Part II. The Iceberg Technique

 Part II. The Iceberg Technique

I couldn’t help but think it was my fault. It was like a bad headache that wouldn’t go away. At this point, I had unarguably convinced myself that it was indeed my responsibility. Justifying the certainty that it was indeed my doing, I sat there on the hill sketching tally marks into the soft dirt that surrounded my feet.

If I would have just packed the night before, first tally mark. If I had packed, I would have made it downstairs to the car on time, second tally mark. I was fifteen minutes late, that’s why we were in such a rush. It’s my fault. Drilling the frail stick into the dirt as I tallied my justifications, I quickly became frustrated and angry and covered the few indents in the dirt.

Silence is never a desired environment for these types of conditions. Thank the lord for the sound of the water. I had never noticed it before, but I could separate the sound of the water as it crashed and dissolved in its routine motion against the bank. Routine, that’s funny. It’s routine of me to run late, though in this case, it’s not funny at all. I just wanted to be alone. I couldn’t help but wish bad things upon the bird that wouldn’t shut up in the tree above me. Looking up, I saw the collection of black birds that sat awaiting. Dumb birds they were. Ugly birds.  

Trying my absolute hardest, I still could not completely filter out the sounds coming from the street. Everything was so vivid. Just as I was able to so intensely hear the sound of the water hitting the bank, I could differentiate each sound rolling off that street. I tried to block it all out. Ah that horn! I can’t think about it.

Why is the sound of the water so soothing yet the movement and pattern of the water itself is so violent and angry? Looking a bit upstream, calm waters defined the movements of the clear waters. Gliding over the rocks that lay beneath, only slight ripples appeared on the surface level. Under the glasslike surface however was a rush of fierce and persuasive waters responsible for stirring up a mess from the floor. What appeared to be so silent at eye level was only hiding its corrupt and angry emotions underneath.

Sitting here, I never before realized the power water has. As a three-foot tree branch fell victim to its aggressive nature, the river ordered the branch as it pleased. Tossing the pathetic branch back and forth, insecurity and uncertainty crept up from behind. The river redrew all the visions I was trying so hard to forget. I sat there trying hard to understand why the river was so violent. Why life was so violent.

I know it doesn’t even make sense, but somehow in circumstances like these you are able to twist and shape everything to fit your reflections. I sat there, squinting as I looked over the reflection of the sun on the water, thinking about how the log had just as much of a shot as he did. Thinking to myself how insane I sounded, it didn’t matter. I just needed something to grab onto that demonstrated the unfairness the world defined itself as.

Returning to the reflection of the sun off the water, my eyes tried to adjust to its strength. I nearly had to close my eyes to rid the discomfort staring into the bright light caused, but in an effort to seek that discomfort, I kept my eyes open. Taking in my surroundings and blocking out all my thoughts, I silenced my mind and sat in a complete stare at the sight of the sun reflecting off of the river. It felt good. To just aimlessly and unconsciously stare at the river. The flow of the water, the strong maple trees that complimented its beauty, the leaves that so carelessly waved in the wind. The wind itself was weak and inconsistent, however it reflected harsh movements on its victims.

While I explored every nook as I strictly stared at the scene that lay in front of me, he kept finding his way to the front of my mind. Just as a leaf fell from the towering birch above me, I thought about the impossibility of erasing it all from my memory. Fall is one of my favorite times of the year. I hope it holds true after this all blows over. The beauty that fall bestows on the landscape is remarkable. The river itself seems to change colors as the fallen leaves collect on its surface. Working to spot that one bright red leaf that matures this time of year, I noted the dirty yellow and cool red color the ground adapts.

The chill air is always refreshing and the smell it collects from the water is unmatchable. Its funny how the vegetation grows as close to the river as it possibly can. Right up to the water itself, the vegetation seems to flourish. Once it reaches the divining line between the water and land, the cutoff is marked. Then its just mud. Ugly, brown, standard mud.

No one really appreciates nature these days. I’m the only one sitting here enjoying the beauty of the river, or trying to at least. To say its not appreciated is an understatement. The massive unmovable rocks, the cliff so precisely carved by the movement of the river, and the healthy vegetation that makes up its borders. It’s like the river doesn’t even matter. No importance is given to its beauty or to its contribution to nature. It’s as if it’s not even there – nonexistent.

There are always those feelings that surface as a result of lasting reflection. The calming expression of the river had duel effects on my emotions. Relaxed by the perfectly painted landscape, I felt the river provided the escape I needed from such a harsh reality. The river continued to flow and proceed in its normal existence. Reality however, had been altered and an unknown existence awaited.

Distancing myself from the river, its beauty began to seem unimportant and unimpressive. The emotions I felt sitting on its territory vanished as I fled the scene. Oddly enough however, the river had offered the distraction I was so deeply searching for. A distraction that proved to last only while in the boundaries of the continuous flowing river. A distraction that was short lived. 

