...Exhausted, I trudged out of the airport to a blast of humidity. After two flights, a crazy landing, customs, baggage claim, and a hasty, sweaty introduction to Pastor Jorge Pinto, all thirteen members of our mission team were slowing making our way through the crowd to our awaiting van. I took a deep breath as the realization sunk in- after three months of dreaming of this moment, I was finally in Honduras. Climbing in what barely passed as a vehicle, the 15 seater, covered in dust, navy blue van (which sounded like a dying whale) roared to life, and as our driver stepped on the gas and laid on the horn, we peeled out of the parking lot and onto the streets of the capital city, Tegucigalpa. It was chaotic. The narrow sidewalks crowded, shops lit up, and cars weaved in and out of each other. Cruising through the foreign streets that looked over the thousands of rooftops below I closed my eyes, laid back and began to enjoy the hour long drive into the small town of Talanga. Or so I thought. I was awakened by the sound of a...
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...know the interviewee? He is my next door neighbor, Questions and Responses Question Notes on Interviewee Response What inspired you to become a U.S. citizen? * “When I was back in Honduras, we would watch the television and pictures of America would be shown. I was very poor and struggling and I wanted a better life for myself so I decided I would do whatever it takes to become a U.S citizen.” What steps did you have to take as part of the naturalization process? * “I remember being very nervous for the test I had to take at the Federal Building in Downtown LA. I studied all I could about the history of USA and practiced my English, which was very good. The test consisted of ten questions and I had to get six of the questions right. They stop when you get six right. Next they tested my English, and I passed with flying colors. I wasn't sure why I was so nervous before because I knew I was meant to be a United States citizen.” How would you describe how you felt about the process? * “Like I said before, I was very nervous. They could have easily rejected me but they did not. Most of all, I was excited to finally become a citizen and to be able to live the American dream.” How has citizenship changed your life? * “Of course it has changed my life! Back in Honduras, I heard many stories about immigrants living in the United States; scared of being deported. I'm glad that I don't have to live in fear in my own home. I am able to get...
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...Unit Essay #1 My mom came to the United States from Honduras when she was in her late 20’s so it could be understood that she has been swayed by her heritage. I on the other hand, was born and raised in Miami where there’s a variety of cultures melting with one another, so it would be natural that we would have different point of views on certain topics. I know that Honduras will always be in her heart and she will always love tamales, rice and beans with tortillas but she’ll also have her racist and religious tendencies like my whole family does. When my cousin gave birth to her dark baby girl, she lectured me about ‘not defiling our race’. The only thing I always retort is with, “I know Mom!” and just try to get out of the conversation. It’s not just her either, it’s my whole family back in Honduras too. When I went to Honduras the previous summer, everyone asked if I had a boyfriend and if I did, was he black or not. To avoid their racist talk I just showed them my white friend and posed him as my boyfriend. The reason for my family being this racist is because of the culture in Honduras. When the Spaniards came to Honduras they also brought their slaves so in effect there are three major races. The pure Indians, Mestizos and the Afro-Honduran population. Since most of the population (including my family) are part of the Mestizo population, and they consider themselves superior than the rest, they look more down upon the Afro-Honduran group than the pure Indians. If in...
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...The minute I set foot in the United States, my life changed forever. Slightly over seven years ago, I left Honduras, the only home I had ever known, and headed North for the land of opportunity. Living in a third world country run by a corrupt administration that allowed, for a price, gangs, kidnappings, and rapes, my family, my parents in particular were desperate to provide my brothers and me a means for a better life. However, we loved our home! The culture, people, and the beliefs of Honduras made me who I am, and I proudly carry this culture with me every day in the United States. Although I value my culture immensely, I am also able to embrace the new way of life I have come to know and love. The first days after we moved, I felt unusual, as If had come to a place I did not belong. Though I spoke both English and Spanish fluently, I was still an outsider. I cannot begin to describe how much I missed the comfort of my family and friends. I went through many grueling changes, including being the “new kid” everyone talked about and adjusting to the unusual silence...
