As the days grow colder and northern states welcome the familair obstacle of seemingly endless snow storms, we celebrate the New Year. January 1st is a time to start anew, to finally start that diet, or perhaps join a gym! We can throw away all the terrible choices that we made in 2010, and optimistically gaze into the long idealized 2011. Of course we cannot fully forget about the year past. Our current lives are composites of cumulative experiences that landed us exactly where we are today. Some of these experiences we have chosen, while others have been chosen for us. We are not individually responsible for the current economic state, yet we may have chosen to take a new career path. Undoubtedly, 2011 will mirror 2010 in many ways. Some things are reciprocal, and as hard as we try, we will not magically change our feathers each year when the ball drops in Times Square, regardless of what Ryan Seacrest tells us.
I have found the ability to control ones own life, a luxury of the upper class. As I look towards my future, and what the year 2011 will hold, I see myself prospering. Regardless of the job market or graduate school admissions, I am in a position in which I will probably be able to control my own destiny. I have been given all the gifts to succeed, and I probably will succeed. This is not a product of any inherent intellect, but of all that has gone right for me. I have not had to worry about anything, and my upbringing was one that feircely stressed education. I was supported in all of the decissions that I made, which ultimately positioned me on the border this year to continue my education in a somewhat unorthodox manner.
As I place myself into the demographic of the community here at Cristo Rey, I cannot help but to feel somewhat out of place. As I come to events with my limited knowledge of the Spanish language, a gringo accent, and a life of relative ease, I try to understand and learn more about the lives of the individuals I surround myself with. While my commitment this year to live simply binds my diet to generic brands of salad dressing and cereal, the complexity of others' lives dictate limited spending. My immersion into this culture has a time limit, a fire exit, that insures my safety. Many of my new friends do not have this privilege.
My resolution, in addition to blogging more, is to not let these barriers bog me down in my pursuit to understand more about border culture. I cannot feel ashamed for what I was given, rather I need to use my skills and talents as best I can within the community. My blog will serve as my tool to broaden awareness. I will relay what I see in a concise and organized manner, so that my experiences are not confined to El Paso. Immigration issues will continue to permeate national politics, so there will certainly be much to discuss.