David Belpedio 

ESL Meeting # 8 -12/09/11

ESL Meeting # 8 -12/09/11

            This meeting had a lingering feeling of sadness as it was the last time Jeanelie and would see each other. As the last meeting, Jeanelie and I reflected back on the semester and examined some of the most important things that we recalled. Jeanelie began by thanking me for all of the help I offered her and thanked me for being so kind and welcoming with her. She said that she really appreciated the help I offered her on her essays. Jeanelie explained to me that she received a high score on her last writing exam and told me that I was to thank for it.

            Jeanelie also talked with me about her time in the US. I asked Jeanelie if she was ready to go home and with enthusiasm, she shared with me that she was. Jeanelie said that she really liked the US; however she missed home and could not wait to get back. Jeanelie explained that she was worried about her travels however. Asking her to explain, Jeanelie shared with me that she had four suitcases to bring back to Venezuela with her. I laughed as she explained her dilemma with me. Jeanelie explained that Delta, the airline her and her husband were taking home, only allowed for each passenger to have two suitcases. Jeanelie had four. I asked her what she was going to do and she said that she had no idea and would just have to figure it out at the airport.

            Jeanelie and I reflected on the first time we meant and how I couldn’t believe that she greeted me with a kiss on the cheek. I still laugh about the kiss, as I was not expecting the gesture in any form. Jeanelie and I talked about our discussions we had shared with each other over the last semester. I briefly talked with Jeanelie about my plans to travel to Spain to study abroad next year. Jeanelie explained to me that she loved Spain and was very excited for me. As part of her honeymoon, Jeanelie and her husband spent 3 weeks traveling around Europe. I told Jeanelie that I could not wait to go to Spain.

            Jeanelie told me that I had to visit her in Venezuela. She told me that I could stay with her in her home and that she would show me around. I told Jeanelie I would and in all honestly would love to visit her and see her country. It was harder to say goodbye to Jeanelie than I thought it would be. It was weird to think about the idea that I may never see her again. Through the conversations and as the semester progressed, the two of us had become good friends. Throughout the week I would receive the most random and choppy English sentences that would just bring a smile to my face. Jeanelie worked hard while here at TCU and most defiantly improved her English. I was glad I could help.

            Jeanelie and I said goodbye and exchanged email address, phone numbers, and addresses. I hope that one day I will be able to see Jeanelie again. We plan to keep in touch over email so hopefully we can stay in contact. Overall I had a great experience with Jeanelie and appreciated all of her hard work and openness with me. I will miss Jeanelie next semester but hope to contact her via email. 

David Belpedio

ESL Meeting #7 - 12/1/11

ESL Meeting #7 - 12/1/11

            Jeanelie and I were both feeling the lack of sleep catch up to us as we had had a busy night the night before. Needing a little caffeine in my system, I had purchased a Redbull at Union Grounds and was drinking it when Jeanelie approached me. Almost taken away by the fact that I was drinking a Redbull, Jeanelie explained to me how bad the energy drink was for me. I had heard this a thousand and two times now, however Jeanelie wanted to make sure that I heard it again. Practically addicted to the energy drink, I told Jeanelie how I had cut back my consumption. I explained to her that I knew that the energy drink was not the best thing for me, but that I needed the pick me up. She made me promise her that I wouldn’t drink many Redbulls in the future.

            Jeanelie expressed to me that she too was feeling more tired than usual today. She explained that the day before was the first year anniversary of her and her husband’s marriage. Congratulating Jeanelie, I asked her how her husband and her celebrated. Jeanelie, her husband, and her American family had gone out to dinner in downtown Fort Worth to celebrate. Unable to recall what restaurant they went to in particular, Jeanelie explained how good the food was and how nice and generous her American family was. Jeanelie said that the four of them had stayed out very late and she did not get into bed until late at night.

            I asked Jeanelie more about her marriage and about some of the traditions held around marriages and anniversaries in Venezuela. I asked Jeanelie if couples in the United States celebrated anniversaries in a similar fashion in Venezuela. Jeanelie explained that many couples do celebrate by going out to nice dinners and exchanging gifts just as couples in the United States do. Jeanelie explained that one of the biggest differences was that in Venezuela, the extended family is also very much involved in the celebration of the anniversary. Jeanelie explained how her mother cooks a big meal for her family to come celebrate and congratulate her older sister for her anniversary year after year.

            I always find it interesting to talk about and learn of the many different traditions people across the world practice. It fascinates me to hear about the ways holidays and special occasions are celebrated throughout the world. While it may first seem strange to imagine participating in the same activities Jeanelie and her family do to celebrate anniversaries, I can easily imagine my family all getting together to celebrate the anniversary of our close family members. My family is always looking for an excuse to get together and share a delicious meal. Hearing about Jeanelie’s traditions and different practices further sparks my desire to travel the world and emerge myself in other cultures. I cannot wait to study abroad and have always wanted to live in another country for an extended period of time. Talking with Jeanelie has further excited me to travel the globe meeting all types of people from all types of places.

