foto credit: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b7/Old_San_Juan_aerial_view.jpg
Interview with Jose Solis- Puerto Rico:
Before starting the interview, I began talking to Jose, from Puerto Rico, about my topic: how does it feel to be a Puerto Rican, such a minority, at Emory. We then proceeded to talk about more personal aspects of our experience here and then after some time of casual talk, I began my interview:
Alexandra: "How does the food in the United States, or at least here in Atlanta, differ from the food with which you grew up with?"
Jose: "I personally prefer the food back home, I just do not even know what "Atlanta food" really is. It may just be because I am already used to Puerto Rican food and it's just more familiar to me."
while talking about the food and his opinion on the difference between what he considers food from Atlanta and food from Puerto Rico, we also came across the fact that we cannot really judge this difference. Here, in Atlanta, most of the food we get as freshmen is college cafeteria food. This means that by making this distinction, we should not only take into consideration a difference in cultures, but also a difference in settings were the food is served: homemade food vs cafeteria food.
Alexandra: "Okay, so know that we have talked about the "food" aspect of this transitional experience, I want to know ask you a question that has to do with the social aspect of these two cultures; specifically here at Emory. When socializing, be it in a party or simply hanging out with some friends, how do you differ in the way you interact with your friends here and the way you interact with your friends back home? Is there any difference in your attitude or do you have any different expectations?"
Jose: "Well, I'd have to say that the in my opinion, the first obstacle, or maybe not obstacle but better yet barrier, about making friends here is the language. Although we are bilingual, it is obviously much easier for me to talk to my friends from back home; I can express myself better and I don't really have to think about what I'm trying to say."
Alexandra: "Okay, I understand that because I am sure that's the case for many of us. I mean it's always hard to think in one language, in this case Spanish, and then speak your thoughts in another. Anyways so do you think that others treat you differently, be it better or worst, because of your Latino background?"
Jose: "Well I mean I've definitely have been treated differently in many instances, not in a bad way at all though, here at Emory people are very open. I mean at least in my case people have been very interested in my culture and what I have to offer. What does in a way annoy me is the fact that some people are very ignorant and are not afraid to be ignorant infront of you. For example, I've been asked if Puerto Rico is in Mexico."
Alexandra: "I mean I've been asked that too but I must say that I have not recieved as many ignorant comments here at Emory as I have recived other times I've come to visit the United States. I'd say that being able to offer something different is greatly appreciated here, especially if you are a Latino because of the fact that we're such a minority." In my experience it's even made it easier for me to make friends because just as you said, people rapidly take interest in the culture and what I have to say about my experience here compared to back home."
This conversation continued for a while, so we took a small break from the interview and went off track for some time. I then decided it was time to proceed with the interview and went on to ask him my next question.
Alexandra: "When you first came to college, would you say that you were inclined to befriend people that shared your culture, or would you consider your choice of friends completely unbiased when it comes to background and ethnicity?"
Jose: "Well at first I thought it was definitely going to be as easy to make friends that came from cultures as it was going to be to make Latino friends. After spending a semester in college though, I must say that I definitely leaned towards the more familiar and known; it has been much easier for me to befriend Latinos than to befriend people with different cultures. Not that I haven't, but i definitely felt more comfortable faster with people that shared my culture than with people with other backgrounds and ethnicity."
Alexandra: "I agree, but in a way I think it's all about getting used to the environment and although it may seem easier at first to approach what's familiar, I think that expanding our horizons will definitely benefit us on the long run. I've got a bunch more questions I really want to ask but I feel this interview is getting longer than what I had planned so why don't I just ask you this last one: How do you feel about the Latino community at Emory?"
Jose: "Well I'd say that the Latino presence is barely felt here at Emory. It's weird because having Georgia Tech, which has a huge Latino presence, so close to us makes me think about what they have that maybe we are missing as a community. It's not that we don't get along, don't get me wrong all the Latinos I've met here are great, but I just feel we all do our separate thing and don't really mind what other are doing or are going to do."
Alexandra: "Yea, well that's something we, as freshmen, should definitely start creating and who knows maybe in a few years, if we continue to work and build upon this, we will be able to have a larger and much more united community!
