MLO 5: Cultural Praxis (Cultural Internalization and Language Immersion)
he student demonstrates that he or she has been actively immersed in and has internalized Hispanic culture. There are three pathways by which this outcome can be fulfilled:
- By participating in a study-abroad program in a Spanish-speaking country for at least one semester. WLC's Spanish program has exchange agreements with the University of Aguas Calientes and the University of Queretero in Mexico, and the University of Córdoba in Spain. In addition, through CSU International Programs, you can study at universities in Madrid or Granada, Spain or in Santiago, Chile.
- By living and working in a local heritage community over an extended period of time without interruption for at least two years.
- By participating in and/or completing 10 of the following cultural learning scenarios with accompanying documentation, in the target language:
- Participate in service learning within a local heritage community for a minimum of eight weeks beyond the actual service learning requirement.
- Make a minimum of three home-visits in the local heritage community to interact and communicate with members of the Hispanic culture regarding topics of personal interest, the community, culture and language.
- Attend or view via media a minimum of 10 cultural events and /or social activities of Hispanic culture.
- Actively participate and/or perform in a school or heritage community event or celebration.
- Participate in a heritage-community project (of some duration) that requires proficiency in Spanish and knowledge of Hispanic cultures.
- Conducting a one hour in-depth interview with a speaker of Spanish, eliciting, in a conversational manner, comments of a biographical nature, cultural and social observations and anecdotal reflections.
- View and comment on 10 movie-length films produced within and about Hispanic culture.
- Participate at least five times in organized sports or recreation activities of Hispanic culture.
- Demonstrate cultural skills by making hotel reservations, ordering meals and shopping in stores or markets in heritage settings where Spanish is spoken. This objective is assessed by faculty.
Meza MLO 5 Capstone Cultural Praxis
I have been actively immersed in Hispanic culture since I was born being that my parents are Mexicans. My father is no longer in my life, unfortunately he died in 1999. My family and I lived in Guadalajara, Mexico until I was about four or five years old. From there we went to live close to my grandparents, in Zacatecas, Mexico and lived there until I was about eight or nine years old. Our next stop was Castroville, CA. I started in second grade and finished high school in the Castroville and went to three schools before I graduated from eighth grade. I graduated from Gambetta School in 1981 and graduated from North Monterey County High School.
I got married only six years after graduating from high school. Almost four years after getting married in 1995 I had my first child and then in 1997 I had my second child. Krystal Meza was the first child and David Meza was the second and last one. I worked odd jobs and for the most part my kids first years of life I worked part-time. We wanted to keep them safe so my husband, Ramon Meza, and I decided that I would work less. I do feel I am blessed with my family.
As soon as I was able to work I did so. I worked as a teacher’s assistant for about 6 years then I got married. While I did that type work I mostly provided interpreting services and this way ensured communication between Instructors and Spanish only speaking parents. I helped teachers in the classroom with their Spanish speaking students and any time there was a problem I would be the one making sure each party understood what was going on.
When I got married I did odd jobs here and there and then I suffered a hand injury and had to seek other possibilities of making some money to help my husband. My husband suggested that I look into a translating and interpreting training because he had observed that I did that very well. Although I had opened up my business to interpret in 2000 and was doing well I still took on nine months t of training in Fresno from Southern California School of Interpretation. Their main branch is located in Los Angeles, however, in 2002 and 2003 they were offering classes in Fresno so my friend Maricela Quesada and I registered and completed the nine month training in the Medical and Legal field. This training opened up many doors for me when I became self-employed in 2000. I started to work for myself by subcontracting with interpreting agencies in the area which allowed me to provide interpreting services for attorneys at the Monterey County Jail as well as the Public Defenders’ Office. I was also able to provide interpreting services to Doctors in the area. While many interpreters only do medical appointments I am able to do both, which means more work possibilities due to the training I received back then.
My goals and family situation changed, so in 2008 I discussed with my husband the possibility of one of us going back to school. He gave me the green light to register for classes at Monterey Peninsula College so I did. In 2011 I graduated with an AA in Arts and Humanities as well as liberal Arts Major. Although I did not want to walk during the ceremony my family required it so I did walk during to get my diploma. Biology and math were hard for me but with hard work on my part and family support I was able to fulfill the class requirements to be able to transfer to California State University of the Monterey Bay.
