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Though it is still difficult to stomach, when I began semester two, I was struggling deeply with the recent loss of my grandfather, and less recent losses of three other members of my family. While I attempted for as long as I could to ignore the burdens I was given, I eventually experienced a burnout so severe I considered dropping out. While I’ve dreamt for my entire life to attend college, the most important thing to me has always been my family, and when four major blows are taken to that importance, it’s hard to recover fully. Despite these obstacles, I still performed as best as I could in every single class. While I would never expect it, the Borderlands course aided me in feeling both accomplished in my work, and also more informed socially. Specifically, I felt so thankful that I now understood the southern region of the state I’ve called home for my entire life. As topics of displacement were discussed, not only did I feel for those being damaged, I felt as though I could relate to their feelings. While I recognized this, I still knew the relation was to a very small degree. When coming here, being distanced from my family that especially needed me at this time, I felt alienated and incredibly alone. In Papelito #6-Abigail Minchella, I discussed my personal struggles with displacement stating, “I can recount with specific intimacy the moment I felt displaced from my home for the first time. Though others have it far worse, I cannot deny how deeply this instance hurt me”. As the course progressed, and topics of families and loss became abundant, I was floored. Though I could never imagine the difficulties of losing a loved one at the border or due to a related act, seeing the pain many faced at the loss of a loved one was both upsetting and familiar. Although I could hardly read of and view these things at times, it oddly made me feel less isolated in what I was feeling. Again, while these feelings were severe and debilitating at times, I was still so interested in what I was learning and so proud that I was making my way along. Though this was exciting for me, as I alluded to in Papelito #4-Abigail Minchella, I rarely celebrated my feats. Following the completion of that writeup, I began to understand the importance of thanking myself for all I do, and moving forward I did so far more frequently. As I continued making my way, I eventually was able to reflect on my personal “library” in Papelito #7-Abigail Minchella and it lifted my spirits tremendously. In being able to talk about a retirement community I worked in for nearly two years (one in which my grandfather lived in prior to his passing) I was able to reflect on the privilege I had being able to learn from him. This place has become a safe haven for me and I miss it every single day. It is so important to my story as a person in fact, it was linked in my introduction post on this map. While I could accredit my success this semester to the hours I spent studying, or the hours I was made to listen to my professors, in all reality, I am at this point because of my grandfather, and the drive he instilled in me in this community. Through his passing, I learned the importance of persevering and never steering away from speaking your truth. While the loss is greater than the win, I now feel that these values have been instilled into my writing, and will continue to be present onward. I aimed throughout this semester, and will continue to do so moving forward, to be as transparent and reflective as I can be because of this. I feel that I now see myself as a writer, with a voice of importance, despite my reluctance to accept it at the beginning of the semester.

While I could write for hours about everything he taught me, and how everything has transpired in my life, I feel I should stop with this:

The last time I saw my grandfather, he expressed his dissatisfaction with the fact that he wouldn’t see me graduate college like he had always wanted. While emotional, he managed to choke up, “I’ll be there with you in spirit, that I can promise you”, and now for my grandfather, I feel no burnout or pain, just a passion to get to the finish line with him.

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Boats and boating--Equipment and supplies

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San Xavier del Bac Mission, West San Xavier Road, Tucson, AZ

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Understanding our cultural contexts as writers at the University of Arizona

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Understanding our cultural contexts as writers at the University of Arizona

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Within this assignment, I chose to analyze the history of a mission located on Native land in Tucson. As I dissected its dark history, one connected deeply to colonization, I acknowledged the terror that created the building, and furthermore acknowledged the beautiful history it has created for itself since. Through viewing the land through such a lens, and through multiple time periods, I was able to learn a great deal about different cultural perspectives and how they have shaped the history of Southern Arizona. Additionally, because many now associate the building with their home of faith, I learned a great deal about the identity and diversity of not only those who currently occupy this land, but their faith as well. Overall, this felt like one of the most purposeful assignments I have ever done in my life, and while it taught me a lot about the history of the state I’ve lived in my whole life, it taught me more about being human and how important faith can be.

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Tumacacori National Historical Park, Interstate 19 Frontage Road, Tumacacori-Carmen, AZ

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Within the fieldwork document, I was tasked to detail two locations I visited to generate ideas for my story map. While in these locations, I was required to pay close attention to details both explicit and implicit in the locations. Through this primary research, especially because I was in a heavily influential and important religious space of the Borderlands, I was able to develop conclusions and ideas that may not have been prevalent at first glance. Through incorporating secondary research I conducted on the locations, along with primary research I observed at the site, I was able to develop my story as a whole very early on. While it remained factual, I aimed to additionally encapsulate my incredibly emotional feelings at the site. In my fieldwork journal, I stated, “It felt like much too a coincidence that I had such an experience, and now here it was, on a tote”. Referring to a bag I purchased following a very sentimental experience at Tumacacori National Park, I hoped to show I was conducting research while also being cognizant of how the surrounding area(s) made me feel. Overall, this assignment made me far more inclined to look at places in such detail. Through the use of multiple elements including dialogue and photographs, I was made to analyze the setting in more ways than one, which I will carry with me forever.