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...Citizenship?: Assessment My name is Stephanie Santamaria-Molina and today I will be interviewing my mother, Debora Molina, who came to the United States of America back in 1993 from her country called Honduras. Let’s begin: What inspired you to become a U.S. citizen? I came to this country many years ago in hopes to become more successful and give a better life to the child I was pregnant with, your older brother. I wanted to become a citizen to have the same rights and freedom that you have now. What steps did you have to take as part of the naturalization process? There was many steps involved to become a U.S citizen. I learned english in Honduras, my country but I took classes about American history and government here in America. After many classes and studying I took the INS exam. I remember them questioning me about my background and several questions over U.S. History and Government. After I answered everything correctly, they took m into a different room to recited the Oath of Loyalty. How would you describe how you felt about the process? I remember being stressed, and very impatient, I just wanted everything to go right and gain citizenship already. How has gaining citizenship changed your life? Is your daily life different because of gaining citizenship? Gaining citizenship made many changes in my life. I have all the rights every other American has, I get treated like any other hispanic American would. My daily life isn’t as different because...
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...I was born in Siguatepeque Comayagua, Honduras on April 4, 2000. Growing as a kid I played a lots of soccer, worked on the fields, and went to school all at the same time. It became very stressful to keep up with because school was one hour away from where I Lived. That is why I look the decision to come to United States and have a better education. My goal is to graduate from high school, and go off to college. When I arrived here to San Bernardino I enrolled at Indian Springs High School and although I did not speak english very well. I was grateful to have a school that was near home. School in Honduras are very different from here. The teachers are much more strict and there are hardly any computers or internet access at school. If students...
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...Since my early childhood I was encouraged to pursue a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering by very influential people in my life. Throughout my concluding high school years, I developed a great deal of interest and passion for mathematics and applied sciences, a fact that stimulated my decision of pursuing an engineering major. As this idea flourished in my mind, I started to analyze which type of engineering was the most suitable for me, concluding that a civil engineering major was a great option, not only because of its multiple applications to solve different types of problems in a society, but also because it is a continuously progressing area in an evolving country such as Honduras. During my first years as an undergraduate student...
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...something that’s been happening for a long while. For the people who make this trip, life is extremely hard on the other side. That’s why they make such a tough decision, leaving their families behind, not knowing if they’ll ever see each other again, and risking their lives. Every day tons of children, and women venture on this trip north. They blindly make their way toward the U.S. There’s no guarantee that they will make it toward their destination, but that’s the price those women are willing to pay in order for their children to have a better future. Just like a mother ventures into the dark, so do her children. Those children are willing to make such a dangerous, and risky trip in...
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...I was born and live in New Orleans to a immigrant mother from Honduras. I have gone to school with students from the Vietnamese and Hispanic communities. I know of the Haitian community as well. I attended the International High School of N.O. I have helped friends get their DACA papers prepared Inclusion for all is important for this country. "New Orleans Workers Center for Racial Justice" is a necessary organization in light of the Trump Administration actions. Organizations such as "Vote" and "Puente" help people understand that their vote is meaningful, and "Puentes" helps educate student successfully attend and succeed in college. I have illegal and legal family members that live in California. As in high school I have helped countless...
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...Honduras is a small country based in Central America; it is about the size of Tennessee. It borders the Caribbean Sea and is between the countries of Guatemala and Nicaragua. This country was once part of the Spanish empire and became an independent nation in 1821. It’s population consisted of seven percent of Mayan Indian descendants, ninety percent of Mestizos (indigenous Mayan mixed with Spanish and Europeans), along with 2 percent of blacks, and one percent of whites. Honduran terrain consist largely of a mountainous interior with coastal plains lining it lower perimeter. The official language is Spanish, yet dialects in Mayan and African do exist in various isolated regions. The citizens of Honduras live in mostly small rural areas in family units having the same neighbors for years. There are a few small metropolitan areas, the two largest being its capital, Tegucigalpa, and San Pedro Sula. The national religion is Roman Catholic, however, there is much credit given to its past culture infused with Mayan lore. Financially, Honduras is the second poorest nation in Central America and one of the poorest in the Western Hemisphere. It relies heavily on its agricultural exports, mostly of bananas and coffee. Most of its economic growth depends on the United States economy. There is a large divide in the small rich upper class and the rest of its residents which remain in poverty. Most of the decisions are made by the affluent ruling class, and based...