David Belpedio  

ESL Meeting #6 – 11/10/11

ESL Meeting #6 – 11/10/11

            Walking up to me, Jeanelie was bundled from head to toe in her winter wardrobe. Hidden in her big puffy coat, wool scarf, and fuzzy earmuffs, Jeanelie’s face was barely visible. Sitting down, Jeanelie began to take off her winter gear one piece at a time. I asked Jeanelie if she had ever experienced this kind of weather before. While it was a colder day, the coldest it had been thus far, I wasn’t expecting Jeanelie to be in such heavy winter clothing. Jeanelie explained that she was not used to the cold weather and explained how it did not get cold at home. Jeanelie explained that all that was needed in Venezuela during the winter months was a light sweater. This weather was way to cold for her.

            After we finished talking about the differences between the climate of the US and of Venezuela, Jeanelie told me all about her day at Sea World. The past weekend, Jeanelie, her husband, and another couple all went to Sea World. Jeanelie explained that this was her first time going to Sea World. She loved it. From feeding the dolphins to going on the water rides, Jeanelie lit up with excitement as she told me all about her day. She even told me that for reasons she could not understand, she started crying during the Shamu show. She laughed as she told me this because she said that when she started crying her husband was confused and embarrassed. I couldn’t believe that the show moved Jeanelie so much and was surprised to hear her say this.

            Jeanelie also told me about her experience feeding the dolphins. Whenever I go to Sea World, I am always jealous of the people who get to feed the dolphins. Unfortunately, unlike Jeanelie, I never had the opportunity to do so. Jeanelie explained how the dolphins felt like smooth leather and how nice and friendly they were. Jeanelie said that feeding the dolphins was her favorite part of the day.

            Approaching the end of the semester, Jeanelie and I ended our meeting by discussing some things that we wanted to complete before our time together came to a close. Jeanelie really wanted to master both speaking and understanding when to use “th” vs. “st” or “rd” when talking about dates, number of times, ext. I found it difficult to help Jeanelie practice saying “fifth”, “third”, and so on and found it even more difficult to explain to her when to use what ending and with what numbers. After some practice she got the hang of it and was feeling more confident. The two of us also worked on possession. Working to explain how to use the apostrophe, Jeanelie looked at me like I was a crazy man. Just as it is hard for me to translate possession into Spanish, Jeanelie struggled with translating it into English. Because things are reversed when going between the two languages, the grammar can be hard to perfect.

            With only two meetings left and the semester coming to a close, Jeanelie expressed her feelings of sadness to me. Already dreading the day she has to say goodbye to all of her new friends, Jeanelie explained how she was not looking forward to the end of her time here at TCU. In an effort to comfort her, I told her that we still had two meetings left and plenty of time to continue practicing and improving upon her English.

David Belpedio

ESL Meeting #5 – 11/03/11

ESL Meeting #5 – 11/03/11

            Asking Jeanelie how she was doing today, I quickly discovered that she was feeling a bit homesick. It had been almost 3 months since Jeanelie had been home and she said that she missed it quite a bit. Jeanelie explained to me that living in the hotel here in the United States proved to be a lonely condition. Aside from attending class, the only time she spent with other people was when she was hanging out with some of her classmates or spending time with her American family, neither of which she did very frequently. I asked her if she and her husband spent a lot of time together. She said that they did, however he was in class much longer than her and had other duties he had to attend to. Jeanelie explained to me how many times she found herself lonely in the hotel room wishing she could go home and be with her family and friends.

            Hearing this from Jeanelie, I began to feel sorry for her. I completely understood what she was saying and found myself imagining what it would be like to be in a foreign country with no close friends or family. I understood how Jeanelie could feel lonely at times and I could easily see where she could often be bored. I have a hard time being completely alone for long periods of time and enjoy having people around me. Setting myself in a foreign country with few friends, I would imagine feeling very similar to Jeanelie.

            Working to lighten the mood, I tried to cheer her up by asking her what her and her husband enjoyed doing. She talked about a few restaurants they had eaten at and talked about the wonderful foods she had tried while in the US. She also talked with me about the shopping she did. Coming to the US with only two suitcases, Jeanelie explained how she had bought an additional two suitcases to bring all of her purchases back to Venezuela with her. I was shocked and asked her what the heck she bought! Jeanelie began by explaining that prices in Venezuela were extremely high and that neither she nor her family made many purchases. Confused by this, I asked Jeanelie to explain what she meant. Jeanelie explained to me that a phone in the US that costs $300 will cost somewhere between $1000 and $1300 in Venezuela. Shocked, I asked her if all consumer goods were like this. She explained that because of all the corruption and problems in Venezuela all prices on goods were outrageously priced.

            Not being able to purchase ordinary consumer goods for reasonable and fair prices seemed unjust and unimaginable to me. Thinking about this idea, I came to further realize just how lucky we are to live in the United States. While we may have our own problems, we are blessed to not have to face the corruption and unjust nature that makes up so many other countries around the world.

