Today,
at Barnes and Noble I sat down on a chair next to the homeless who were wrapped
in coats. Despite the stinking smell I started reading Steinberg’s Bizmark’s
biography. After about fifteen minutes, I couldn’t read it anymore. The
whimsical nature of the English language was gone. I could understand every
word, every sentence and every detail. Now that I understand English better the
language made me see Bizmark as a real person. Gone were the days where reading
in English was my outlet to: foreign lands, magical creatures and a different
way of acting in the world. Now having lived in American for three and a half
years Bizmark was just another man[1]:
sweaty and wearing an uncomfortable uniform.
My
perception of white people has also changed. Coming from Lima, Peru, at least
in the community were I am from, there is a reverence for the white man. Each
time, a white man goes to Lima most girls are attracted to him and assume that
him being white entails that he is also rich.[2][3]Living
in America however, have desensitize me to this way of judging people. Now, I
see white people as any other kind of people with the same worries or concerns
as myself. Moreover, some white Professors I have met strike me as both annoying
and foolish at times. The perception that some Peruvians have of ‘white people’
can be equivalent to Doctor Brown from the novel, ‘Like Water From Chocolate.’
A highly educated man who is compassionate and understanding. This portrait
couldn’t be further from the truth.[4]
Finally,
just walking around 16th Street Mall, the roads are covered with
ice. And there are many homeless who smell bad. The worst part of walking
around the mall is the bitter cold. However, I haven’t lost my sense of awe
when I look at the skating rink near Corner’s Bakery. From there I saw Tokyo
Grill, which inspire my creativity.[5][6]
All in all, I feel happy to be living in America. However, I
have stop evaluating my experience in terms of Peruvians standards and started
doing it in terms of American standards. What is successful in Peru would be
different from what is successful here. For instance, in Peru, in my community,
if I go to college in America somehow that makes me great. However, in here
going to college seems to have no value unless you are making a living out of
your degree. Therefore, I am now thinking in terms of career plans. Everyone goes to college
now what?
[1]
Here I could have used the word, ‘politician’ however, I am braver and saying
man because it’s a category that goes unchallenged. I am very interested in
gender studies and I have noticed that the practices of a man determine who he
is. I will write more of this in another essay.
[2]
This is based on anecdotal evidence, but due to it being numerous, both my
experience and that of friends. I don’t know what more evidence one needs.
[3] I
see how Peruvians would criticize this point saying that I suffer from an
“inferiority complex.” However, I do have a response to that argument but it is
beyond the scope of this essay.
[4] I
would talk about how I now evaluate women but I sense that my left wing readers
would decry that I am a mysogenist.
[5] I
find human creations much more beautiful than the natural landscape. In it I
see the potential of the human race.
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