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Create a new document and edit with others at the same time -- from your computer, phone or tablet. Get stuff done with or without an internet connection. Use Docs to edit Word files. Free from Google.

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Colonia De La Paz Dorm, North Highland Avenue, Tucson, AZ

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For the final project of Unit 1, the synthesis essay, I was tasked to compare and contrast multiple elements of the three pieces of text mentioned above. Within the essay, I was to pay close attention to audience, context, and purpose, along with the three appeals methods as a means to compare genres. Considering the essay was to be written formally, I maintained a formal and educational structure, limiting style and design only to what is required in MLA. Additionally, for citations, a standard MLA format was implemented. Also, considering this was a compare and contrast essay, quote integration was essential from all three texts, which again was done so in the proper format. Though the entire essay was written in such a style, for my thesis I stated, “Serving as a means to eradicate stigmas, while making those who fall victim to the system far more than a statistic, all of these works draw upon rhetorical strategies and appeals to convey a particular purpose”, which aimed to direct the attention of the reader(s) to my particular topic. Though I have written many essays in this style in the past, this particular synthesis project was incredibly extensive and overall, I feel as though it made me a much better writer and a more interested learner when it comes to topics I am not initially interested in.

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Create a new document and edit with others at the same time -- from your computer, phone or tablet. Get stuff done with or without an internet connection. Use Docs to edit Word files. Free from Google.

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Richard A. Harvill Building, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ

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In the unit two self-assessment google document, I was given the opportunity to critique myself on my overall performance on my storymap. While I found this to be an unconventional way of reflecting, considering I ultimately assigned my own grade, I was nonetheless thankful for the opportunity I was given to look back on my performance. Though I felt my responses were for the most part insightful, what I found to be very important was when I stated, “I feel far more confident now, especially about citing”. While to anyone else this may seem peculiar, I have always had an issue with the format of citations, and following this assignment, as I stated, I felt far more comfortable formatting them. Through this meaningful reflection, I was able to understand that my writing process was shifting and that I was developing as a writer. In all, I really enjoyed reflecting on my work. Considering there were many hurdles created along the process of creating my story map, it was important for me to recognize the work I put in that ultimately created the final draft that I was incredibly proud of. I feel as though I will reflect on every major assignment I complete moving forward, writing or not, even if it is not explicitly assigned.

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Main Library - University of Arizona, East University Boulevard, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ

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In U1A4, it was assigned that we revise and alter our initial drafts of our synthesis essays based upon personal, instructor, and peer feedback. Broken into multiple sections, the document allowed for space to both reflect on what was suggested about your work, and what was ultimately done to create the final draft. Considering it made up a major portion of the assignment, I made sure to carefully and respectfully craft my responses and suggestions to my peers on their own work. Because I maintained a respectful peer-workshop-relationship with my classmates, I was able to receive their feedback and implement it thankfully. As I stated in the document itself, “I felt as though I had a positive experience because a mutual respect was fostered between those who read my paper and I”. Overall, this was incredibly important for me considering my peer review experiences in the past have often been sour. I feel that this first workshop opened my eyes to the positives of such a practice, and I feel as though I will go through my remaining academic years looking forward to giving and receiving peer reviews.

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Create a new document and edit with others at the same time -- from your computer, phone or tablet. Get stuff done with or without an internet connection. Use Docs to edit Word files. Free from Google.

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Within this document, it was expected that three sources of information be analyzed; a website, a text, and a film. Though doing so, a compare and contrast argument of all three pieces could be developed. Though paying attention to multiple aspects including each genre, specific audience, context, and purpose, not only was a deeper understanding fostered, the ability to conceptually analyze each piece individually was made. As stated in my annotation matrix, when focusing specifically on the film Border South it was noted that, “Being that portions of the film take place in varying cities throughout the desert traveled through, the awareness is primarily signaled towards (southern Arizona’s) citizens”. Though paying attention to specifically the context and the purpose/audience of the film, I was able to develop a heightened rhetorical awareness. Overall, I feel as though this practice prepared me greatly for writing instances in the future, but moreso, I feel that I pay far more attention to details when observing texts.

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Create a new document and edit with others at the same time -- from your computer, phone or tablet. Get stuff done with or without an internet connection. Use Docs to edit Word files. Free from Google.

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Las Palomas Senior Living, East Brown Road, Mesa, AZ