            Jeanelie had purchased clothes, toys, and electronics for her family and friends at home and could not wait to share her gifts with them. Jeanelie and I spoke for a while about her shopping and her favorite malls and shops and before long she began to forget about being homesick. I could see Jeanelie was feeling better.

David Belpedio 

In The American Society - Gish Jen

In The American Society

Gish Jen

            In Gish Jen’s In The American Society, Jen not only illustrates the assimilation of Callie’s father to American society, but also explores the reluctance American society has to take others in. Providing insight into the life of an immigrant and the challenges faced when jumping into a new society, this short story worked to help me better understand the transition. I was also particularly interested in the underlying idea Jen presented of the reluctance our society holds on letting others in. As illustrated throughout the story, this idea of reluctance becomes very apparent. Upsetting me as I pondered the idea, I never realized the difficultly an outsider faces when trying to assimilate into American society. The aspect of Jen’s writing that emphasized this idea and interested me most was the demonstrations of the humiliating effect assimilation may have on a person.

             I enjoyed how Jen divided the story up into two sections. In the fist part of the story, “His Own Society”, I was able to understand Ralph’s old world patriarchy coming to terms with the American culture. Understanding Ralph’s expectation of authority from his employers due to his position as owner of the pancake house, the struggle to assimilate was easier to comprehend. While it was hard to watch Ralph destroy relationships with his employers, I was able to understand Ralph’s justification. Jen explains how in Ralph’s society, treating the employers as he does is nothing out of the ordinary, however in the American society, his actions are viewed as foreign and unacceptable. In the second part of the story, the American society itself is explored. Attending a pool party, Ralph and his family work to assimilate into what appears to be the typical American society. Resulting in disaster, the pool party highlights the difficulty Ralph faces when trying to assimilate. Knowing that things were not going to end up well, I hoped that Ralph would have just stayed home and never put on the suit. As an overdressed and foreign member, Ralph was easily spotted at the party.

            As readers, we are able to see Ralph's constant struggle with assimilation though his challenges with the pancake house, his employers, and his relationships. I almost felt defeated by the end of this short story. Scene after scene and event after event, it appears as if Ralph is consistently getting beat up by the new society. Pushing himself to test out the waters of American society, I felt pain for Ralph after he failed attempt after attempt to assimilate.

            Overall, this short story proved to further educate me on the life of an immigrant working to assimilate into American society. Never before had I truly understood the barrier American society holds and the difficulty it places on those trying to join it. Struggling to hold on to his old world ways, I felt that by the end of the story Ralph had come to the understanding that his ways would not work in the American society and thus he had given up. After his explosion at the pool party, I believe that Ralph came to the realization that he did not fit in and felt that American society had humiliated him. 

David Belpeido

ESL Meeting #4 – 10/18/11

ESL Meeting #4 – 10/18/11

            This meeting was a little bit different from the previous ones. Although Jeanelie and I still carried on a conversation about everyday topics, the bulk of the meeting revolved around a grammar lesson. Jeanelie had another test coming up at the end of the week and one of the main components of the test dealt with the correct use of prepositions. I knew that propositions had always been a challenge for Jeanelie and when to use “by” rather than “to” or “in” had been a difficult task for Jeanelie.

            In order to help Jeanelie practice using the correct proposition and in hopes of boosting her confidence and understanding of the concept, the two of us sat down for a test prep on prepositions. I quickly found it difficult to define many of the common propositions used in English. How does one define “to” or “over”? This quickly became a much harder task than I originally thought it would be. In order to help aid my test prep workshop, I had Jeanelie find some worksheets and activities her professor had provided her class to help learn the concept of propositions. The two of us reviewed these worksheets looking over example after example until Jeanelie eventually started to get the hang of things.

            Working to help Jeanelie understand how to decide what proposition was appropriate was a much more challenging task than I predicted. Even after close to an hour of practicing the uses of the most common prepositions, I still felt that Jeanelie struggled with the overall concept. It was hard for me to explain to her when to use what and I found myself frustrated. I felt like I couldn’t help Jeanelie, I felt like I was stuck. The feeling of not being able to teach someone what appeared to be such an elementary subject was a foreign concept to me, a concept that I was not taking well. Taking a step back and reflecting on my test prep with Jeanelie, I found myself gaining a new respect for teachers and those involved in education.

            Meeting with my ESL partner was the first time I had ever had the experience of actually teaching someone. In years past, I had helped fellow classmates with assignments and helped my younger sister with her math homework, however I had never sat down and actually tutored an individual. Looking back over our meetings, I began to gain a new perspective on what it was like to be in the teacher’s shoes. Gaining a better understanding for what it was like being on the teaching side of education, Jeanelie helped me work through my first teaching experiences. I believe and find that my patience and understanding has grown and I have also found that I am learning a lot about my personal habits and the way in which I communicate. This meeting with Jeanelie provided for a much deeper opportunity for reflection than the previous meetings.

