This semester has definitely been a challenge for me to work on myself and work with others. I am glad I stuck with Borderbeat and I'm glad I got to meet some new people and challenge myself a little more by taking on more editing responsibilities. I thought we put out some really interesting stories and I hope Borderbeat wins the award next year because we all worked hard enough to earn it.
I enjoyed seeing our stories online looking professional, it's pretty cool to see your hard work polished and published for the world to see. Even though most of my own stories came out sub par, they were small accomplishments in the big picture. The blog could've worked out better if I managed to put more time and effort into it and had a better grasp of relating things to the border. If I stick around Tucson after I graduate, I'll try to get more involved with border issues.
Thanks to Jamie, Katie and the rest of the section editors in helping with the editing process. I think we worked well as a team to get things online as quick as possible while still doing a good job at editing. And thanks to Professor Rochlin for pushing me to contribute more and find ways to succeed in this class. I appreciate your efforts despite the way I went about posting my thoughts about it before. You helped me speak out and be more assertive in addressing issues. I think it's a big step in working on myself for the future work environment.
Best of luck to everyone in class with whatever you do after graduation. After a semester like this, I'm sure we'll all go on to be superstars in journalism, or whatever field we choose. It was nice working with everyone as a team, and even though I didn't get a chance to get to know everyone better, I'm still glad I stuck around to help with Borderbeat the rest of this semester. And like I said before, I will try to work on improving myself so I can be a better person than I have been and I know I want to be. Cheers.
Feel free to check out a few of the stories I've done this past semester.
Crossing the Border
El Ojito Springs
Taqueria Review
Saturday, November 24, 2007
Saturday, November 17, 2007
El día de las gracias
Mexico in Thanksgiving is a time to give thanks for family, food, and good fortune just as it is in the United States. What differs between Mexico's celebrations and the U.S. celebrations are the traditions, the foods eaten, and the time it is celebrated, which is the third Sunday of November rather than the third Thursday like in the U.S.
"When I lived in Mexico, we didn't eat turkey and stuffing like Americans do," said Lupita Peréz. "We had things like tamales and Spanish rice."
Peréz' family here never followed U.S. traditions when it came to holidays. They wanted to hold onto traditions they left behind in Mexico.
"This year we will probably keep the same traditions. We just like hanging onto our lifestyles from Mexico," Peréz said. "We still give thanks for the family we have, the food we're provided, and our good health, there just won't be turkey and stuffing, and we'll eat on the 25th instead of the 22nd," Peréz laughs.
For a different perspective on Thanksgiving in Mexico, check out another family's story here
"When I lived in Mexico, we didn't eat turkey and stuffing like Americans do," said Lupita Peréz. "We had things like tamales and Spanish rice."
Peréz' family here never followed U.S. traditions when it came to holidays. They wanted to hold onto traditions they left behind in Mexico.
"This year we will probably keep the same traditions. We just like hanging onto our lifestyles from Mexico," Peréz said. "We still give thanks for the family we have, the food we're provided, and our good health, there just won't be turkey and stuffing, and we'll eat on the 25th instead of the 22nd," Peréz laughs.
For a different perspective on Thanksgiving in Mexico, check out another family's story here
Monday, November 12, 2007
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Vida Music Festival
The Vida Music Festival took place yesterday at the Pima County Fairgrounds as part of the Always Thinking Community in order to raise funds and awareness of the community.
"The festival is a way for us to help the cause of other community organizations while giving back to the community with good music," said community relations director Ric Carrillo.
About 40 different musical acts played across 7 different venues on the campgrounds ranging from Mexican rock to mariachi to the Maguire School of Irish Dance. The festival runs from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and tickets were $15.
"We also help individuals find their way and have an impact in the community by developing life plans to carry out. We like to help out both individuals and organizations of Tucson to help as many as possible at one time," Carrillo said.
"The festival is a way for us to help the cause of other community organizations while giving back to the community with good music," said community relations director Ric Carrillo.
About 40 different musical acts played across 7 different venues on the campgrounds ranging from Mexican rock to mariachi to the Maguire School of Irish Dance. The festival runs from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and tickets were $15.
"We also help individuals find their way and have an impact in the community by developing life plans to carry out. We like to help out both individuals and organizations of Tucson to help as many as possible at one time," Carrillo said.
