everyone should try to be a tourist for a day in their country. It’s definitely an eye opening experience, it chaged by perspective on things.

http://www.puertoricodaytrips.com/el-morro/

A girl reflecting on "Girl" by Jamaica Kincaid

There are a few things one can say right off the bat after reading Jamaica Kincaid’s “Girl”. She is narrating in her mother’s voice what her childhood was like. She uses her mother to depict what it was like for her as a young girl and what was expected of her. Jamaica Kincaid does a beautiful job at captivating the reader and getting them involved in her perspective of things. She is very good at making you become emotionally involved in what she writes, especially when it comes to feelings of anger and resentment. Kincaid experiences these emotions and portrays them very well throughout many of her stories but in my opinion this one is special.

The young girl cannot question her mother or what she tells her to do. She is doomed to remaining, in her mother’s eyes, whatever her mother’s opinion of her is. To her mother, becoming a slut is inevitable but she still drills order after order into her head. If you ask me, she will never be good enough for her mother. All of the things she is told to do revolve around one thing: being a “proper lady”. There is a specific way to do all the domestic chores she is allowed to do, nothing past that. There is a right way to wash clothes, which must be washed every day. There is a right way to talk to men so that they don’t see immediately that she is a slut. There is a right way to be what she is expected to be but she will never be it, not really at least.

In my opinion, Jamaica Kinkaid wrote Girl in an attempt to stand up to her mother and her past. To finally speak up and use her own voice. I am opposed to the idea that women are only meant to do housework, not to mention, be prim and proper. I love it when people stand up for themselves of for something that they believe in so I admire Jamaica Kinkaid and I am a big fan of this particular piece of literature.

One of the many times I feel like writing after watching a movie

Based on the book by Hunter S. Thompson, The Rum Diary is a fun but worrisome way to get to know Puerto Rico. Congruently, this is especially evident in the movie where it all comes alive. The way The Rum Diary is portrayed on the screen causes the audience comes in contact with lots of the aspects of Puerto Rico most people do not get to experience. The plot of the story takes place during the 1970’s which in my opinion makes it all the more interesting. One can easily see important factors like othering and in-group out-group throughout the entire movie.

 The movie is narrated by the main character, Paul Kemp played by Johnny Depp, who arrives in Puerto Rico after applying for a job as a writer for the local newspaper. He starts off with the position of the horoscope section and is reluctant to work on it. Afterwards, he is given a position where is supposed to write about silly topics like where to go as a tourist on the island. This job is given to him by Sanderson who constantly takes part in the othering concepts and in-group out-group concepts. He often emphasizes on the difference between himself and the natives of the island. Sanderson is the one character who exposes the ideals of many Americans living there, especially referring to looking at the island as an object to make money off. He ignores this and decides to write about the real issues like poverty and the crime rate. I think that this has a lot to do with his background in a professional sense.  Kemp is an alcoholic, who tends to wear sunglasses to hide it, or at least that’s how he coped with things in the beginning. I think none of the characters who aren’t natives try to make themselves feel better by intimidating those who surround them. Puerto Ricans are the one who experience this treatment most. On the other hand, there’s Chenault who is Sander’s mistress. She provides on of the few female perspective in the movie, which in my opinion is vital. She also depicts the idea of othering, something that she endures because of her fellow Americans.

 Any person can see the move and learn more about Puerto Rico’s roots and culture. I truly enjoy being able to take movies and stories to better understand the society I live in. Literature is one of the best ways to get to know virtually anything. I love seeing things from a more personal point of view because it feels more real versus history books for example.

My perspective on Down on the Island

Having read “Down on the Island” by Jim Cooper I started thinking about some of the aspects of my education I often take for granted. I tend to chuckle when people ask me whether I’m American or lived in the United States for some time in my life. I sometimes need to remind myself how fortunate I am. Being part of the small amount of people on the island who speak fluent English I mostly find myself using the language more often than most of those who surround me. There have been a couple of situations in which I have given friends help on improving their English. A guy who is currently taking conversational English in my university asked me recently if he could practice with me his English. I was flattered but despite the dire help he needed I said yes and didn’t think much it.

Jim Cooper reacts to many of the issues about language and other things as well. For example, he mentions politics and economic issues which were present when he was teaching in Mayaguez and have only gotten worse since then. He speaks as an outsider but submerges himself in Puerto Rico’s lifestyle and shows a genuine interest in helping with the language issue, the only one he could assist with according to his skills. I really enjoyed reading part of his book because I see what he describes every day. Although I am not American and have lived here all my life I can relate to what he says very well. He works with the concept of in group, out group which can be looked at differently depending on the angle you decide to use. The outsider could very well be himself being the American in Puerto Rico but you can also say that Puerto Ricans are the outsiders when it comes to the language used in class (seeing English itself as the in group). On the other hand he only works with his own perspective of this, questioning the incidents where the family members came to his doorstep asking why it was that their family member (his student) received an F in his class if he supposedly liked them.

He’s the one who is gazing at those who compose his community where he is sort of an alien. Jim Cooper exposes very well the challenges and hurdles that both the teacher and the student have to face within the educational system that is imposed on them. He does not blame or resent the student for the skills that he/she lacks but instead he seeks to understand them and help them.