David Belpedio 

The Chrysanthemums - John Steinbeck Reflection

The Chrysanthemums

John Steinbeck

            I really enjoyed this short story for a couple of reasons. One reason stemmed from the writing style of the story itself. Steinbeck organizes his story forcing his reader to think about what he is working to convey. By simply providing the reader with clues as to how to understand the events that occur throughout the story, Steinbeck rarely identifies a single correct interpretation. By doing so, I found this story to open my thoughts to a multitude of interpretations and to produce a variety of emotions and feelings. I also enjoyed how Steinbeck introduced this story. In the first two paragraphs, the passage about the setting ignites a variety of thoughts as to the direction the story may go. Highlighting undertones of new life and growth as well as empty hope and anguish, the story’s introduction immediately grabbed my attention and sparked my imagination.

            Throughout the story, Elisa is full of emotions. By allowing for a variety of interpretations, Steinbeck allowed me to go through the story feeling some of the same emotions I believed Elise felt. The scene that interested me most was the scene in which Elisa discovers the abandon Chrysanthemums on the side of the road. Leading up to the discovery of the Chrysanthemums, a rush of emotions crossed my body. Anxious, nervous, and unsure, these emotions were simultaneously defining my feelings as a traveled alongside Elise to the spot where the abandon flowers lay. As Elisa appears to be transitioning between emotions as well, the slow, dragged out ride to the abandon flowers provides the reader with a space to form their own interpretations regarding Elisa’s feelings. A mixture of emotions, I felt sadness, anger, and uncertainty fall upon Elisa as she passed her abandon flowers.

            Hinting at Elisa’s feelings, Steinbeck does a great job allowing for the open interpretation I mentioned before. As readers, we can sense the feeling of sadness Elisa experiences, however it is undefined as to whether she is angry or furious with the tinker man. This undefined interpretation, and the forcing us to draw upon our own conclusions, was what attracted me to this story. Steinbeck places us as the readers into the position of Henry or any other person in Elisa’s life. Those in Elisa’s life are just as unsure about her feelings as we as reader are. I also found it interesting to reflect upon what Elisa thinks about herself. Unable to pinpoint her emotions as the reader, I believe that Elisa herself appears to have a hard time interpreting her own behaviors and has a hard time understanding what she feels and why she feels the way she does. Throughout the story I really worked to place myself in Elisa’s place and tried to experience what she was feeling.

            The first two paragraphs of this story hold a sense of hope; a hope that appears to be in the near future, but is taken away quickly thereafter. For example, when talking about the weather and the rising sun, Steinbeck states “the fields seemed to be bathed in pale cold sunshine, but there was no sunshine in the valley now in December”. In this passage, the open interpretation holds that there is sunshine or hope in the distance or ahead, however there is none now. The description in the introduction of the setting of this story demonstrates the empty hope that is apparent throughout the rest of the story. In many of Steinbeck’s descriptions, of both events and physical environmental features, there is a sense of promise and hope with no fulfillment. As a reader reading these descriptions, I was able to feel this hope, and then time after time felt let down and almost disappointed with the consistent failure of its fulfillment. I felt like Steinbeck teased the reader time and time again inserting disappointment both into the scene at hand, but also many times into his characters, and in particular Elisa.

            Overall I enjoyed this story and surprised myself with some of the feelings I felt. Many times, I found myself feeling sorry for Elisa and found myself upset with the tinker for throwing out the flowers. Working to decode the different scenes in the story and organizing the emotions at hand proved to be an intriguing and complicated task.

David Belpedio

ESL Meeting #3 – 10/04/11

ESL Meeting #3 – 10/04/11

            As tradition, Jeanelie greeted me with a kiss on the cheek and a big smile. We began our conversation by talking about the weekend and the different activities Jeanelie and her husband participated in. Jeanelie described what seemed to be a pretty low-key weekend. She said that herself and her husband stayed around the hotel for most of the weekend with nothing to exciting occurring. Having a hard time understanding what life would be like living in a hotel for an extended period, I asked Jeanelie how she liked her current living conditions.

            As expected, Jeanelie said that she missed her family and friends from home as well as her home itself. However, Jeanelie said that she really enjoyed staying in the hotel. Not having to worry about picking up the house or dealing with various maintenance tasks, Jeanelie explained how living in the hotel provided her and her husband with flexibility. Jeanelie talked about the opportunities her and her husband were able to pursue because of all the extra free time she had with not having to maintain a home. I was interested in what Jeanelie had to say and asked her about some of the activities she enjoyed doing most while in the US. While it was still hard for me to imagine living in a hotel for almost 6 months, Jeanelie pointed out some interesting opportunities that doing so allowed for. However, I couldn’t take my mind off the idea of not having a kitchen to walk down to, or a living room to sit back and relax in. It was all so foreign to me.