With determination and hard work I will graduate from CSUMB in 2014 with a Spanish BA, emphasis on language and linguistics as well as a Pre Law Minor. My family is very happy and again I don’t want to walk during the ceremony to get my diploma, but my family requires it so I am going to walk because without them I would not have accomplished my educational goals.
Even though I fulfilled my service learning requirements by putting in the hours to pass the courses not only at CSUMB, but also when I took my courses at Monterey Peninsula College, I continue to do community service. The Staff at, Legal Services for Seniors, know that on any given moment if a Spanish speaker calls or shows up at their doorstep in need of legal services they will call me and I will provide free Spanish interpreting services. In 2013 I interpreted the ceremony for the EOPS graduates of Monterey Peninsula College and plan to do the same in 2014. As a Jehovah’s Witness I am very much involved with the community because we go house to house and offer free Spanish Bible studies, many people learn how to read with our help. Recently my husband and I had an experience where this older man did not read when we would visit him. We found out that he could not see very well so we offered to take him to Costco and visit the eye doctor there. With that exam we found out that he was able to see without glasses a little bit only from one eye. It turns out the man had this problem for thirty years. He had suffered an injury when he was a boy and his parents never took him to the eye doctor because of lack of money. Long story short the man was able to get his eye glasses and continued to study the Bible with us. My husband and I will never forget the man’s excitement when he got his glasses. He was amazed at what he was able to see with his glasses when he stepped out of his door. While doing this type of service to the community we visit the person as long as she/he wishes. While most like studying the Bible once per week twenty to thirty minutes, some like more time or more times per week. During these visits we talk about their culture, or a topic of their personal interest. We might talk one day about what is going on in the world and connect that information to what the Bible states, if they allow us. Another day with a different person we might talk about family issues and connect that information with what the Bible state, if they allow us. It just depends on what they are interested in talking and we try to refer them to what the Bible states. Many times we comfort them, especially if they have lost a loved one to death. When we cannot help them many times we refer them to a public service that can help them. This work requires proficiency in Spanish, knowledge of their culture, and communicating in a conversational, respectful manner. I have been teaching the Bible since 1985.
At work and while volunteering my family and I are actively immersed in Hispanic Culture. We go to hear Mariachi music performances very frequently which take place in Salinas and at the Sunset Center in Carmel. We especially like Sol de Mexico mariachi band. We also go to observe folk music like (baile folklorico) which is a dance where the women dress with long, colorful, beautiful dresses and the men dress in black and white. We also go see the Mariachi Reina de Los Angeles every time they come to CSUMB and this event also provides “baile folklorico.” I went to see Luis Valdez speak about migrant workers last semester at CSUMB. So I definitely feel that I have fulfilled the requirements for my Cultural Internalization and Language Immersion for Pathway 2 and Pathway 3.
I have been actively immersed in Hispanic culture since I was born being that my parents are Mexicans. My father is no longer in my life, unfortunately he died in 1999. My family and I lived in Guadalajara, Mexico until I was about four or five years old. From there we went to live close to my grandparents, in Zacatecas, Mexico and lived there until I was about eight or nine years old. Our next stop was Castroville, CA. I started in second grade and finished high school in the Castroville and went to three schools before I graduated from eighth grade. I graduated from Gambetta School in 1981 and graduated from North Monterey County High School.
I got married only six years after graduating from high school. Almost four years after getting married in 1995 I had my first child and then in 1997 I had my second child. Krystal Meza was the first child and David Meza was the second and last one. I worked odd jobs and for the most part my kids first years of life I worked part-time. We wanted to keep them safe so my husband, Ramon Meza, and I decided that I would work less. I do feel I am blessed with my family.
As soon as I was able to work I did so. I worked as a teacher’s assistant for about 6 years then I got married. While I did that type work I mostly provided interpreting services and this way ensured communication between Instructors and Spanish only speaking parents. I helped teachers in the classroom with their Spanish speaking students and any time there was a problem I would be the one making sure each party understood what was going on.
