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Chapter 7
“My
consciousness of belonging to the invisible community of those who strive for
truth, beauty, and justice has preserved me from feeling isolated”. — Albert Einstein
Belonging,
Not Fitting
I no longer fit there, but I
didn’t fully belong here either, so I felt like I was in limbo. That’s exactly how I felt. Thankfully, as the years have
passed, I’ve gradually discovered more about myself here than I ever did back
there. Speaking out fervently against injustice and what’s considered normal
but shouldn’t become my defining stance. For the longest time, I’ve refused to
accept certain things, like the so-called everyday occurrences that persist in
my birth country. I continue to speak out against violence toward children and
women; just because it’s common doesn’t mean it should be accepted. Incivility
and entitled attitudes or cultures are not normal and should not be normalized.
There
was the Florida teacher who couldn’t believe I didn’t know what the northern
lights were (the irony). Then there were the jokes: as a receptionist, I asked
a customer for his last name. He replied, “English.” I repeated,
“Sir, may I have your last name?” He continued, “English.”
Finally, I said, “Am I speaking French to you or what?” He responded,
“No, my last name is English!”
Once,
while paying at a cashier register, the woman asked where I was from,
complimenting my beautiful olive skin tone. I said, “Colombia,” and
she replied, “Oh, South Carolina?” Another woman in line said,
“Girl, don’t you know where Columbia is? Is that country next to
Cuba?” I responded, “Surely it is.” After that, I came up with a
quirky joke. When people ask where I’m from, I say, “Do you want to know?
Ok, I am from the deep-deep south.” They inevitably ask, “South
Carolina?” I say, “Nope, South America.” Embracing my Colombian
identity, I found joy in educating others about my culture and heritage,
turning these encounters into opportunities for cultural exchange.
Another
time, I was called into the boss’s office because of complaints that I talked
too much about Colombia and smiled too much. My immediate supervisor clearly
couldn’t stand me. She was consistently critical, making remarks like, “If
you’re so proud to be Colombian, what are you doing up here?” and
“Why are you always smiling?” Or the classic: “Hey, did you pick
up the mail yet? The mail doesn’t arrive on a donkey here.”
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One Comment on “The Courage to Succeed: A True American Dream. -Book Series, Chapter 7”
This is an interesting read.