Jeanelie and I ended our conversation by talking about my plans for fall break. Beginning by explaining what exactly fall break was to Jeanelie, I told her about my plans to head home for the long weekend. I was surprised to hear that Jeanelie knew where Kansas was. When I told Jeanelie that I was from Kansas and was going to go back home for the break she knew exactly where I was talking about. Jeanelie’s husband had traveled to Kansas before and had told Jeanelie all about it so Kansas was not as foreign of a place to Jeanelie as I expected it to be. Telling Jeanelie all about my home and the city I lived in, she began to ask me a little bit about my personal life. She wanted me to practice my Spanish so I told her in Spanish about my home, my family, and some hobbies I enjoyed. Encouraging me as I stumbled through the choppy Spanish sentences, Jeanelie helped me along just as I helped her with her English. She explained to me that sometimes she gets so tired of speaking English that its nice to take a break and return to her native language. I laughed and told her that I knew how she felt.

            Jeanelie had a test at the end of the week so she told me that she would send me a text when she was done to let me know how she thought she did. Jeanelie explained to me that she thought of us as more than conversation partners, but as friends. I was excited to hear this and was glad that she was beginning to feel more comfortable with me.

David Belpedio  

ESL Meeting #2 – 09/30/11

ESL Meeting #2 – 09/30/11

            Greeting me with a kiss on the cheek, Jeanelie was anxious to tell me about her weekend. On Saturday, Jeanelie went to Six Flags in Arlington with her husband. Explaining how she loved the rollercoaster’s and all of the amusements the park offered, Jeanelie seemed happier than a child in a candy shop. Jeanelie explained that she had never been to an amusement park before and that this past weekend was her first time riding a roller coaster. I was shocked to hear this and asked her if there were amusement parks in Caracas. She didn’t know of any that were close by and didn’t know if there were any parks at all in Venezuela. It was hard for me to imagine not attending an amusement park at some point as a child and even harder to imagine the idea of the US not having amusement parks at all. In the US, it is almost impossible to go more than two or three days without seeing some sort of commercial or advertisement for Disney Land or a major amusement park.

            After discussing our weekends with one another, I asked Jeanelie how school was going for her and how she felt about her classes. Jeanelie shared with me that she was enjoying class and found herself doing very well with her English. While she admitted that she wished that she could advance a level and be in the same classes as her husband, Jeanelie said that she was learning quickly and enjoyed her classes. Jeanelie explained that she had a test coming up later in the week and asked me if we could review some concepts and some phrases that she was having trouble with. In hopes of boosting her confidence and working to help her better prepare for her exam, I told Jeanelie that we could have a little test review.

            Jeanelie pulled out some worksheets from class that she was reviewing for the test. Pointing out the parts of the worksheet she struggled with, the two of us began to work through the assignment. The assignment reviewed common English phrases that are used in every day speech. Some of the phrases included were, “it’s no big deal”, “don’t worry about it”, and “over there”. It was fascinating for me to see these phrases and ponder the idea that Jeanelie had no idea what they met or the context in which they were used; yet I myself used many of these phrases every day. Jeanelie consistently struggled with the word “over” and any phrases that included the word.

            At first I found myself troubled when trying to define the word “over” for her and couldn’t seem to pull out a definition that was clear enough for her understanding. Attempt after attempt, I threw out different definitions and various examples in hopes of clarifying the word. Eventually, Jeanelie picked up on the basic meaning of the word, however I was not confident that she had a complete understanding of it. Luckily, because I know quite a bit of Spanish, I was able to cheat, and worked to explain the meaning in Spanish. Tossing back different examples between one another, Jeanelie finally reached an understanding of the word. She was thrilled by her accomplishment and I felt a sense of accomplishment as well. It was exciting and rewarding for me to help Jeanelie through her struggle and help her learn what appeared to me to be such a simple word to me, but was such an obstacle for her.

            The two of us had a great meeting and ended with a high five encouraging Jeanelie to do well on her exam. Jeanelie told me that she would text me when she completed her exam letting me know how she felt about it. She said that my review helped her and that she did in fact feel more confident. 

David Belpedio 

Library Research #2 - Uncle Sambo, Mad for Mambo

LIFE Magazine

December 20, 1954

Uncle Sambo, Mad for Mambo

Most everyone loves the Christmas holiday season. Good food, close friends and family, and sing-a-longs are only a few characteristics that can be used to describe the joyful season. The addition of the upbeat and popular dance, the Mambo, was added to this list of holiday activities in the mid 1950s. Luring many Americans to dance halls for some months before the Christmas holiday, the mambo erupted in the holiday frenzy. Enjoyed by all ages, the mambo served as an easy to learn dance for housewives, teenagers, and the elderly. Dance palaces began to emerge throughout the nation popping up in big cities such as Chicago and New York. Offering both lessons and prizes to the many clients of the studios, the dance halls found 80 to 100% of their customers enrolling to learn the mambo for the holiday season. Mambo songwriters quickly produced seasonal numbers like Santa Clause Mambo, Jingle Bells Mambo, and the salute to Mommy mambo for clients to enjoy.

