REFLECTION
I checked Scott's reading and work on the My California authors: Firoozeb Dumas, Devorah Major, Michael Chabon, and Kathi Kamen Goldmark.
I chose to focus on the first reading: "Bievenidos a Newport Beach" by Firoozeb Dumas.
The story is about a family from Iran, moving to Newport Beach. They're finding a difficult time adjusting to the California dress and lifestyle. The rules of no cars parked outside the front of the house and getting the trash cans inside as soon as the collectors empty them are all signs of what we think of as a gated community and foreign to these people.
A point that Scott made was that the story brings out the stereotype of the Southern California lifestyle once again. A very interesting point is that it's sad that these people have to move around so much since it doesn't give them the opportunity to familiarize themselves with a particular culture. And, the perspective of how other cultures perceive us. I never gave much thought to how others see us. I guess I felt that cultural studies were for us to learn about others.
The points that Scott have brought out, as well as the author, go very much along with learning as Freire's wanted us to. The points were all things I never thought of and makes me ponder and wonder more about how others see us.
I think projects 2 and 3 helped in that we researched background information of the different local areas of California and see the diversity ourselves. Then, we can look at it from other perspectives, the authors and each other as students.
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Friday, December 5, 2008
Assignment 5b
REFLECTION
I chose to check on the authors read and summarized by Nicolette. The component of My California authors of Hector Tobar, Thomas Steinbeck, Edward Humes and Matt Warshaw.
2. I appreciated her mention of Tobar's writing of the freeways of southern CA being perilous just to get out on to do an errand. I have never been able to bring myself to drive south of Valencia for that same reason. Nicolette referred to the pollution brought out as well. I am aware of the pollution issue, but I find it strange that anyone would be less than fearful of driving there. Of course, this does relate to the Los Angeles 'lifestyle' and what most who live there take for granted.
3. What is something different this classmate said about their choice that you did not realize before when you completed projects 2-3? She said that sitting in her father's car watching traffic flow along on the freeways was as natural to her as walking along a fence of country road might be to a boy from Nebraska. I may have realized this to some extent, but I never gave such a thing a thought. But, coming from a small country area so long ago, I do see the comparison clearly.
4. I am well aware of how the freeways and big cities of southern California affect me and have been amazed at how the locals seem to handle it as nothing big. But, I have a new take on just how much of the area affects different people in different ways and to hear about these different ways gets us a "big picture" of how things really are. I think Freire had this in mind as a goal.
5. How has project 2-3 helped you with the readings of the textbook? Doing the research in projects 2-3 did give me the background I needed to base these new ideas and concepts on. It makes it a more complete knowledge reading others' first hand experiences and takes on the subject.
I chose to check on the authors read and summarized by Nicolette. The component of My California authors of Hector Tobar, Thomas Steinbeck, Edward Humes and Matt Warshaw.
2. I appreciated her mention of Tobar's writing of the freeways of southern CA being perilous just to get out on to do an errand. I have never been able to bring myself to drive south of Valencia for that same reason. Nicolette referred to the pollution brought out as well. I am aware of the pollution issue, but I find it strange that anyone would be less than fearful of driving there. Of course, this does relate to the Los Angeles 'lifestyle' and what most who live there take for granted.
3. What is something different this classmate said about their choice that you did not realize before when you completed projects 2-3? She said that sitting in her father's car watching traffic flow along on the freeways was as natural to her as walking along a fence of country road might be to a boy from Nebraska. I may have realized this to some extent, but I never gave such a thing a thought. But, coming from a small country area so long ago, I do see the comparison clearly.
4. I am well aware of how the freeways and big cities of southern California affect me and have been amazed at how the locals seem to handle it as nothing big. But, I have a new take on just how much of the area affects different people in different ways and to hear about these different ways gets us a "big picture" of how things really are. I think Freire had this in mind as a goal.
5. How has project 2-3 helped you with the readings of the textbook? Doing the research in projects 2-3 did give me the background I needed to base these new ideas and concepts on. It makes it a more complete knowledge reading others' first hand experiences and takes on the subject.
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