Adios Borderbeat!

Her Campus was the other publication i worked for during my time at the UA. Photograph by Mariana Dale.

The time has come for my last blog post! College is a chapter in my book of life I am just not ready to leave. I’m not ready to turn that page into the real world. But as the cliché goes, all good things must end eventually. My experience in Borderbeat has been enriching. Reporting around issues related to the border and culture wasn’t something that interested me. It still isn’t my cup of Starbucks coffee but I have met so many people whose lives are so much more interesting than my own. Stories of struggle or triumph are always my favorite and Borderbeat gave me the opportunity to go out into the community and find them. Some were easier than others. The best subjects are sometimes the ones you already know. My story about a Cuban Refugee was my friend Jacque’s father. He had went through so much. I never knew. Other stories got me out in the Tucson community. My first article about the tradition of threading in Indian culture making its way to the United States taught me two things. First, threading is amazing. Ever since immersing myself in my work (Getting threaded to better write about it) I have never gone back to waxing. Second, I realized people who cross the border to start new lives have guts. Shamalya, the owner of a local threading shop, moved from India to give a small tradition of her country to the U.S. She could have failed, but she didn’t. She left what she knew (other than threading of course) and started over. This leads me to the next thing I learned: Culture and traditions don’t have a border. They cross with each person or family.

The University of Arizona Old Main, a building you just can't miss. Photograph by Neal Savage © 2010

Borderbeat was the first journalism class I took where I felt confident with the skills I have been learning three years prior. I had control over my story ideas, which helped me develop skills in what I like doing best: profiles of people. I am a middle class American white girl, about as standard as it comes but I love seeking out people who fit a uniqueness, do unique things and have stories you wouldn’t believe to tell. I like to write about people who are much more interesting than me. Journalism can be a beautiful thing. When I went to St. Andrew’s Clinic in Nogales, Ariz. I found it most hard to suspend my own emotions for these families’ stories. At one point I just wanted to pick up the kid I was focusing on and hug him. Of all that I did in my short semester with Borderbeat, St. Andrew’s was my favorite. Under the direction of a great, retiring professor I gained confidence with Borderbeat, which is the best feeling a graduating senior venturing into the real world can ask for. Farewell Borderbeat! Enjoy the next batch of writers!

Growing up Bassanelli

Juliet visits Rome and chows on Gelato.

Juliet Bassanelli is one of a few 100%, pure-bred Italian Americans around. Both pairs of grandparents are from the region of Calabria, Italy. What is even more unusual is the families share the same last name, but are not related. “It’s like the American equivalent to “Smith.” It’s a common Italian last name.”

While she says her family has no immediate ties to the Italian mob, her family has had run-ins with them! In a story told to her by her uncle, Juliet recalls an older relative who owned an Italian restaurant in Italy during the mid-1960s was raided and robbed by the mob in the middle of the day while her family was servicing customers. “They took everything in the restaurant from money to the chairs and tables.”

Food is a big part of the Italian culture. Every Sunday Juliet’s family make a pasta dish of some kind. “Everyone has to be home for that.” One year for Christmas the whole Bassanelli clan did what is known as “the seven fishes,” where the family abstained from meat cooking only seafood. Its what the Italians do. “Ever since I was little both of my parents were in the kitchen, never one more than the other. I have known how to make pasta for myself since 4^th grade.” Food is such a large part of this family that Juliet’s grandparent’s neighborhood church raised money one by selling a cherished cookbook. The cookbook belonged to Juliet’s family and inside are recipes dating back to when the families lived in Italy.One aspect that didn’t make the cut for this Italian family was the language, but they didn’t abandon all of it. Her father taught

Juliet and her parents enjoy the Rose Bowl In Pasadena, Calif.

himself Italian but growing up neither of Juliet’s parents formally learned to speak Italian. “My grandparents came over during the immigrant wave. To better become Americans they didn’t teach their children Italian, only English.” However Juliet’s father still calls her Piccola principessa, meaning “little princess.”Juliet has visited Italy twice, once to Rome and once to various provinces. “I chose to learn French in school but the kids on my trip learned Spanish in school and they could get around. In some dialects you could get by as an Italian speaker. More so then I did with my French.” Juliet’s father tried to teach Italian when his two daughters were little but it faded away because the family didn’t have time as a family to learn it together. Why Juliet didn’t learn Italian on her own? “I chose French in school because I thought it sounded prettier in school than Spanish.”

Nothing says the holidays like an Italian Christmas, at least that’s what Juliet says. “We blow holidays out of proportion. On Easter instead of having lamb we end up eating manicotti. When my grandma, on my mothers side, in Buffalo, New York would have us over we would make so much food it wouldn’t fit on table.” The Bassanelli’s are the typical loud family you would expect from an Italian household.

Three generations of Italian women.

In some ways Juliet says her family is an Italian stereotype. The loudness of the family is true. The mama’s boy is true (her cousins still live off their mom. They are in their 40s.) But Jersey Shore Guidos and Guidettes? No way. “I hated it [Jersey Shore] when it came out. I tried watching it. But it makes me feel bad that this is what American’s opinions are of Italians. In reality, I don’t fake tan everyday.” Someone else that gets under Juliet’s skin is Snooki. “I hate how they act and super Italian families are Roman Catholic so if you had any values at all you wouldn’t be running around like Snooki.”