Monday, October 22, 2007
DDLM events in Phoenix
If anyone is going to be in the Phoenix area over the next couple weekends, there are plenty of Dia de Los Muertos events occurring. There is an altar viewing, a Dia de Los Muertos exhibit, even a Mariachi groupin Mesa.
Monday, October 15, 2007
You say pinyada, I say piñata
The piñata is a brightly-colored paper container shaped as an animal/any figurine, and filled with candy and toys, popular within the Mexican culture during birthdays, Christmas and Easter. The Spanish word, piñata, comes from the Italian word pignatta, meaning a pinecone-shaped clay pot or, pigna meaning pinecone.
The piñata probably originates from the Aztecs. They made decorated clay pots representing a thunderstorm for the rain god, Tlaloc. When the pot was struck, it represented thunder and the flow of water represented a downpour of rain.
This is just researched origins as they are assumed to originate from the Aztecs as there are other various assumptions regarding its origins.
Next time you throw a birthday party, try and spice things up with your very own piñata.
The piñata probably originates from the Aztecs. They made decorated clay pots representing a thunderstorm for the rain god, Tlaloc. When the pot was struck, it represented thunder and the flow of water represented a downpour of rain.
This is just researched origins as they are assumed to originate from the Aztecs as there are other various assumptions regarding its origins.
Next time you throw a birthday party, try and spice things up with your very own piñata.
Saturday, September 29, 2007
The month of the Rosary
Photo by Alex Jeffries
October marks the month of the Rosary in the Catholic Church. To find out more about the rosary, I visited Father Jerome Cudden at the Newman Center on campus.
Q: What is the significance of the rosary?
A: It is a way to meditate on faith. There are three mysteries the rosary is dedicated to: joyful, such as praying for humility, obedience, and good will; sorrowful, where one prays for their sins, purity, perseverance; and glorious, praying for faith and hope.
Q: Where is it predominantly used? Throughout holidays? In church?
A: There's public and private devotion. While some people prefer to pray in their homes in private, others meet in public to pray the rosary. In a way, it is a public meeting but in private.
Q: What do most people rely on the rosary for?
A: It offers help to most. Such as praying to the different saints, such as Saint Anthony for finding lost things.
Q: Do other sects of the Catholic faith (Spanish/Irish) refer to the rosary more often?
A: It depends on the time period. I grew up Irish catholic and we used the rosary everyday. A lot of the newer generations, like today's John Paul II's generation is bigger on the rosary.
Q: What is the rosary made out of?
A: Most are made of wood. Others are plastic, some people string pieces of rope together, and there some very fancy ones created with jewels.
Q: When using the rosary, is one praying to God, Mary, the Saints?
A: It is a prayer to an intersession of Saints in the Catholic faith.
Q: Is it sacrilegious to wear rosaries or hang them on rear-view mirrors?
A: No, in the old days, priests would actually carry swords with them. Today, I carry the rosary by my left side as a symbolic way of carrying a sword--without using violence.
October marks the month of the Rosary in the Catholic Church. To find out more about the rosary, I visited Father Jerome Cudden at the Newman Center on campus.
Q: What is the significance of the rosary?
A: It is a way to meditate on faith. There are three mysteries the rosary is dedicated to: joyful, such as praying for humility, obedience, and good will; sorrowful, where one prays for their sins, purity, perseverance; and glorious, praying for faith and hope.
Q: Where is it predominantly used? Throughout holidays? In church?
A: There's public and private devotion. While some people prefer to pray in their homes in private, others meet in public to pray the rosary. In a way, it is a public meeting but in private.
Q: What do most people rely on the rosary for?
A: It offers help to most. Such as praying to the different saints, such as Saint Anthony for finding lost things.
Q: Do other sects of the Catholic faith (Spanish/Irish) refer to the rosary more often?
A: It depends on the time period. I grew up Irish catholic and we used the rosary everyday. A lot of the newer generations, like today's John Paul II's generation is bigger on the rosary.
Q: What is the rosary made out of?
A: Most are made of wood. Others are plastic, some people string pieces of rope together, and there some very fancy ones created with jewels.
Q: When using the rosary, is one praying to God, Mary, the Saints?
A: It is a prayer to an intersession of Saints in the Catholic faith.
Q: Is it sacrilegious to wear rosaries or hang them on rear-view mirrors?
A: No, in the old days, priests would actually carry swords with them. Today, I carry the rosary by my left side as a symbolic way of carrying a sword--without using violence.
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