WHO AM I?
Identity in my opinion is one of those things you hardly think about, unless you have to. This Humanities assessment task requires me to really dig down and find out who am I. The hard part is that every day I’m still trying to figure out who I am. Perhaps this assessment task won’t be just another university project but instead be a pathway to my own discovery.
When I think of my identity a few words that come to mind include:
· Charismatic
· Salvadorian
· Australian
· Confident and fun.
For this assignment I’ve decided to narrow it down to just a few factors:
1. Identity from groups and community
I was born In Central America in a tiny country called El Salvador, at six months of age my family decided to migrate to Australia, a choice they were given out of three countries, those included Sweden, Canada or Australia. My dad knew very little of Sweden and Canada but had once seen a postcard with Australia on it. He said when he saw the postcard he felt a sense of peace and happiness and based his decision amongst that and all the lovely things he had heard about the land down under. I then became an Australian! HOWEVER my Salvadorian roots have stuck by my side all my life. As a child I attended Spanish school every Friday night to learn El Salvador’s language. At times I hated it, but as I got older I grew to love it. Now that you know I speak Spanish I can introduce my next topic which I think “identifies” me.
I was baptised at birth into the Catholic Church, and attended church every Saturday at 5, for “Spanish mass”. Spanish mass as a child was a routine, as a teenager it was a social event and as a 24 year old it’s my sanctuary. The people in my community have seen my sisters and I grow up and I count them as those long lost aunties and uncle’s I never had. You’re probably thinking I’m a real religious bible basher now; when I’m really quite the opposite but still adore all these people who have helped shaped who I am today.
Along with my Salvadorian theme one other factor that identifies me, is my love for folklore dance. I’ve been dancing traditional Salvadorian dance since I was ten. It started off as something my mother begged my sisters and I do, to keep up with culture. At the time my jazz and hip hop classes seemed more exciting, but as the months passed I started to really enjoy the crazy and rhythmic beats Salvadorian music has to offer. It also helped me to learn more about the history of El Salvador. You see each dance represents a different story, many of those I had never heard of before. It’s a fun experience to get up on stage and represent my country; I always feel a sense of pride when performing!
2. Identity through roles
The roles I play in my life include:
Daughter: My parents are the people who brought me into this world. They are the most caring beings in my world. They were both a semester away from graduating from college, my mother studying to be a lawyer and my father studying banking and finance. When the government told them everything was ready for our move to Australia, they asked if they could stay an extra six months but it was now or never, and that’s something I’ll owe to my parents forever.
Sister: I have an older and two younger sisters. For my whole life I’ve tried being a good role model for them. I’ve always told them don’t do the same mistakes I did when I was younger, learn from mine!
We all know that in every community there is always the few (or in Spanish communities ‘many’) who gossip, so we were always raised with traditional and strong family values and the need to uphold a good reputation.
Fiancé: If you ask many of my friends how they would identify me they would include my fiancé Daniel. My soon to be husband is the identity I love the most, it’s a great feeling knowing that next year I’ll identify myself as a wife and that he will become my husband. Along with my nationality I also feel a sense of pride knowing that I will inherit a new surname along with a new life.
Cousin: In most cases families tend to be close and see each other only when there is an occasion. In Latin families this is not the case; my cousins even all live on the same street just a few houses apart. My parents decided they wanted a bit more privacy so they bought a house elsewhere. I identify myself with my family because they are so important to me, together we have all helped each other out once in our lifetimes.
Friend: My friends I consider to be a part of my identity, but at times I don’t. I believe it’s all based on each friend. I have a few that are necessarily not interested into the same things as I am, and then some that are very similar to me.
3. Identity through our work or profession
Student: At the age of 24 I could have graduated and had my masters by now, and be working in my field, however I had a few setbacks (which I don’t regret) but to this day this student identity seems to haunt me. For some it makes me look like a failure, to others a traveller and to me it varies day to day.
Cashier: I’ve been working for Costco for about four years now. I love the people I’ve met (only some) and it’s become a routine for me. I’m associated as the “Costco chick” and with every job it has days where I love it, and days where you’re just simply over it.
Eventually (three years) from now I’ll be graduating as a teacher. An identity that I’ll be extremely proud of and one that I know my parents will be proud of.
Do all these things define who I am? Is that all I am? I’m sure I’m much more or maybe less. All I know is that these are factors that shape my identity.
I found that when trying to research a topic I wanted to find one that actually taught me something and would keep me engaged over the next few weeks. So the question I've decided to research for this assessment task is: “How has Immigration shaped Australia?” Immigration is a topic I’m really interested into because I can relate to it personally. As previously stated above I was born In El Salvador, a country which at the time of my birth was in a serious civil war. Bombs would go off outside my parents houses, people were killed in front of their eyes and their beloved country was slowly being destroyed. They then decided to make a decision that would change their lives forever.
