Conclusion

I can say that I learned a lot from this class: Crossing Borders: Migration and Culture. I honestly feel that some of the topics we have covered has opened my eyes and ears, making me think more deeply about the realities of life. I had not been aware of the many issues we discussed in class. I like how the course was presented. I appreciate the different learning styles and techniques: poems, films, internet, text, pictures, etc. Personally, when I can visually see what is going on, I can have a better understanding, rather than just purely reading from a textbook that looks like a dictionary.

One of my favourite class discussions was the one about Guantanamo Bay. I mean, you hear so little about it, therefore no one actually knows what goes on there. I enjoyed listening deeper about facts and people’s stories. I finished watching the film, The Road to Guantanamo, at home. (Just watching the trailer made me very curious). While watching the film I felt so many things: frustrated, sad, upset, surprised, shocked, amazed, etc. I was glad to see the three individuals leave that horrible place, where they could live to tell their stories of survival. The story, Toba Tek Singh, has also stuck out in my mind. As I read the short story, I had some troubles understanding deeper meanings, but picked out what I thought it meant to me. Like Guantanamo, it is indeed sad to see innocent people locked away, being punished for things they did not do. The “lunatics” are people like you and me. They express the five senses of being a human. Although the story is not real, it truly gives meaning to what is.

The two major assignments we completed for the class were also interesting. I have said this before and will say it again...I really do enjoy learning about different cultures. I love listening to the stories people tell. I am very open in listening to different perspectives, values, traditions, thoughts, and so on. I engaged in the interview process with both: Migration Interview and Photo Documentary. Listening and asking questions was an important part of the whole process. I learned about what is significant and meaningful to others and have much respect for each of the individuals who shared their lives with me.

I am happy that Humber introduced the course as something new. I hope that it will continue to be offered to students because it presented much insight and reality of society. Migration is constant and it has been for a very long time now. It is interesting to see and now know where people go and/or why they leave. It is important for us to be aware of what is going on in the world. All in all, I am happy to have had the opportunity to be a part of this class. 

Photo-Documentary

I personally enjoyed doing this assignment. It wasn't your typical run on essay where there's scattered and/or overwhelming research. I feel that taking photographs, capturing raw images of people/places/things, made for a more fun experience. The topic I focused on had to do with migrants and meaningful connections they had from their homelands. These connections were objects and traditions brought over to Canada from back home. I really enjoy learning about different cultures and traditions and hearing stories about the past. The people I interviewed were very cooperative and happy to share their thoughts with me. The stories were interesting and made me think that although something may seem small and insignificant, it truly can have a lot more depth and meaning than thought. For example, the bell my father has from Italy. It belonged to one of his father's cows (Romanella). He holds so many childhood memories of this bell, remembering the various times and sounds.

As physical objects can be meaningful, traditions can be too. Every November, my nonna (grandmother) holds a tradition which she learned from her mother and so forth. November is "mese dei morti" (meaning, month of the dead) where you remember the loved ones who have passed. She lights a candle encased in a glass jar and places it beside the photographs of her deceased family. There are also saints and the Madonna (Mother Mary) too. The candle is lit for the entire month and is never blown out. (You would just light it again if it burns out).

These are a couple of the individuals which I had the opportunity in hearing their fascinating stories. It was a great experience, as I learned things I never knew. I am happy with the feedback and would love to hear more stories about the meaningful connections people hold in their lives.

Returns/Reflections

How would one feel when thinking back to their homelands? How would it feel to return to the homeland? Every individual has different feelings with their connection to their homeland: happy, sad, disappointed, frustrated, etc. There are various reasons as to why migrants leave their homes. They all have memories of what was, but where do these memories reside? Is there some sort of 'trigger' to remembering? The feeling of nostalgia is one of home sickness and a longing to be back home. There can be positive memories like "life was so good" yet there can be many negative feelings as well. In class we discussed certain 'triggers' of remembering. Many people tend to push away any negative experiences, leaving that memory in the back of their mind. Maybe they experienced something traumatic in their past that sets off this 'trigger';for example, they can not deal with death because they have experienced losing a loved one. Sometimes it is difficult to deal with loss and grief, hence why people push aside their feelings. I strongly feel that people shouldn't dwell on the past. They need to focus on the present and move on. They need to see what is good and what is real. I believe if an individual is strong enough to visit their homeland (their past) then they should. But if thoughts are going to lead to depression, in a state of melancholy, then they need to think twice before engaging in something they are not ready for.

