New Americans project Reflection

New Americans Project Reflection
Wyatt Baquial

The purpose of the project is to learn about the experiences of immigrants from all around the world. We started our project with reading a book about an immigrant. My book was the book called Brother, I’m Dying which is based on a girl named Edwidge that emigrated from Haiti to America. I’m not entirely sure whether or not I liked my choice. It did show that for a lot of immigrants, it’s hard to immigrate to America. My book had good description but to me all the bad things that happened to her made me not want to read it anymore. It was a little predictable. The blogging for me was easy. I spoke from my heart and could connect to almost all the quotes I picked. The only problem I had with blogging was that my group members rarely posted their blogs so I had to respond to people in the other class.
For the art section of the project, I chose to paint what I thought was the theme of the book. I painted what I depicted the book was about. My painting had pictures of Edwidge and how she had to take care of her dad and her uncle while pregnant with a baby. I also painted a bridge going from America to Haiti with a gap in it to show that for a while she couldn’t immigrate to America to live with her dad. I was really able to connect to the intellect of the book. She was going through all these things that she didn’t anticipate but tried to stay calm and collected. When I am in a wreck I try to think it through and make sure I’m on the right track. I liked the final product on my painting. I think I captured the expression of depression on her face. I also think the colors like the grey and white contrasted each other and drew a lot of eyes. I think if I spent more time on details it would have been a more professional painting. I wish I used a skinnier brush for the face and around the countries. I think all the proportions were good but I could have spent more time touching up the painting. While reading the book I knew there were a lot of depressing things that happened, but until I put most of it on paper I really realized how hard it was for all the characters in the book. I learned that immigrating to America isn’t just a plane ride and you’re free. For millions of immigrants it was a long and hard journey for the ultimate gift. Some were detained. Some were turned down, and some didn’t even make it on the way to America.

The last part of the project was where we were assigned an actual immigrant who was a different race then our own and we had to interview them about their journey over to America. My interview was with a woman who works for my dad named Rose. My interview with her went really well. I didn’t see many problems with it and since we’ve known each other for so long, we were both comfortable. The only thing differently I wish I did was to have more follow up questions because some of her answers were answers like, “Not really”, “Probably not”, “Yes”, and “No”. I wish I had more open-ended questions. I didn’t really like having to do three different interviews but I know what their purpose was. I just feel like I asked so many questions at all these different times. I wish we just had one interview. I learned a lot of things about Brazil during the interviews. I learned that in Brazil during the 1980’s it was required to learn 2 years of English in High school. I had never heard of a place called Sao Paulo before the interviews. I learned that Sao Paulo was one of the richest cities in the world and is the business center of Brazil. I learned about Rose’s reasons for immigrating and all the things she did before she came here to America. I really liked the project and am grateful I got to interview someone I’ve known a long time

Quotes #6

Quote #1 said by Edwidge "Not even after my uncle died"


Now I get the name. I thought at first that it had too with Edwidge dying and her brother taking care of her. Then I realized that her father and uncle are brothers, and her uncle died. It is as if her uncle was saying "brother, I'm dying." I liked this quote because before it she said that they wouldn't let her see her uncle even after he died. I don't get that. They wouldn't even let her see her uncle to say goodbye.

I remember that my grandma wanted her whole family by her side in her final moments. We were allowed to see her almost whenever we wanted. She wanted us there and we were there. I would hate if I couldn't see my own grandma while she was in the hospital

My first question is:
Why didn't they let her see her uncle? or why don't you think they let her see her uncle?


Quote #2 said by Edwidge "In my father's dream, when my uncle calls him from Maxo's apartment the night he nearly died, my father actually makes it there on time to ride in the ambulance with him and hold his hands as the paramedics drill the tracheotomy hole in his neck."

I'd imagine that her father feels so guilty that he couldn't make it on time to her uncle. I know her father wanted to be by his brother in the ambulance. He probably thinks that his brother was scarred in the ambulance and wanted someone by his side.

I always have dreams about things that I never get to do. I don't know how to feel when I wake up. Sometimes i'm happy that the dream didn't actually happen in real life and vice versa. If I were her father I would only feel worse that my guilt turned itself into a dream.

My second question:
What were your final thoughts on the book?

Quotes #4 (#5 two below this one)

Book: Brother. I'm Dying

Quote #1: Edwidge narrated, page 145 "Tante Denise died from a massive stroke the day after my uncle's eighteenth birthday, in February 2003. She was eighty-one years old. My father and I flew to Haiti for the Funeral."

I honestly don't know how Edwidge and her family deal with so much death and sickness. I chose this quote because It shows that her family has a history of death and it seems that almost all of her family members die or suffer of sickness. She has her father and her uncle to prove this point. They are both sick.

I can connect to this because my great aunt Ines died at the age of 80 in Trinidad. My mom and my brother flew down for the funeral. It shows that family is family and weather or not we're in another country we'll always show our respects.

