Just Like Us
To finish off my sophomore year at Wartburg, I spent May Term in Denver, Colorado with nine other students majoring in Spanish as part of the Special Topics: Immigration course. Through that month, we all had internships that connected Spanish to our majors. I worked at Focus Points Family Resource Center in the Adult Education Department. We had a classes that focused on how Hispanic families interact and immigration issues in the United States. One of the books that we studied from that focused on immigration was called Just Like Us: The True Story of Four Mexican Girls Coming of Age in America. Helen Thorpe**, a journalist, was interested in the issues of immigration so she decided to follow four Mexican girls through their high school and college years and learn about adversity that they face in their lives; whether they were living in the United States legal or not.She then wrote about their stories; highlighting their triumphs as well as the numerous struggles they encountered. She brings to life the topic of immigration, an issue that is misunderstood. Her goal was not that people would take pity on the girls, but rather act in a way to try and promote change.
Thorpe, a fantastic journalist, mirrored leadership to me in many ways. For instance, she was a fearless fighter for what she believed in. I find the time, effort, and passion put forth by Thorpe indescribably
incredible. She had to gain the trust of the people she was trying to
represent. In an era where illegal immigrants are constantly looking
over their shoulders in fear of deportation, she had to be sure to
ensure the communities that she was entering that she was not a risk to
them or their families. Instead, she was trying to share their stories
with others so people could understand the loss of cultural identity and
the struggles that these girls had preventing them from living normal lives.Additionally, when Thorpe entered the lives of the girls, she tried her best to fit herself into their lives rather than have them have to adapt to her needs. She understood that within her goals of trying to learn more about the lives of the Mexican immigrant girls, disrupting their lives as little as possible would help her get more genuine stories from the girls. The girls appreciated this effort by Thorpe and subsequently ended up trusting her and using her as a support system. Many times she would talk about how the girls would come to her for help, but she couldn't do anything because it would ruin her study. No matter what though, the fact that Thorpe was always there to listen was so helpful for the girls as their lives changed through high school and college. For instance, one of the girls, Marisela, wanted to go to college after finishing as valedictorian in her class but could not afford to go because she could not apply for scholarships or loans through the institution or government because her family came here illegally (Thorpe**). Marisela asked Thorpe for financial help and as much as Thorpe wanted to, she could not financially support her (Thorpe**). Although Thorpe, herself, could not contricute, she told Marisela where she could find resources so that she could be able to go to college (Thorpe**). She is always thinking of others instead of herself.
The lesson that I learn from Thorpe in this sense is the importance of always remembering who a service is being provided for. Service is a form of selflessness and being a leader, it is essential to realize that my wants and needs are not as important as those who I am helping. Sometimes I feel that people can get caught up their own lives that they forget that there are others around who are also struggling. People like to feel cared about, so whether a leader works in a group of peers or is volunteering in a certain community, it is important to remember to care for the people around and provide a sense of emotional support.
Most importantly, Thorpe was able to use her writing as a vehicle to inspire others. After reading the stories of the four girls she followed, I became increasingly more interested in immigration. Through her book she has tried to reach out to others and share about the social problems involved in the political issue of immigration. One afternoon Thorpe met with my class to share the inspiration behind her book. She talked about how she and her husband, John Hickenlooper (the mayor of Denver at the time) had used many workers who were immigrants. She interacted with them and got to know them and them became interested to explore more in depth and eventually share her findings with the world. A leader has the ability to paint mental pictures in the eyes of others of the change they want to see in the world. They are capable of doing this because they know what they want and have taken the time to understand the various perspectives of the issue. A leader would not be a leader without people to follow them so as a leader I have to remember that if I want people to follow what I believe, I need to make them see my perspective and be inspired by what I say.
LA VOLUNTAD
Undoubtedly, one of my most enlightening times in my life was when I took my Venture Education course by traveling and studying in Argentina for six months. Not only did I have the opportunity to practice Spanish, but I had the opportunity to learn more about the culture and the people. This experience was more than just a time to take classes but to explore. During my six months abroad, I took classes, played sports, and was a volunteer. Ultimately I was able to learn more about myself by challenging myself to try new experiences.In terms of being a leader, part of my growth was through stepping outside of my comfort zone and intentionally reaching out to people. As an introvert, I usually wait for people to come to me. In the past, I have tended to stay around people I know rather than reaching out to others. However, when I was in Argentina, I knew nobody. Therefore, I had to create a life for myself. Rather than just spending time with students from around the United States, my goal was to get to know others from Argentina and around the world. I ended up joining various activities and organizations where I ended up making many Spanish-speaking friends from around Argentina, Colombia, and Venezuela.
One organization in particular that I worked with was called Manos Abiertas*. Manos Abiertas, which means "open hands," is a Christian organization that works throughout South America. Their mission is to serve, promote, a dignify those who need it most, bettering their quality of life while in situations of poverty and pain through volunteer work (Manos Abiertas*). Their vision is to love and serve others in through gestures greater than words (Manos Abiertas*). What I really liked about Manos Abiertas was their dedication to help others. More specifically, their vision to love and to serve reflects what a servant leader should be and what I hope to be. It was through Manos Abiertas that I really had to work on my comfort in getting to know others.
During my time with Manos Abiertas, I was part of a group called "Los Buscadores." This group went around the city of Cรณrdoba and handed out food to the homeless. As we went from place to place around the city, there were some familiar faces of people who would come every week as well as some new faces. It was a personal goal of mine to meet the people we interacted with and get to know people as we traveled around.This was difficult for me because I become nervous when introducing myself to others. However, I realized that I would not understand what being homeless in Argentina really meant without taking the courage to talk to the people. There were many people who I then interacted with each week and recognized each time that I helped out with "Los Buscadores." What I ended up learning was that many of the people came from other countries and were trying to making a living for their family. Unfortunately, making a living was not as easy as they thought and they ended up working and living on the streets. The lesson that I learned was the importance to reach out to all people; no matter who they are. I learned more about the homeless by actually talking to people as I treated them as equals rather than someone who is below me. It is easier to relate to people if you treat them as equals. Sometimes it might seem easier to judge people based on how they look rather than getting to know them; but it isn't as rewarding as getting to know someone.
Like Thorpe, I wrote about my experiences with Manos Abiertas, but only in the form of a blog. I wanted to share my experiences with other people and educate others on the topic of homelessness in Argentina. Since so many people can be afraid to interact with the homeless, I was the person to break the norm. I wanted to make my own life of learning and caring for others in Argentina, and thankfully I got what I wished for. I made friends and various acquaintances who I still remember after returning to the United States ten months ago.
REFLECTING ON LESSONS LEARNED
I believe that I have gained unique experiences through my classes taken at Wartburg College. I have not only had the opportunities to learn about different cultures, but I had the opportunity to learn about social issues that affect those from other cultures. Although at times it can be really nerve-wracking to reach out to people who may seem different through a first impression, being brave and getting to know those people can not only provide a great relationship, but it can help a person better understand problems that others might be struggling with. Although for my entire life I have been very timid, I learned from Thorpe about the importance of stepping outside of my comfort zone and get to know others as I did in Argentina. Rather than limiting myself, I should continue to undertake these challenges to be a better leader and a better person.
*Manos Abiertas. Manos
Abiertas. Help Argentina, RACI, Manos Abiertas. Web.
25 October 2013.
**Thorpe,
Helen. Just Like Us: The True Story of
Four Mexican Girls Coming of Age in America. New York: Simon &
Schuster, Inc., 2009. Print.
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