When my parents got married and found out that they were to have their first child, they instantly knew that something had to be done for her future. When she was born my father had already been in contact with the embassy attempting ways to get out of El Salvador. It was a long wait considering everybody wanted to leave the country due to the civil war. So they waited, and in this time my mum found out she was pregnant (with me) and their motivation to get out increased more. When my mother was about five months pregnant, my parents finally received the news they had been waiting for which was to move to Australia. This was it they were completely ready to go and they went for a final check-up to make sure everything was fine and the doctor gave them bad news, they would not be able to fly because of my mother being pregnant. My parents quickly had to apply for an extension which was granted because of the situation they were in. So the flight to Australia was postponed, and about eight months later they were off.
When I think of my identity a few words that come to mind include:
· Charismatic
· Salvadorian
· Australian
· Confident and fun.
For this assignment I’ve decided to narrow it down to just a few factors:
1. Identity from groups and community
I was born In Central America in a tiny country called El Salvador, at six months of age my family decided to migrate to Australia, a choice they were given out of three countries, those included Sweden, Canada or Australia. My dad knew very little of Sweden and Canada but had once seen a postcard with Australia on it. He said when he saw the postcard he felt a sense of peace and happiness and based his decision amongst that and all the lovely things he had heard about the land down under. I then became an Australian! HOWEVER my Salvadorian roots have stuck by my side all my life. As a child I attended Spanish school every Friday night to learn El Salvador’s language. At times I hated it, but as I got older I grew to love it. Now that you know I speak Spanish I can introduce my next topic which I think “identifies” me.
I was baptised at birth into the Catholic Church, and attended church every Saturday at 5, for “Spanish mass”. Spanish mass as a child was a routine, as a teenager it was a social event and as a 24 year old it’s my sanctuary. The people in my community have seen my sisters and I grow up and I count them as those long lost aunties and uncle’s I never had. You’re probably thinking I’m a real religious bible basher now; when I’m really quite the opposite but still adore all these people who have helped shaped who I am today.
Along with my Salvadorian theme one other factor that identifies me, is my love for folklore dance. I’ve been dancing traditional Salvadorian dance since I was ten. It started off as something my mother begged my sisters and I do, to keep up with culture. At the time my jazz and hip hop classes seemed more exciting, but as the months passed I started to really enjoy the crazy and rhythmic beats Salvadorian music has to offer. It also helped me to learn more about the history of El Salvador. You see each dance represents a different story, many of those I had never heard of before. It’s a fun experience to get up on stage and represent my country; I always feel a sense of pride when performing!
2. Identity through roles
The roles I play in my life include:
Daughter: My parents are the people who brought me into this world. They are the most caring beings in my world. They were both a semester away from graduating from college, my mother studying to be a lawyer and my father studying banking and finance. When the government told them everything was ready for our move to Australia, they asked if they could stay an extra six months but it was now or never, and that’s something I’ll owe to my parents forever.
Sister: I have an older and two younger sisters. For my whole life I’ve tried being a good role model for them. I’ve always told them don’t do the same mistakes I did when I was younger, learn from mine!
We all know that in every community there is always the few (or in Spanish communities ‘many’) who gossip, so we were always raised with traditional and strong family values and the need to uphold a good reputation.
Fiancé: If you ask many of my friends how they would identify me they would include my fiancé Daniel. My soon to be husband is the identity I love the most, it’s a great feeling knowing that next year I’ll identify myself as a wife and that he will become my husband. Along with my nationality I also feel a sense of pride knowing that I will inherit a new surname along with a new life.
Cousin: In most cases families tend to be close and see each other only when there is an occasion. In Latin families this is not the case; my cousins even all live on the same street just a few houses apart. My parents decided they wanted a bit more privacy so they bought a house elsewhere. I identify myself with my family because they are so important to me, together we have all helped each other out once in our lifetimes.
Friend: My friends I consider to be a part of my identity, but at times I don’t. I believe it’s all based on each friend. I have a few that are necessarily not interested into the same things as I am, and then some that are very similar to me.
3. Identity through our work or profession
Student: At the age of 24 I could have graduated and had my masters by now, and be working in my field, however I had a few setbacks (which I don’t regret) but to this day this student identity seems to haunt me. For some it makes me look like a failure, to others a traveller and to me it varies day to day.
Cashier: I’ve been working for Costco for about four years now. I love the people I’ve met (only some) and it’s become a routine for me. I’m associated as the “Costco chick” and with every job it has days where I love it, and days where you’re just simply over it.
Eventually (three years) from now I’ll be graduating as a teacher. An identity that I’ll be extremely proud of and one that I know my parents will be proud of.
Do all these things define who I am? Is that all I am? I’m sure I’m much more or maybe less. All I know is that these are factors that shape my identity.
I found that when trying to research a topic I wanted to find one that actually taught me something and would keep me engaged over the next few weeks. So the question I've decided to research for this assessment task is: “How has Immigration shaped Australia?” Immigration is a topic I’m really interested into because I can relate to it personally. As previously stated above I was born In El Salvador, a country which at the time of my birth was in a serious civil war. Bombs would go off outside my parents houses, people were killed in front of their eyes and their beloved country was slowly being destroyed. They then decided to make a decision that would change their lives forever.
