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.

Looking back on my Journey Journal

Finding out that we would be writing on a Journey Journal which we would be using to reflect in an internal way and external way got me excited. I’ve been aware of the empowerment one feels when holding a pen but I learned how to use that power in a different way. I realized how powerful it feels to know yourself and be aware of where you stand and who you are.

I noticed various things as the days went by and I wrote. I saw the difference in my attitude because before I started the journal I didn’t have the opportunity or the method to sort of let go of the bad and happily express the good out of my day. Writing the journal was beneficial in that sense. On the other hand, writing in the journal also helped me be more honest with myself and understand more clearly what it is that I’m going through.  I have been going through a series of unfortunate events lately in my life and writing in the journal has helped to cope with it. The one thing that I think about that makes me feel better which I also wrote about a lot in my journal was the amazing people I met in camp, they inspire me to want to keep fighting and stay strongly motivated. They are more than just people I volunteered to helped they are some of my greatest friends.

I wrote about issues going on with my family’s health and struggling with classes. I also wrote about the little occasions in which I spoke and spent time with the guy that I’m interested in, among other more fun things, I found the journal journey to be a very good experience because I got more familiarized with myself by focusing on my internal and external journeys. Reflecting on those and my life in general and to later be able to re-read what was going through my mind on a specific day helped me grow. To be able  to look within in a concrete way has been a very revealing experience.