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...American government provides welfare is just one example of how even the less fortunate Americans are privileged. The United States was founded on freedom which is the greatest privilege of all. Many countries aren't as privileged as America as I found out when I went on a mission trip to Honduras. Honduras is considered a third world country which means that they are poverty stricken. The mission trip lasted for about three months and during that time I learned that not everybody has it as good as America. The first thing I noticed beside the scorching sun and humid air when I...
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...challenging his audience to find their calling in life. Each morning my team was serving in an urban school district, government housing facility or elderly housing development. I was overwhelmed with the deterioration of the school, neighborhood and culture around me. As I realized my future, I knew I could make a difference in communities through designing educational facilities, retail developments or community centers. Being a Retail Contractor Association Scholar would provide much needed debt relief my fifth and final year at Drury University. I only have $6,000 Federal Stafford Loans available to borrow next year, and will have $15,000 of unmet need. This year my family has an EFC of $12,382. I currently have $31,515 in student loans. I am...
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...influenced greatly the political, economic and cultural development of the Central America region. (Perez-Brignoli, 1989) It is known that Central America has seen wars and dictators, foreign interventions and economic crises. (Booth & Walker, 1999) To my mind, the three turning points that have created the internal political and cultural tensions in the Central America region from the colonial period to the present day are the following ones: • Colonization of Central America by Spain in 1523. • When Central America declared Independence in 1821 and on June 1, 1823 five countries of Central America were united. • Revolution in 1944-1954 in Guatemala. The first turning point can be related to the period of colonization. The local population tried to stand against the Spaniards but Indian tribes had no chances to win. All the cities were captured by the colonizers. Some cities were burned and great deals of local people were killed. The Spaniards had control over the whole territory of Guatemala and other countries of Central America. The life of local population changed completely. They became slaves who worked on the plantations and grew coffee and indigo, bananas, and mined gold and silver for the colonizers. These changes in life of the local population lead to organized struggle against the oppression but the majority of colonizers could easily defeat them....
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...Are young immigrants crossing borders to the US to join gangs or just escaping and seeking a better life? In the Op-Ed "The Wrong Way to Fight Gangs" written by Laure Markham, she explains the struggle young undocumented kids go through when they arrive at this country. Markham being a teacher in the Oakland international High school cannot stress enough the important role that after-school activities play in preventing kids from going off the rail and joining the criminal activities. I agree that the worst thing we can do is turn our backs on youth. Kids quit school because they feel that they are not able to succeed at it. Providing adolescents with additional tutoring and allowing them to socialize with others who are going the same issues...
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...Heritage Sways Healthcare Perception Cynthia K. Martin Grand Canyon University: NRS 429V Family Centered Health Promotion November 09, 2013 Cultural beliefs are the foundation of an individual, families, and communities that persuasively influences the standards by which they reason and behave in every aspect of their life. Therefore, as healthcare providers, it is imperative that we consider a patient’s cultural heritage when assessing them from a holistic approach and planning for a desirable healthcare outcome. Madeliene Leininger brought to the forefront the concept of transcultural nursing which was founded on “the belief that optimal health for all is an essential cultural value” (Edelman & Mandle, 2010) and further declared that “our rapidly growing multicultural world makes it imperative that nurses understand different cultures to work and function effectively with people having different values, beliefs, and ideas about nursing, health, caring, wellness, illness, death and disabilities” (Edelman & Mandle, 2010). The Heritage Assessment Tool The Heritage Assessment Tool is useful for gaining understanding of the patient in regard to how intricately they are ingrained in their culture and sets the stage for determining how they perceive health maintenance, health protection, and health restoration through open ended questions. This tool not only affords a course by which communication of beliefs, values, tradition, and...
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