When my parents got married and found out that they were to have their first child, they instantly knew that something had to be done for her future. When she was born my father had already been in contact with the embassy attempting ways to get out of El Salvador. It was a long wait considering everybody wanted to leave the country due to the civil war. So they waited, and in this time my mum found out she was pregnant (with me) and their motivation to get out increased more. When my mother was about five months pregnant, my parents finally received the news they had been waiting for which was to move to Australia. This was it they were completely ready to go and they went for a final check-up to make sure everything was fine and the doctor gave them bad news, they would not be able to fly because of my mother being pregnant. My parents quickly had to apply for an extension which was granted because of the situation they were in. So the flight to Australia was postponed, and about eight months later they were off.
My Identity influences the decisions I make in so many way. The way my parents raised me while I was growing up is the reasons behind each decision I make in my life. Salvadorian families are raised in a particular manner, you have this continuous motto in your head where family is everything and they will be the only people you will depend on for the rest of your lives. My parents taught us from a young age to respect each other, and to not talk back at each other. When I started primary school I found it so odd that students would scream and talk back at teachers because this is not the way I was brought up. At that stage in my life the choices are made where always based on what or how my parents would feel.
As I got older I started developing new friendships (many who my parents didn't necessarily like) and if I ever argued or spoke back at them they would exclaim " Oh just because so and so talks back at her parents doesn't mean you have to. This always annoyed me because I had to keep reassuring them that the decisions I was making in my life weren't due to friends influence, it's because it's what I wanted. Currently I've reached a stage in my life where all my decisions are carefully thought out with a pros and cons list to equally evaluate the reasons behind deciding that answer (It's a resolution I gave myself at the start of the year). I'm more of a happy go lucky type of person and my parents and I have established relationships where we trust and don't judge each others opinions.
The topics I’m interested in Humanities include areas such as the geography behind the settlement of countries, the Holocaust, American Civil Rights movement and The Australian Gold Rush. At my high school history wasn't a compulsory subject and my parents wanted me to focus more on mathematics and English, so unfortunately I didn't get to learn more about all the things I wanted to know. I now regret that decision as humanities has so much to offer and our world revolves around it.
With my teaching rounds I was surprised to see so much history being taught because I remember as a child we were hardly taught it. We only learnt a few basic things about the Aboriginals and our Anthem and the meaning behind it. While on placement there was a student who had traveled to Australia by boat and my mentor teacher used all this information and made a few lessons based around it. It was so great to see, because that little girl got to tell her story to the class and this rose to many questions which later turned into research sessions.
I don’t know much about politics and history because I find it confusing, and when I do understand something I find it unreasonable or boring. This is linked to my identity; I’m attempting to figure out who I am. In my life I grow to love things I’m comfortable with and leaving the things I’m not aside. As a teacher this mentality will have to change. I’ll be teaching things I may not have been taught as a student, but like every good teacher research and resources are the key. As the years go by and the more experience I gain these gaps in my knowledge will (hopefully) dissolve.
As I got older I started developing new friendships (many who my parents didn't necessarily like) and if I ever argued or spoke back at them they would exclaim " Oh just because so and so talks back at her parents doesn't mean you have to. This always annoyed me because I had to keep reassuring them that the decisions I was making in my life weren't due to friends influence, it's because it's what I wanted. Currently I've reached a stage in my life where all my decisions are carefully thought out with a pros and cons list to equally evaluate the reasons behind deciding that answer (It's a resolution I gave myself at the start of the year). I'm more of a happy go lucky type of person and my parents and I have established relationships where we trust and don't judge each others opinions.
The topics I’m interested in Humanities include areas such as the geography behind the settlement of countries, the Holocaust, American Civil Rights movement and The Australian Gold Rush. At my high school history wasn't a compulsory subject and my parents wanted me to focus more on mathematics and English, so unfortunately I didn't get to learn more about all the things I wanted to know. I now regret that decision as humanities has so much to offer and our world revolves around it.
With my teaching rounds I was surprised to see so much history being taught because I remember as a child we were hardly taught it. We only learnt a few basic things about the Aboriginals and our Anthem and the meaning behind it. While on placement there was a student who had traveled to Australia by boat and my mentor teacher used all this information and made a few lessons based around it. It was so great to see, because that little girl got to tell her story to the class and this rose to many questions which later turned into research sessions.
I don’t know much about politics and history because I find it confusing, and when I do understand something I find it unreasonable or boring. This is linked to my identity; I’m attempting to figure out who I am. In my life I grow to love things I’m comfortable with and leaving the things I’m not aside. As a teacher this mentality will have to change. I’ll be teaching things I may not have been taught as a student, but like every good teacher research and resources are the key. As the years go by and the more experience I gain these gaps in my knowledge will (hopefully) dissolve.