One of the reasons for the rapid increase in the popularity of the new dance was the fact that the mambo provided for a less strict and structured dance. Allowing its practitioners to go “hog-wild” while dancing, the mambo permitted improvised solo moves and out of routine dance steps. The mambo is described as a simple dance, whose basic back-and-forward steps are easily mastered. The basic step is done to eight counts with the man leading the women for the majority of the dance. Allowing for both the man and the women to have moments of personal expression, the mambo is a lively dance. Accompanied by saxophones, a drum section, rattles, clappers and cowbells, the dance is seen as “a crazy thing”. Surrounded by the excitement of the holiday season and all of the festivities that accompany it, the mambo served as a popular dance.

I was originally attracted to this article by its connection to the Christmas season. Intentionally selecting an article around the Christmas holiday, the Christmas season is my favorite time of the year. Understanding my personal holiday traditions and routine activities, I was interested to understand the activities that defined the Christmas season of the 1950s. Focused on the idea of the emerging and popular holiday dance of the mambo, this article provided insight into the holiday season of the 1950s. While times are quite different, holiday parties of the 1950s exhibit the same characteristics holiday parties of today do. One of the main differences however, is that dancing, particularly the mambo, was the main entertainment of 1950 holiday parties. Centered on the main event of dancing, these holiday parties would be filled with eager guests waiting to dance the night away.

Another aspect of this article that really stood out, was the way people presented themselves. The article included various pictures of guests at holiday parties as well as clients of the dance studios. By reviewing these pictures, I was able to better understand the dress of the time period. Wearing much less revealing clothing and more uniform outfits, the women appeared to hold a much higher standard for presenting themselves. The women in these photos also rarely are holding any type of drink and for the most part only the men are found holding drinks in their hands. With these two observations, it appears that women of the time were held at a more controlled and monitored standard. Covered in long dressed with heavy sweaters and rather short high heels, women appeared much more conservative.

The advertisements surrounding this article also grabbed my attention and provided insight into the holiday season. The Christmas season always means cards, cards, and more cards. Each year millions of holiday cards are passed through the postal system sending love and blessings to friends and family. The same is true of the 1950s, however in an advertisement for “Santagrams”, it becomes obvious that the telegram replaces the present day holiday card. This advertisement highlights the importance of sending a telegram to loved ones near and far and emphasizes the simplicity of doing so. Capturing the holiday spirit of Santa Clause, the advertisement includes the option of the “Santagram” which provides youngsters communication with Santa Clause and his many elves. The language of this advertisement also caught my eye. Described as “gay and colorful”, the language used in this 1950s advertisement is almost nonexistent today. Another advertisement for “TUMS” indigestion relief caught my attention. I was unaware that TUMS were available in the 1950s and found it interesting that the same brand used for indigestion in the 1950s is used today. Available for ten cents a roll, the advertisement worked to persuade the reader that TUMS would be the perfect “stocking stuffer”. Smiling as I read this, I could only think how disappointed I would be if I found a roll of TUMS in my stocking on Christmas day.

Overall I enjoyed this article and found it fascinating to look into the holiday season of the 1950s. While different in many ways, the holiday gatherings of the 1950s demonstrate similar activities as seen in holiday parties today. With the addition of the mambo, the holiday season of the 1950s saw the emergence of a new and less structured dance. Enabling participates to let loose, the mambo was attractive to many holiday goers and provided for a good time to all ages.

David Belpedio

The Man Who Was Almost A Man Reflection

The Man Who Was Almost A Man

Richard Wright

            Disheartened is the word that I would use to describe my feelings after reading this story. Searching for respect and some sense of authority, Dave is rejected of both throughout the story’s plot. In some cases, it was almost hard for me to read this story and watch Dave fail time after time again. Begging his mother for money, getting poked fun at by the entire town, and running away on the train, Dave appears to be a boy desperately trying to grow into his 17 year old body. In his effort to reach manhood, Dave depicts his insecurities, his confused self, and his immaturity. Dave counteracts all of the actions he believes will develop him into a man further proving his overall adolescent being. Through his character however, Dave illustrates the underlying theme of the pathway to manhood.

            Power, respect, and manhood were the aspects that Dave believed having a gun would provide. Purchasing the gun did in fact provide Dave with the physical gun, however the power, respect, and development into manhood Dave believed the gun would provide were nowhere to be found. “In the gray light of dawn he held, it loosely, feeling a sense of power. Could kill a man with a gun like this.” Through this excerpt from the story, we are able to see Dave’s immaturity. While yes, a gun can kill a man, Dave does not understand that having a gun makes him no more powerful or no more of a man. For one, Dave admits himself that he does not know how to shot a gun and when he decides to shot the gun, he has to turn his head and close his eyes. Knocking him over and throwing him onto the ground, the first shot Dave fires further illustrates Dave’s immaturity. While emotionally Dave is not mature enough to look at his target, physically Dave does not have the strength to hold his ground when he fires the gun.