Question #1:
Have you ever flown to another country for a family event?


Quote #2: Uncle Karl talking and Edwidge narrating, Page 157, " 'You'll see for yourself' Karl said, his face unreadable in profile. 'We're taking you to him now.' I wondered. Only a week after my father's diagosis was I being ushered to his beside to say good-bye? "

The significance of this quote is that Before that she was trying to make everyone smile by easing the moment with a joke because she didn't know they were taking her to the hospital, and when she found out she was going to see him her heart dropped with fear. I can imagine how she felt when she went from having a smile to having a fear that her loved one's life was lost.

I know exactly how she felt because once my brother fell on his skateboard and we were laughing but he wouldn't get up and his eyes were closed and we all thought something really bad had happened. My uncle made him wake up and was asking him all these questions about who he was and the date and time. I remember how funny the fall looked and then crying when he wouldn't get up. I knew I had to pick this quote when I read it because it reminded me so much of what had happened with my brother.

Question #2:
Has there every been a time in your life where you thought everything was okay but seconds after something made your heart sink?

Quotes #3

Quote #1: said by her father, page 123 " 'If i could do something else' my father said, ' I'd be either a grocer or an undertaker. Because we all must eat and we all must die.' "

I thought the significance of this quote was definitely to show how intellectual her father is. Although it may not sound so complicated, I still think it takes wisdom to think of something like that and take eating and dieing and compare it to being a grocer and an undertaker. Also, you would think instead of a grocer he would say something like a charity to feed hungry children. But instead he chose an easy primitive job.

I would also choose to be a grocer because it's so easy to be on. But the biggest reason is because it is sort of depressing to see hungry children and men and women everyday while trying my hardest to get people to buy them food. In a grocery store I would see smiles and people happy to see what I put out on the shelves.

Question #1:
What are two jobs you would want to have and why?


Quote #2: Narrated by Edwidge "the American consulate wrote to my uncle to see if we were in good enough health to travel to the United States. I was eleven year old."

I chose this quote because it shows that it really must have been an impact on Edwidge because she was only 11 years old and had to go through all these tests made by a country she wasn't even familiar with.

I have never been tested for big reasons like she was but I know that it I was 11 I would be so scared of the tests, and being my defeatist self, I wouldn't believe I would pass the tests. But if I knew it was from the country I wanted to get into I would try my hardest to pass them

My second question:
Would you be scared of tests by another country? or would you trust them?

quotes 5

Book: Brother, I'm Dying

Quote #1: Said by Edwidge, Page 206 "The next day, Friday, my father's health took a turn for the worse worried about my uncle, He hadn't slept the night before. His voice was so hoarse from coughing that he could barley speak when I called. His eczema and psoriasis had returned and he'd completely lost what little appetite he had."

The significance of this quote was that it once again shows that Edwidge may have too much to deal with in her life right now. It shows that she is in a stressful environment while pregnant with a baby. You can tell it's all taking a toll on her and that she's in over her head. With her grandpa almost dead, Her father sick, and her baby kicking her into exhaustion. But what it also shows, is that their whole family all care about eachother. Her dad couldn't sleep because he was worried about their uncle, and Edwidge was trying to take care of both of them.

I can sort of connect to this situation in the case that my mother couldn't sleep when my grandpa was in the hospital. I could tell she was stressed out and worried about my grandpa, and also that near my grandfather's end he lost his apetite and counciusness. When I was reading this part it reminded me of my own grandpa.


Question #1
Have you ever had an expirience like this?


Quote #2: Said by Edwidge and a customs officer (conversation), Page 213 " 'can I speak to my uncle?' I asked the customs officer who, it seemed, was patiently waiting for me to get off the phone. 'that's not allowed' he said. 'please,' I said 'He's old and--' 'He'll contact you when he gets to krome.' "

The signifiance to this quote is that I've always thought that officers and paramedics never trully care about what situation the people they're trying to help are in. This shows that even she thinks the officers don't really know what kind of situation is in and take people as if they are waisting their time.

However, alot of news casters report things like that, things like there are only bad cops and none good, I have seen some sincere officers. I've seen some go to a store and take money out of their own wallets to buy a family who's house burnt down some blankets and pillows. I've seen cops give promises to victims that they won't rest until they solve the crime. I think if this officer knew what kind of situation Edwidge was in he would let her atleast talk to her uncle. Or handled it in a nicer way.

Question #2
What got Edwidges uncle into llegal trouble?

Quotes #2

Quote #1: Pg. 51 Edwidge (narrating): "My father recalled how some macoutes would walk into the shoe store, ask for the best shoes and simply grab them and walk away. He couldn't protest or run after them or he might risk being shot"

The significance is that It really shows how there was a dictatorship in Haiti. The macoutes could do whatever they wanted and be able to get away with it because they had the president on their side. It give a big example of why her father came to America. If i worked in a shoe store trying to make a living and they could just come in and take them, i would want to live in a place that was based on fairness and equality.