Before starting the interview, I began talking to Jose, from Puerto Rico, about my topic: how does it feel to be a Puerto Rican, such a minority, at Emory. We then proceeded to talk about more personal aspects of our experience here and then after some time of casual talk, I began my interview:
Alexandra: "How does the food in the United States, or at least here in Atlanta, differ from the food with which you grew up with?"
Jose: "I personally prefer the food back home, I just do not even know what "Atlanta food" really is. It may just be because I am already used to Puerto Rican food and it's just more familiar to me."
while talking about the food and his opinion on the difference between what he considers food from Atlanta and food from Puerto Rico, we also came across the fact that we cannot really judge this difference. Here, in Atlanta, most of the food we get as freshmen is college cafeteria food. This means that by making this distinction, we should not only take into consideration a difference in cultures, but also a difference in settings were the food is served: homemade food vs cafeteria food.
Alexandra: "Okay, so know that we have talked about the "food" aspect of this transitional experience, I want to know ask you a question that has to do with the social aspect of these two cultures; specifically here at Emory. When socializing, be it in a party or simply hanging out with some friends, how do you differ in the way you interact with your friends here and the way you interact with your friends back home? Is there any difference in your attitude or do you have any different expectations?"
Jose: "Well, I'd have to say that the in my opinion, the first obstacle, or maybe not obstacle but better yet barrier, about making friends here is the language. Although we are bilingual, it is obviously much easier for me to talk to my friends from back home; I can express myself better and I don't really have to think about what I'm trying to say."
Alexandra: "Okay, I understand that because I am sure that's the case for many of us. I mean it's always hard to think in one language, in this case Spanish, and then speak your thoughts in another. Anyways so do you think that others treat you differently, be it better or worst, because of your Latino background?"
Jose: "Well I mean I've definitely have been treated differently in many instances, not in a bad way at all though, here at Emory people are very open. I mean at least in my case people have been very interested in my culture and what I have to offer. What does in a way annoy me is the fact that some people are very ignorant and are not afraid to be ignorant infront of you. For example, I've been asked if Puerto Rico is in Mexico."
Alexandra: "I mean I've been asked that too but I must say that I have not recieved as many ignorant comments here at Emory as I have recived other times I've come to visit the United States. I'd say that being able to offer something different is greatly appreciated here, especially if you are a Latino because of the fact that we're such a minority." In my experience it's even made it easier for me to make friends because just as you said, people rapidly take interest in the culture and what I have to say about my experience here compared to back home."
This conversation continued for a while, so we took a small break from the interview and went off track for some time. I then decided it was time to proceed with the interview and went on to ask him my next question.
Alexandra: "When you first came to college, would you say that you were inclined to befriend people that shared your culture, or would you consider your choice of friends completely unbiased when it comes to background and ethnicity?"
Jose: "Well at first I thought it was definitely going to be as easy to make friends that came from cultures as it was going to be to make Latino friends. After spending a semester in college though, I must say that I definitely leaned towards the more familiar and known; it has been much easier for me to befriend Latinos than to befriend people with different cultures. Not that I haven't, but i definitely felt more comfortable faster with people that shared my culture than with people with other backgrounds and ethnicity."
Alexandra: "I agree, but in a way I think it's all about getting used to the environment and although it may seem easier at first to approach what's familiar, I think that expanding our horizons will definitely benefit us on the long run. I've got a bunch more questions I really want to ask but I feel this interview is getting longer than what I had planned so why don't I just ask you this last one: How do you feel about the Latino community at Emory?"
Jose: "Well I'd say that the Latino presence is barely felt here at Emory. It's weird because having Georgia Tech, which has a huge Latino presence, so close to us makes me think about what they have that maybe we are missing as a community. It's not that we don't get along, don't get me wrong all the Latinos I've met here are great, but I just feel we all do our separate thing and don't really mind what other are doing or are going to do."
Alexandra: "Yea, well that's something we, as freshmen, should definitely start creating and who knows maybe in a few years, if we continue to work and build upon this, we will be able to have a larger and much more united community!