            Dave’s emotional immaturity is also highlighted in the scene where Dave turns back in the direction of his home wanting to get help for Jenny, but not having the courage to do so. While his instincts are leading him to be a man, he instead acts as a child and doesn’t ask for help. Just as Dave is afraid to ask for help, Dave is also afraid to tell Jim Hawkins that he has shot his mule. Rather than acting maturely and baring his own responsibilities for his actions, Dave lies to Jim in order to hide the accident. Dave acts as a young boy rather than the man he is trying to become. Dave lies to Jim about Jenny and also lies to his mother about the purchase of the gun. Instead of showing the gun to his mother or to his friends, Dave hides the gun and shows no one. Even though he so strongly seeks respect, a respect he believes will come with his gun, Dave hides the gun telling of his own insecurities.

            Overall, I enjoyed this story. I enjoyed how the author seemed to provide the adolescent path, the path that Dave consistently chooses, along with the more mature and more “grownup” path. Each time Dave is presented with a dilemma and is forced to make a decision, the author hints at both adolescence as well as manhood. As readers, this made it easier to understand the struggle Dave had with the path to manhood. It also made it very clear that Dave was just a boy trying, and failing, to reach manhood. Running away on the train confirms Dave’s inability to take responsibility for his actions. Ending the story with Dave’s fleeing completes Wright’s creation of the adolescent and immature character of Dave. 

David Belpedio

Library Research #1 - U.S. Labor Uses A Potent New Tactic – The Sit Down Strike

LIFE Magazine

January 18, 1937

U.S. Labor Uses A Potent New Tactic – The Sit Down Strike

            “Sit-Down” is the literal word for the action strikers took in General Motor plants across the nation on December 30, 1937. The United Automobile Workers of America Union (U.A.W) was one of the least influential labor unions in any major US industry up until the end of 1936. However, by the end of 1937, the union had effectively tied up the great and powerful General Motors Corporation. Oddly enough, the workers had done it by the simple process of sitting down - a process that was rather unknown in the US. Across the nation General Motors had various plants employing thousands of workers. By strategically executing the “sit down” operation in key plants around the nation, the workers, which refused to budge, managed to cease operations of GM plants around the country.

            According to the article, the term “sit-down” was a new word in the labor’s vocabulary. As a newly discovered tactic for battle against the powerful corporations, the U.A.W imported the sit-down theory from France. The motor industry of the United States was in no way familiar with this tactic or with the threat that the union posed against them. The article depicts emotions of surprise and fright as the motor corporations began to realize the threat that these unions posed against them. Reading the article, I felt as if for the first time the automobile industry found itself highly vulnerable. As such powerful and massive corporations Ford, Chrysler, and General Motors operated as companies of strength and pride. However once the workers were out of work, the corporation realized that a serious labor strike could halt operations, a realization that made chiefly Walter P Chrysler of Chrysler Corp. and Alfred P Sloan Jr. of General Motors turn their heads.

            While the workers executed operation sit-down, wives, children, and friends would pass by the factories bringing bread, clean clothes, or conversation to the sitting workers. Refusing to budge until General Motors agreed to a national conference on wages, hours, and working conditions, the U.A.W workers sat at their posts enjoying the break. The article defines the assembly line and shares how its innovation resulted in great advances in the factories. Understanding how each company is a giant assembly line, fed by bodies, tires, windows, upholstery, and other various parts, if one part of this line goes on strike and sits down, the rest of the line is forced to do the same causing a complete shut down.

            One of the first things I noticed when reading through this edition of TIME magazine was the price of the magazine. Ten cents. That’s all it cost to buy an issue of TIME Magazine in 1937. Today, it costs about three fifty to four bucks to purchase an issue of the magazine. One of the advertisements that first caught my attention was a car advertisement for a Plymouth. Focused on how quiet the Plymouth is, the advertisement sells its customers on the “hushed ride” of the new car. Another advertisement that caught my eye was an advertisement for Camel Cigarettes. The top of the advertisement reads, “For Digestion’s Sake… Smoke Camels!” When I read this, I was considerably confused. Rather than warning signs and statements telling pregnant women not to smoke, the advertisement highlights the idea that “digestion often needs a lift to”. The advertisement reviews the benefits of smoking Camels and demonstrates how they help one to enjoy their food more. The advertisement was very strange to me and was nothing like the cigarette advertisements we see today.

     This article provided both an interesting read and some insight into what the labor world of the U.S. was like in the late 30s. As workers in factories across the nation became fed up with their working conditions and poor treatment, the workers united and fought back. While the sit-down tactic had not been seen in years before, it quickly developed into an effective and efficient method of battle against the powerful corporations. The advertisements throughout the magazine provided background of the world in the 1930s as well. Reviewing their selling points as well as their targeted audiences, the advertisements provided a better understanding of the character of the time period. Through both the article itself and the embedded advertisements, I was able to view the era in a different light and understand and discover aspects I never understood before.            

 

David Belpedio