The trailer for "Through Your Eyes" was a good overview of how the second generation feels. It's like a "bridge between two worlds that move at different speeds." There are indeed differences from first and second (and third) generation migrants. Conflicts do arise. I've experienced and witnessed this myself. Growing up, I remember my best friend and how they used to go to church every Sunday. They are Roman Catholic so attending church is a part of their religion. I always remember the questioning and rebutal coming from my friend. "I don't want to go...Why do I have to go...This is frustrating," were some of the many comments I heard. Her father, speaking a bit of English, would respond, "Because you have to...It's good." There was a conflict of religion and out of respect for her dad, she would go to church. Other experiences of conflict could be with politics, language, independence, shame, etc. I remember watching a movie called "My Big Fat Greek Wedding". Toula, the daughter, came from a very traditional Greek family. Her dad was very proud of their heritage and had nothing but great things to say about being Greek: the language, the food, the culture, etc. But I noticed feelings of shame throughout the film. For example, Toula would notice the caucasean girls at school with their wonderbread sandwiches. She dreamed of sitting with these girls and eating her very own white wonderbread sandwich (not her lamb and potatoes).

Here's a funny YouTube clip of Russell Peters about Immigrant Parents (vs Canadian parents): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oA9O3hMDRbw
...Makes you think eh!

Arrested Movements - Guantanamo

I really didn’t know much about Guantanamo Bay and it’s stories. First off, I am quite startled by what takes place at this US prison base in Cuba. I am disgusted to know that torture is legal, especially when about 50% of the prisoners are mainly innocent, not knowing why they were put there. I understand the worries of people increased after 9/11, as security did too. Yet, suspecting persons of committing crimes that they didn’t do, just makes me ill. The poem read by Vanessa Redgrave really spoke out to me. The words read aloud felt so real, as images popped into my head and gave me goosebumps. The man who’s legs were amputated and held together with duck tape sent shivers up and down my spine. How is that fair (or even bearable for that matter). Saying this, it really can be unjust for many of the persons kept here.   

I feel that some of the prisoners who were captured and mysteriously flown over to the prison, were in the wrong place at the wrong time. The three Muslim boys from Britain are good examples of this. The Road to Guantanamo relives the story of these boys who were caught and falsely accused of being terrorists. At the beginning of the film you see why one of men were going to Pakistan in the first place- to find a wife. Something seemingly simple turns out to be disaster and chaos. I do feel that the men maybe should of thought more about traveling to Afghanistan (they wanted to explore these borders) seeing that there were dangers in America’s “War on Terrorism”. As they traveled deeper into Afghanistan, they found themselves deeper in trouble and eventually captured and brought to Guantanamo. It is just sad to see the innocent and somewhat clueless go through this “secret rendition”.

The film, The Road to Guantanamo, can be found on YouTube. A lot of the parts are actually posted up if anyone wants to take a look and watch further:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8z5-YNmtB1w  (this is part 1)

Arrival - Migration Interview

Hello everybody. Today we shared with one another some great stories about our families, friends, and even ourselves. I find it interesting listening to others' stories because we are all so very unique. Where we were born is different. If we have migrated (across a physical border) or not is different. We all have lead and lead very different lives and sometimes I find it so surprising yet engaging when I get to hear about the lives of others.
I decided to talk with my father for the Interview Assignment. It's funny because when I think about it, I never really ask a lot of questions pertaining to his journeys to Canada. I never really thought to ask, which saddens me in a way because one would think I'd be more curious because that's how I usually am. (Maybe because I live with the man and see him everyday, so he can get kind of annoying). Regardless, he was happy to hear about this interview. Growing up, he loved to share stories. He usually brings a good chuckle around the dinner table, making people laugh and feel comfortable. As I asked him questions about his migrating to Canada, I found out information that I had no idea about before. I had not known he needed a sponsor to come here. I mean I knew him and his family came from being very poor, yet I hadn't realized some of the struggles he mentioned. He knew zero spaccato meaning "below zero." (I am referring to him not being able to speak English). It was funny to listen to what he brought over with him to Canada. They actually used big metal chests (kind of like a big toolbox) to carry and hold anything that could fit. They didn't have much but anything of necessity (any clothing, shoes, utensils) was brought over. I believe out of all the things they even had the pleasure of taking with them an Italian cheese known as Caciocavallo. This was something special to be enjoyed by all. As I listened to his stories and discoveries I thought about how lucky I am to be his daughter. He had dreams of coming to Canada for a better future and has in turn given me the dreams which I feel so fortunate for.   I respect him as a person, as a father, and everything he went through growing up and raising his brothers and sisters. I am glad I had this opportunity to do this interview and am happy to share his story of arrival, struggles, and dreams he had and shared as a boy, as a son and brother, as a father, and as a man he has become to be.

