One of the biggest struggles I faced in this class was being able to effectively structure my essay. I had a hard time really organizing and compiling my thoughts effectively in my essays. I had all the information but I had a hard time compiling the information chronologically in my essay. I think that I really progressed as a writer through peer review from my classmates and teacher. I took their feedback and figured out what I needed to improve on my writing and assignments and how to make my essay flow better.

At the beginning of our unit one unit our class did a synthesis essay. In this class we learned different ways authors communicate their ideas  through  structural conventions like rhetorical modes or rhetorical appeals.One of my goals in this class was understanding rhetorical situations. This helped further my writing and helped inform me of the author’s purpose and what I want the audience to take away from my writing when I incorporate rhetorical strategies. At the beginning I had a hard time identifying these rhetorical modes and appeals but after analyzing the three sources I chose in class for my matrix I started to have a better understanding. This helped me further analyze a story and really go into depth about how an author is communicating with their audience by the author’s word choice, style, and tone. 

 

After I finished my synthesis essay the way I celebrated was going to my friend’s party that was hosted at their house. Some of the healthy ways that I celebrated was socializing with my friends, talking to them about the struggles that I had in my personal and academic life and how I overcame those struggles. My friends also talked to me about their struggles in school and their personal life. I felt like that really helped me grow as a person and as a writer because I can take into view other people’s point of view. They may think differently than me but we share the same feelings and experiences that make us connect with each other. In the future when I’am writing I will try to understand others points of views on a deeper level.Papelito #4

Also in this class about the Borderlands, I learned that migrants are being mistreated at the border, the injustices in our legal system, gentrification, and separation at the border. I think that being informed about the struggles faced by different communities can help shed light on problems that should not be ignored.I really value listening to other people’s testimonio and I found Rigoberta Menchú’s testimonio to be very insightful about the struggles marginalized groups face. Her story about the struggles of living on the finca was similar to the reasons why migrants are fleeing from Central America. We as students and as a society should work together whether that be at university or outside of university to help those who are oppressed.I think as a future writer the way I write can better connect with the reader on a personal level. I believe that I have accomplished this by going to different places and exploring stories that take place in different places.

Not only did we write essays in our English class but we also did storytelling. I found that writing a story to be challenging but a great learning experience.Through storytelling I learned how to communicate a story with few words and lots of pictures to communicate a story. The differences in learning how to write for different audiences really taught me the importance of word choice and poetic language. Like how to use a few words but in a way that conveys several meanings to the audience members. Experimenting with different forms of storytelling helped me grow as a writer because I relied on my own ideas of how I want to structure my story, what overall message I want the audience to take away from my essay, and how I incorporated rhetorical appeals in my writing. The circumstances of actually going to a place and self-learning was an experience that I really enjoyed outside of the classroom. 

Some important places that taught me something special was at the Tucson Chinese Cultural Center. At the center I learned about the history of Chinese immigrants who immigrated to Tucson, Arizona. Most of the information from the museum came from the museum panels. Each panel described the history behind a Chinese immigrant family. What the family business was and what services they provided. I felt a sense of belonging at the place and a connection with the Chinese immigrants. As I looked around I saw a lot of descriptions about the family businesses that were owned by Chinese families. Like grocery stores and dry cleaning stores.I heard the sound of mahjong tiles shuffling from people playing. I heard the sound of Chinese music overhead.  I heard the sound of people conversing in both Chinese and English. I felt like this place was very open to everyone because all types of people came to the center besides Chinese people. I believe that this made others and me feel a sense of belonging because people from all different backgrounds could converse in different languages. The center had a dance studio, a kitchen, and a grand ballroom. The grand ballroom hosted speakers. There was also a lot of artwork in the center. I saw Buddha statues, ancient chinese clothing and jewelry.  I believe that this center is used for educating the public about Chinese culture and introducing those who don’t know about Chinese culture to take part in Chinese activities. Papelito #7