When I got married I did odd jobs here and there and then I suffered a hand injury and had to seek other possibilities of making some money to help my husband. My husband suggested that I look into a translating and interpreting training because he had observed that I did that very well. Although I had opened up my business to interpret in 2000 and was doing well I still took on nine months t of training in Fresno from Southern California School of Interpretation. Their main branch is located in Los Angeles, however, in 2002 and 2003 they were offering classes in Fresno so my friend Maricela Quesada and I registered and completed the nine month training in the Medical and Legal field. This training opened up many doors for me when I became self-employed in 2000. I started to work for myself by subcontracting with interpreting agencies in the area which allowed me to provide interpreting services for attorneys at the Monterey County Jail as well as the Public Defenders’ Office. I was also able to provide interpreting services to Doctors in the area. While many interpreters only do medical appointments I am able to do both, which means more work possibilities due to the training I received back then.
My goals and family situation changed, so in 2008 I discussed with my husband the possibility of one of us going back to school. He gave me the green light to register for classes at Monterey Peninsula College so I did. In 2011 I graduated with an AA in Arts and Humanities as well as liberal Arts Major. Although I did not want to walk during the ceremony my family required it so I did walk during to get my diploma. Biology and math were hard for me but with hard work on my part and family support I was able to fulfill the class requirements to be able to transfer to California State University of the Monterey Bay.
With determination and hard work I will graduate from CSUMB in 2014 with a Spanish BA, emphasis on language and linguistics as well as a Pre Law Minor. My family is very happy and again I don’t want to walk during the ceremony to get my diploma, but my family requires it so I am going to walk because without them I would not have accomplished my educational goals.
Even though I fulfilled my service learning requirements by putting in the hours to pass the courses not only at CSUMB, but also when I took my courses at Monterey Peninsula College, I continue to do community service. The Staff at, Legal Services for Seniors, know that on any given moment if a Spanish speaker calls or shows up at their doorstep in need of legal services they will call me and I will provide free Spanish interpreting services. In 2013 I interpreted the ceremony for the EOPS graduates of Monterey Peninsula College and plan to do the same in 2014. As a Jehovah’s Witness I am very much involved with the community because we go house to house and offer free Spanish Bible studies, many people learn how to read with our help. Recently my husband and I had an experience where this older man did not read when we would visit him. We found out that he could not see very well so we offered to take him to Costco and visit the eye doctor there. With that exam we found out that he was able to see without glasses a little bit only from one eye. It turns out the man had this problem for thirty years. He had suffered an injury when he was a boy and his parents never took him to the eye doctor because of lack of money. Long story short the man was able to get his eye glasses and continued to study the Bible with us. My husband and I will never forget the man’s excitement when he got his glasses. He was amazed at what he was able to see with his glasses when he stepped out of his door. While doing this type of service to the community we visit the person as long as she/he wishes. While most like studying the Bible once per week twenty to thirty minutes, some like more time or more times per week. During these visits we talk about their culture, or a topic of their personal interest. We might talk one day about what is going on in the world and connect that information to what the Bible states, if they allow us. Another day with a different person we might talk about family issues and connect that information with what the Bible state, if they allow us. It just depends on what they are interested in talking and we try to refer them to what the Bible states. Many times we comfort them, especially if they have lost a loved one to death. When we cannot help them many times we refer them to a public service that can help them. This work requires proficiency in Spanish, knowledge of their culture, and communicating in a conversational, respectful manner. I have been teaching the Bible since 1985.
At work and while volunteering my family and I are actively immersed in Hispanic Culture. We go to hear Mariachi music performances very frequently which take place in Salinas and at the Sunset Center in Carmel. We especially like Sol de Mexico mariachi band. We also go to observe folk music like (baile folklorico) which is a dance where the women dress with long, colorful, beautiful dresses and the men dress in black and white. We also go see the Mariachi Reina de Los Angeles every time they come to CSUMB and this event also provides “baile folklorico.” I went to see Luis Valdez speak about migrant workers last semester at CSUMB. So I definitely feel that I have fulfilled the requirements for my Cultural Internalization and Language Immersion for Pathway 2 and Pathway 3.