Borderlands

The boundaries between people, places, ideas, and languages can be so complicated and sad. I say this is sad because we, human beings, are the ones who have created such boundaries. These physical and mental borderlines and visions have created violence and displacement. The short film, Partition, is an example of these differences between nations within a nation. The division between India and Pakistan brought about over one million deaths. Muslim people were segregated from the Hindus, being forbidden to even drink from the same water taps. Hindu people didn’t want to touch them. It makes me ill to think of the brutality taken place (and still does to this very day). 

In his short story, Toba Tek Singh, Manto writes about the lunatics in the asylum. The main character, Bishan Singh, is very interesting because him, like the rest of the lunatics, represent real people. They may as well be truly sane for they have done nothing wrong. They are going insane because of the fact they are stuck in an asylum, away from their families and true identity of who they once were and what they once knew. Bishan Singh’s hope in finding Toba Tek Singh never stopped, until he was forced in the other direction. The man who stood on his feet for 15 years finally lay prostate. His hope disappeared because he was being forced to leave. At the end of the story, Manto writes, “There, behind barbed wire, was Hindustan. Here, behind the same kind of wire, was Pakistan. In between, on that piece of ground that had no name, lay Toba Tek Singh.” These borders break up lands. They break up people and ways of thinking. Toba Tek Singh could be in Pakistan; it could be in Hindustan but because of these borderlands, who even knows. Regardless, Singh’s heart was Toba Tek Singh. He didn’t want to know anything else or had any idea of what was going on in regards to the partition. It’s sad because real people like Singh often pay the price. 

Leaving

According to the United Nations there has been an estimated 200 million international migrants in 2005. To put it another way, one in every 35 people in the world today is an international migrant. This is three percent of the whole world’s population. This large number making up the size of a country like Brazil has surprised me. I was never aware of the vast amounts of people fleeing from their countries. I mean the number of people leaving has doubled in just 25 years. So why are these people leaving? What is making them want to stay outside of their normal country of residence? Is there a vision of a better life or are people being forced out? 

I feel opportunity is a big reason for people fleeing. There could be opportunity for jobs, money, and therefore living decently. There could be opportunity for education (a privilege they may have not had in their home countries). The opportunity of being with family and reunion also comes to mind. A somewhat sad yet helpful example are women coming to Canada working as nannies. They can be sponsored and bring in an income for themselves so that one day can bring their own family to such a developed country. This dedication to leave for a few years not seeing your family is unfortunate but true, and if it means a better life for the future then so be it. Sometimes you do what you need to do. People may also leave because they are forced (i.e. sex trade) or because of an outbreak of war. They may leave for safety and security or simply because of the occurrence of a natural disaster (i.e. tsunami). 

So what are the challenges to leaving? There can be much psychological, sociological, and emotional shifts. Trying to live in a new place can pose much fear and loneliness. It sometimes creates a great language barrier where there’s confusion and feelings of not belonging. Adhering to new laws and policies may be a challenge. Not being able to vote is an example. It takes time to gain citizenship and in some countries you may feel nothing without it. Migration and security has been a big issue especially after 9/11. The effects have left people living in fear, with security skyrocketing soon after. It has created hard times for people like innocent families in terms of being able to cross borders. Besides such challenges international migration has created good things as well. There are social programs because of migrants. There is a unity of language and culture where people are able to learn new things and celebrate. There have been some intelligent faces who have created economic growth: Andrew Carnegie (steel), Adolphus Busch (beer), Samuel Goldwyn (movies), and so on. These people were all migrants. It’s important to recognize the positives and negatives. Although there are many challenges with leaving, we need to recognize the good that comes with it too.