Una mirada a lo que esta clase me dio (2022) by Maddy G.
"Como en la banda de Moebius, no hay exterior ni interior y la otredad no está allá, fuera, sino aquí, dentro: la otredad es nosotros mismos ... sin otredad no hay unidad. Y más: la otredad es la manifestación de la unidad, la manera en que ésta se despliega" - Octavio Paz-
As odd as it may seem, this post came to me in English, a language that delineates my world outside my home away from home. Yet, as distant as it may seem at times, this language transcends the fact that it is not my mother tongue. In fact, as much as I want to believe that Spanish is the language that defines me, I find myself grasping for words that should be inherent, yet have been replaced by a mixture of the external world that surrounds me, and the roots I carry within me.
I am undeniably the "other” in this place that I have been calling home for the past sixteen years. There is no question about that. English is not my native language, and I happen to have a Colombian soul. Recently, I asked myself: Could it be possible that only one heart awakens in the presence of another? Or, perhaps, both manage to perceive a synchronous frequency? I have mostly loved in Spanish – yes, I believe there is a difference - a place that I could certainly call my comfort zone. Loving, the most profound and intimate experience happens to create a unique form of language within the existent one. The only time I felt drawn towards someone and experienced an unparalleled chemistry and a beautiful connection in English, I was definitely forced out of my comfort zone. Yet, It was a fascinating awakening, a whole different level of depth, exhilaration, appreciation and understanding of the “other” and myself. Then, my next question would be: aren’t we all “the other” at some point?
This preamble explains why I was almost brought to tears in my Culture and Civilization of Spanish America class during their final project presentations. I have been teaching at the college level for over a decade and I have witnessed marvelous projects across the years. However, this time was different. This time something magical happened. All the final projects were an amalgam of what we learned during the semester in connection with their own embracing and understanding of “ the other”. They each took a risk to experience an unfamiliar territory through their own creative expression, in Spanish, a language that most of them do not call their own. Yet, what made these projects so special was the fact that they all seemed to connect with a deeper level of how each of them perceives their reality after taking this class. I feel extremely thankful for witnessing such sublime, extraordinary and transformative convergence.
"Mujer Eterna" (2022) by Holly S.
Acknowledgments
Teaching and learning are not mutually exclusive dynamics, but rather complimentary forces. I learned from each of you everyday. My deepest gratitude to all of you for sharing your talents, insights, creativity and your interpretation of everything we learned in class.
Janet: Thank you for taking the time to prepare such an elaborate dish, rooted in Mexican culture and a good example of syncretism. I had always wanted to try the mole poblano. It was delicious!
A glimpse into her creative process by Victoria S.
Maddy and Victoria: Thank you for your works of art, they are beautiful, each one in its genre, and the explanation of how the creative process happened was illuminating. I was very moved!
"Herida abierta" ( fragment) by Naimad D.
Holly and Naimad: Thank you for giving us poetry. You created beautiful, insightful verses. Reading/listening to your verses was a compelling experience!
Isabel, Dayana and Guadalupe: Thank you for helping us connect with our inner child and for rescuing pre-Hispanic civilizations in a playful way. “Volver a casa” made us love learning about these civilizations and have fun in the process.
Emma and Kathryn: Thank you for reframing a new version of history in Emma’s “La historia alternativa de los Aztecas”, and for taking us on a journey that helped us reflect on the feminist movement, in Kathryn's text “Una lucha para todas”. Both proposed a new approach to these issues and their texts show a deep and provoking analysis.
" La creación de las dos Fridas" ( Fragment) by Lauren A.
Dahlia and Lauren A: Thank you for your texts “ La luz de la mañana” and “”La creación de las Dos Fridas”. You both shared the desire to create texts that would help you get closer to the story of "an other" and at the same time reflect upon yourselves.
Lauren D. and Madeline: I had to wait until I got home to eat the arepa and I must tell you, it was delicious. I love arepas, they are an essential part of my culture and I am very picky when it comes to arepas :) Thank You!!!! I loved it!!!!!!
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