Intercultural Challenges
"Well, when I first came I felt like a caged chick, I did not know anyone..."
For the intercultural interview, I was able to speak with two young women who are recent arrivals to the United States from Guatemala.
First tell me a little about yourselves.
1: I come from Guatemala. I am from the Quetzaltenango Department. I am seventeen years old and I have lived here for three years here. It is my second year in high school.
2: I am from Guatemala and I am fourteen years old. I have been here for two years in the United States and this is my first year of high school.
How do you like it?
1: Well, when I first came I felt like a caged chick, I did not know anyone. But as the weeks and months passed I began to get used to it. I like being here in this school.
2: I like it! It’s very different! The culture, the school, the environment.
Do you know what you want to do after high school?
2: I want study to be a therapist. But I am somewhat undecided because I am not sure about pursuing that career or x-ray technician. But I do have a plan for when I graduate from high school.
1: I am thinking of being a stewardess or a child psychologist.
Are there things that you like such as some type of music or something else?
1: I like playing soccer and when I was in middle school I played for America’s Score and the school team. And I like to dance.
2: I like playing basketball but when I was in middle school and in high school, I was not able to be part of a team. But sometimes I do like to play with my friends. And I like to dance and listen to romantic music or electronic music.
Please describe your upbringing? That’s like what was is like to live in Guatemala?
1: When I was over there it was very different because when we were in class, but we only get a few periods and it was the same class. Here it is very different. There is more focus on studying and there are more opportunities here.
2. Well, for me it was a radical change, great change, because being over there I had one teacher for six classes and over there it was more difficult than here because one had to do homework and projects everyday, work could not be messy your handwriting had to be clear.
Is it like there is more discipline?
2: Yes, and when I came here, everything changed because everyone told me that I had this class, you will have different teachers and I was like where am I going? I missed my school. I was used to my one teacher. I was happy with my one teacher. People asked how did you learn everything with just one teacher? That was because since we were little, we were highly disciplined and when I came here, I still have a hard time because I get lost in the class. But I do like it a little bit.
Do you have brothers or sisters that are over there or here?
2: I have a sister that came with me and two brothers that are born here.
1: I have six brothers. My dad has been here for fourteen years so he has a work permit and he brought us over with a U Visa and my mother and brothers are here.
Did any of your older siblings help you when you were little?
2: For me, yes. Because it was only my mother and my four brothers and two sisters. And my brother who is the oldest had to set the example for us and he always helped us with school and everything.
1: For me, no, because I am the oldest. So I have to set the example for the others.
And how it is going for you? Good?
1: No!! Because since my youngest brother has just been born, I have to take good care of him, I have to watch over my sister and another child. Those two sometimes fight and it drives me crazy. But, I can keep going with it, it is okay.
It is difficult being the oldest. I am not the oldest.
1: I am the oldest, but I am my dad’s favorite!
"...I was also taught Mam, that is another language in Guatemala..."
When you were living in Guatemala, did you speak Spanish or a native language?
2: In classes, we learned English. But only the basics like the colors, greetings, numbers and I received classes in languages spoken in Guatemala like Chachiquel but I never really learned anything.
1: I too received those classes in English and also learned only the basics. I was also taught Mam, that is another language in Guatemala. It was spoken where I lived, but it was very difficult and I only remember maybe two words of all that I learned.
Would you like to learn more of those languages?
2: Yes, because it is a culture that is part of my roots, it is in my blood and my grandparents spoke it.
Can you think of a specific instance of when your culture played a major role in your childhood?
1: In Guatemala, it is very different from other Central American countries because in Guatemala we celebrate the Independence Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s day and Children’s Day and the Day of the Dead. But it is most common to celebrate Independence Day and the Day of the Dead. Here it is very different because that is not celebrated in the way they are celebrated over there.
2: There are cultural celebrations like Holy Week, Worker’s Day and Flag Day and the days of our symbols like the White Nun and Tecoman.
2: And here it is different. They only celebrate the Day of the Dead here, Thanksgiving, Christmas. And they are celebrated in a different way. Over there, we also celebrate Christmas.
Is it the same day?
2: Yes, but independence is different. In Guatemala it is the 15th of September and here it is the fourth of July.
1: And we do not celebrate Thanksgiving.
If you could describe your culture to an outsider, like someone who does not know anything about Guatemala. What would you say? Like for example, I am born here but of Mexican ancestry. And an American may not know about Mexican Independence Day and other such things. So how would you tell, for example to someone from another culture other than Guatemala what type of culture you have.
2: At least for me, I would describe it by taking them to see our crafts, eat some of our traditional foods, and show them our traditional costumes, our dances, and some of our words. That way they will understand that our culture is different from theirs. And at least for me, the doctors I have seen here, they say to me that if I am from Guatemala and I say yes. And I am asked if I have been to Antigua and I tell them, No, I have not been there. I am from Guatemala, but I have not been there.
1: I would describe my country with its traditional Guatemalan customs and tourist places.