In Leif Jensen’s article, “Ethnic Identities, Language, and Economic Outcomes among Dominicans in a New Destination,” Jensen observes Dominican immigrants, who migrated to Reading, Pennsylvania from the Dominican Republic, and how they identify themselves in America. He and his fellow researchers start their observations by giving some of the Dominicans, in Reading, surveys about their homes, health, stress, migration history, and other things. They find that 7.6 percent of Reading’s population is Hispanic, which is double Harrisburg’s percentage (Harrisburg is the community with the next closest percentage of Hispanics). They also used open-ended questions concerning race to give the respondents the opportunity to indicate how they classify…
In the extent of attempting to conjure a sense of understanding of how nationalism and ethno racial stratification manifested within the Dominican Republic Author Amelia Hintzen delves into the critical examination of the historical components regarding Dominican dictator Rafael Trujillo and his imposition of government campaigns against Haitian migrants in the early 20th century. Hintzen posits an unstudied dimension of analysis which includes a failed plan to massively deport Haitians which inevitably led to the 1937 border massacre which left thousands dead. Hintzen examines the degree to which the Trujillo regime enacted violence in attempts to forcefully disintegrate as a means of compelling obedience from local authorities which had resisted government attempts to supersede their jurisdiction.…
I never realized how lucky I was to be granted such a stupendous life until I saw the poverty some people live in. Over the summer, I was fortunate enough to be able to take an ephemeral trip to Nassau, Bahamas. It was much different than I imagined it would be. I remember walking around and almost being frighten to leave my parents sides. There were natives on every street corner trying to con their way into you spending money on their fake product; there were people going through the trash looking for food; there were people sitting on the street with all their belongings tied up to their bicycle street. You could just tell this country was nowhere near as advanced as the United States. It was nothing like the pictures and it got me thinking of the gloomy lives these children will have to grow up in and all the opportunities that they don't have available here.…
It started just as any normal Saturday would; December 8, 2012, I woke up, went through my morning routine and went to soccer practice. I was competing for a spot on the North Carolina ODP (Olympic Development Program) soccer team. Training was being held at fields about two hours from my house. I sat in the backseat of my dad’s car with my two sisters and as we rode to the fields I began to mentally prepare myself for how I would play my best and make the team.…
I came to the United States from Colombia when I was just 3 years old. I was brought into the country of bright opportunities because like every other parent, my mother and father wanted what was best for me. My mother had to give up her dream job in Colombia, which was being an accountant for an essentially important company, in order to facilitate my well-being and open up the doors for my future. As the years progressed, I began to acquire both languages, English and Spanish, but there was a point where I became tongue tied and had to assist in speech therapy. My parents would talk to me in Spanish at home but in school all I would hear was English, my mind was extremely confused to the point that I made my own language by using both tongues in one sentence.…
The Dominican Republic, known for its beautiful beaches and balmy weather, was the last place I ever imagined I would find myself in this past summer vacation. On this week long trip, it wasn't for the warm ocean waves or the traditional Dominican cuisine I was called to, I was called to serve the beautiful Dominican people. On the third day of the trip, instead of heading out to the worksite where we had been pouring the concrete footers of a plastics and water filter factory, I opted to travel with a group to the childrens' cancer ward in Santiago and visit the patients. We started out our visit by performing a few dances we had taught our vacation bible school and handing out fun little gift we had brought with us. We played ball with some…
It was Monday, May 30th, 2011. My family was driving home from a hotel we were staying at in Virginia, after going to Kings Dominion for my birthday day the day before. On the way home, we stopped at a Cracker Barrel for breakfast. During our meal, we got a call from my aunt telling us that my uncle, my mother’s brother, was in the hospital. Only a few days before he had moved back to Guatemala without saying goodbye to me. Once we were back on the road, my mother continued to get phone calls updating us about what was happening down there, as each call came through we all became more and more anxious wait for the answer. Then it came it just wasn't the answer we were hoping for, my mother began pushing on the walls of the car as if they were…
But there is one thing, that, my family don't know about me. It's that i became a man in front of them and they don't think about it!.…
I would like to say I know Spanish, after four years of studying in high school and multiple trips to South and Central America, yet it seems every time I leave the States, I find myself in a frantic struggle to process the words I know and figure out the meanings of the ones I do not. Sometimes this simply means missing out on a few insignificant details, other times it can seriously complicate life.…
“Take time to be thankful for everything that you have. You can always have more, but you could also have less.” -Anonymous. My family and I have gone to Haiti for the past three years. Haiti is a third world country in the Caribbean about 1836 miles from Chicago. We go there to help others and to receive the gift of giving instead of presents for Christmas.…
Puerto La Cruz, Venezuela, a place where tourists come from all over the country to enjoy the sun, the beaches, the islands, and the coral reefs. Puerto La Cruz was a getaway for a lot of people, just some place to go on vacations and have a good time, but for me it was my home. The spring of 2014, by that time every morning when you walk outside your house you can feel the sea breeze and even when it’s cold, you close your eyes and smile, because it warms your heart. Now if I close my eyes, all I can do it’s relive that moment over and over again. The moment when only six words coming from my mom’s mouth felt like a thousand knives in my heart and changed my life forever. “We’re moving to the United States”.…
In no more than 500 words, describe what needs to be done in your opinion to preserve the Dominican cultural and historical legacy and pass it onto future generations;…
Overwhelmed. The only word I can think of when the flight attendant calmly says, “Welcome to Port-au-Prince, Haiti, you may now unfastened your seatbelts.” Tears fell from my eyes and all the emotions that I was feeling for the last 4 hours suddenly began pouring out. I had never been to Haiti and the only mindset of it I had was that there was killing and kidnapping. I was extremely anxious because of that. “NO!, YES!, NO!, YES!, NO!!”, my conflicted mind begins to yell. I couldn't believe that I was actually there. Holding up the line, I got off the plane as slowly as possible. Ironically, being up in the air was much more relieving than being on the grounds IN HAITI !. “Daph, you’ll be alright,” my mom says. “Hopefully,” I mumbled. I thought to myself that maybe just maybe I will actually enjoy it.You will never actually understand the importance of bigger things without appreciating the little things…
Last Summer, I visited Costa Rica on a kayaking trip with Falling Creek, a summer camp in Tuxedo, NC. Every year, 20 or so kids get invited to the program called HUCK, where you go kayaking in places around the world. Last summer, all of the kids that were invited went to Costa Rica where we would have a great time experiencing new culture and great whitewater. The First few days were great and those were some of the most powerful, best rivers I have ever kayaked.…
I used to live in Mexico, I lived there for about 12 years, I was racing in a Hispanic culture my whole life. My dad was constantly visiting us going back and forth from his job in the US and Mexico where my mom, sister, brother and myself used to live. Once we were older my parents decided to move to the US and leave everything in Mexico. I was leaving my friends, culture, traditions, and the place where I grew. Moving wasn't easy, especially because my dad knew just enough English to communicate with others. I was about to enter seventh grade, not knowing anyone, the place, and especially not knowing English.Before the school gave me classes, they made me took and English comprehension exam, out of the little English I knew from watching…