I can connect to this because when i was little, if my brothers took something of mine i wouldn't get up and try to take it back because i feared they would just push me down and walk away. Even though her father and the macoute weren't brothers, they were all from one nation yet they treat each other as if they intruded into their country.

My question is, If you were the father how would you react to the macoute taking shoes for free? Also, if you had the power of a macoute would you take anything you wanted?


Quote #2: pg. 62 Edwidge (narrating): "It's difficult not to idealize the brave face my uncle might have put on his suffering after his radical laryngectomy in 1978, even if what appeared to be bravery was simply an attempt at shielding his pain from others."

I chose this one because it shows that her family had alot of problems with sickness, which shows how it was back in Haiti. Her family has alot of problems with heath and I'm surprised at how pretty much all of the one's who are sick try to hide it so they don't get embarrassed. They think they aren't good enough to be seen in public and are worried about their reputation.

I can relate to this because when ever i'm emotionally distressed i try to hide it, but not because I don't want people to see i'm sad but because I don't want people to ask me what's wrong and give me attention. However, at times I put on a game face to save myself from being laughed at.

My question is, If you were sick like her uncle, how would you present yourself?

Museums

Heaven to Home

The purpose of that exhibit was to show the chronological order of the Jewish immigrants. some examples of different places in the exhibit are like the one I read about Jewish immigrants that traveled to Amsterdam and were rejected by a dutch colony because the governor was afraid they would be too much to take care of but let them colonize in the area because it was against the governor's morals to reject priests and rabies. His only rule was that the rabies couldn't preach their religion in public. They could only preach in private. Another one that I found interesting was that during Hitler's invasion over 100,000 Jews escaped to America. I know there were millions of Jews killed by the Nazis but to know that over 100,000 Jews found refuge in America reminds me of how so many other countries look up to us for guidance. And we accept.

As for the Immigrant Children exhibit I liked the picture of the African American women playing the guitar because being a musician myself, i liked seeing how different cultures of music have spread to America. America needs cultural music and Immigrants could bring it with them.

"If we stayed in Bosnia we would have probably been killed. Although no onw can predict the future, just imagine a seven year-old child wondering if he would be killed the next day or spared in this world we call home" - Denis Tuzinovi Bosnia

I chose this one because it shows how people dreaded being in their home country even though it was where they were born.

Brother i'm dying

Literature Circles

Quote: “I found out I was pregnant the same day that my father’s rapid weight loss and chronic shortness of breath were positively diagnosed as end-stage pulmonary fibrosis.”

This shows that their life isn’t going in the direction they wanted to start it in. Edwidge and her father are definitely going through hard ships where she doesn’t want to tell him she’s pregnant and her father is embarrassed that he is losing so much weight. She was sad already when her parents left her for America and she was forced to be taken in by her uncle Joseph. But now that she is living with her parents she feels a little better.
I would be sad if my parents left me for another country but if I new I was being taken in by someone I really loved and that I could call “a second father” I would feel a little relieved. I can’t relate to the fact that I immigrated to America but if I was her father and I had a disease I would be embarrassed to show my face in public too.
How would you feel if you were Edwidge’s father?

Quote: “At the times, it was where papa appeared most comfortable, where he could cough without being embarrassed, because others were coughing too, some even more vociferously.”
This shows that the Americans weren’t verbally attacking her father because he’s an immigrant. Even if they didn’t pay attention to them it means they are treating him like an American. The doctors also treat him like an American and aren’t prejudice against him. I think he’s comfortable enough to feel at home in America.
I can relate to the comfortableness of the father because at the doctors if I’m coughing loudly people don’t look at me as if I’m a freak. I can also relate to being treated right because even though I was born in America I know there are people that are racist against Asians. Luckily I’m not persecuted for it.
If you were a doctor and had an immigrant patient how would you treat them?

Immigration

Immigration Reflection

An immigrant is someone who moves to another country to live in. For example if someone born in Brazil comes to America to live, then they are an immigrant. Immigrants may want to leave their country of origin because their country is being dictated, because their country isn’t offering them a well paying job. Some may even have a dream to live in another country.
Our country of America offers more freedom then other countries. Our country has a better democracy then others. Our country pays better jobs. Some countries are communist countries. Our country has never been communist. This country is a lot safer then other countries for example Columbia is one of the biggest crime countries in the world. So people from Columbia may want to immigrate to our country.
Immigrants can occasionally smuggle in drugs or even people. What immigrants mostly take in from their countries is mostly knowledge, and culture. We have been able to learn about foreign countries by immigrants. The culture of America has changed its culture because of so many immigrants from all around the world. Immigration has changed my life in many ways. If my grandma had never immigrated to America I would probably not live here now. My dad’s good friend rose immigrated from Brazil and introduced him to the culture. In the early 1900’s so many people immigrated that most of us now have immigrant grandparents and great grandparents, and maybe even parents. I am grateful I live in this country and am glad my grandmother immigrated to America