Personal Experience: A Personal Reflection Of My Experiences

In between the two lectures I hold office hours where students can come to me with any inquiries about their course. I also utilize this time to review tests and papers, while staying available for student and faculty meetings. On Monday, Wednesday, and Friday I work on my service duties and contribute to my research because my lectures are shorter. After the final session of the day, I may continue working on my research or drafting up my report for review, and on Wednesdays I must attend Faculty Senate meetings. But most days I go home by 6pm. After work, I typically run errands and get groceries, then return to my family to prepare dinner. My family has adapted well to American culture and we often watch American television shows and speak English primarily at home, though we ensure our children do speak Spanish over meals and we often use dinnertime as a time for family bonding, particularly over our culture and the popular Spanish

Their prejudice remarks and stereotyping can be burdensome and hurtful. There are many racist individuals in my classes who were raised to judge and hate those of Spanish roots. For example: in one of my remedial science labs there is a student who has very Republican roots and often makes off hand remarks about “aliens”, continually interrupting lectures when I make a mistake in my sentence structure to ask “how long I have been in the country” and to demand why I can’t “speak English” yet. These are snide remarks made to get attention, but it is nonetheless a reflection on the feelings that so many people have and their treatment toward me if we are unacquainted (Schoem, 1993).

6. What questions do people have about you?

People always want to know how long I have been in this country, assuming that I just recently arrived and assuming superiority. They also want to know where I learned to speak English and if it is the only other language I speak. People often assume that I have only been here a short time. They also inquire as to what I “used to do” “back in my country”, implying that I must have had a much different job before starting at the university.

7. What are your favorite “things” (to do, to experience,

Whatever the disability may be, it is important for both sides to try and make strides toward improving communication in whatever means is necessary. By holding on to prejudices and stereotyping, we are prone to making inaccurate decisions about others before we even meet them and we stop seeing them as similar to us. This can be detrimental to our acceptance of others, our understanding and openness, and it can be hurtful to those who are the target of the aforementioned. This project has helped me to recognize that stereotypes I assume as commonplace can be perceived as hurtful and insulting to those who are the butt of the stereotype and I should make serious strides toward no longer judging people before I meet or assuming I have any idea as to their background. I certainly would be offended if others were to judge me in such a manner so the least I could do is return the