At the end of the day, Juliet says she likes being able to say she is Italian. She liked visiting where her heritage began, in Italy, along cobblestone streets untouched by industrialization and stylish high rises. “The culture of Italy is still standing. There is nothing that looks like LA there. I think that’s really cool.”

Love Has No Borders

Jacque Parrado is 20 years old and married.

Jacque Parrado knew one and one thing only—she loved her boyfriend Fernando Chacon. What she didn’t know was how invasive the process would be for him to gain American citizenship. Now they are a young, happily married couple reflecting back on the worthwhile experience. Jacque met her husband through her family. Both her mother’s side and Fernando’s family are from Mexico. “I went to his mom’s party one day and he just fell in love with me.” Fernando was afraid of her dad the most because she was younger. He is five years older than her. But the two had known each other for years. With the approval of their families, the two got married in order for Fernando to gain citizenship. While Jacque admits she would have preferred to wait she understood he can’t officially live here with the visa and couldn’t go further than Tucson without a permit. He could only visit and leave. “I don’t want to change my last name. It’s special no one else has it. I was the only Parrado at the University of Arizona. It made me proud.”

After getting married at the courts on January 15, 2011 they went straight to immigration services to show their marriage license. “You pay $500. And we gave to the government

Jacque and her husband Fernando live at home with Jacque's parents.

immigration $1,500 just to accept our papers. That’s why it took longer to get papers. It was so expensive.” After they were able to complete the payments, they had an interview on November 26^th with lady from immigration services. “She asked where we met, how long we were together. She asked me questions to prove my marriage.” Before beginning the citizenship via marriage process, Jacque had been told stories of what to expect. “When we started the process we were told we would be asked things like the color of our toothbrushes, the types of underwear we preferred. I was a virgin, saving myself for marriage. There were only so many intimate things I knew!”Jacque recalls the woman who conducted the interview being a bit skeptical at first because the couple was so young. At one point she said she felt like she wasn’t going to accept them. “We had to show pictures to prove our love. I think she would have gone into the intimate questions had we not had pictures of us together at my graduation, quince, or with our families.”

Jacque and her boyfriend thought the process overall to be ridiculous. They paid thousands for paperwork. “And it took three months to find out the answer. It was a long wait.” For three months Fernando feared if he didn’t get citizenship he would have to go back to Mexico. He had lost his job in Mexico for coming over here to the United States. “There is nothing there for me. I was afraid I would have to go back to Mexico and suffer.”

Jacque is a sophomore at the UA.

Yet 20-year-old Jacque is still adjusting to marriage. “Marriage changes your life. I believe marriage makes you one. You’re not just thinking on your own anymore. When problems come we have to face it together.” If marriage has taught the couple anything it has taught them how to be on their own. “My dad was mostly worried about my future. He said Mexicans hit girls. He was afraid he would do it to me. He wanted me to marry a Cuban like him, no one else.”

Finding the Light Through the Darkness

A Rocky Point mother brings her deaf daughter to get her hearing aide adjusted.

Each week I have been blogging about interesting people full of culture.This week I wanted to share an experience I had meeting several fascinating families and volunteers. I was part of a small group who went to report at St. Andrew’s in Nogales, Arizona. Every first Thursday of the month St. Andrew’s church turns into a clinic that assists children with disabilities from Mexico. One parent and their child are allowed to cross the border for the day where volunteers, doctors, nurses and translators give their time helping children who are blind, deaf, unable to walk, and other ailments.

During the day I spent my time wondering the various sections of the clinic, specifically the vision and audio centers. There I met wonderful families. Though I don’t speak Spanish, I learned that a smile is one of the most universal languages. I couldn’t help but smile at the children I encountered. Yaxim was one of my favorite who touched my heart. He was at the clinic for the second time getting fit for a new pair of glasses. As the doctor showed him a series of shapes, Yaxim pointed to the matching shape on the paper. His excitement drew the attention of the room and he jumped up and down smiling with the satisfaction of knowing he saw the right shape. He knew his vision wasn’t failing him. His mother was gracious enough to allow me to interview her via a translator. She shared that her son has broken five pairs of glasses because he is so active. She also says her son had surgery to correct his cross eyed condition, something his mother shared, but the surgery was unsuccessful. She is at St. Andrew’s seeking help.

Yaxim is one of many children who are entrusted into the care of doctors. Lizette Chavez is blind in both eyes. Her mother

Volunteer doctors check a girl's ears at the audio center of St. Andrew's.

has brought her to the clinic where doctors are teaching her how to read Braille. The doctors insist she use both hands as she grazes over the words. Lizette is only five years old but she is making progress. The doctor shows her how to use a walking device. Her knowledge of the walking device will help her to understand that there are objects around her. Children who are blind often rely on the direction of their parents whose hand they hold. By understanding how a walking aide works, a child can someday learn how to dodge objects on their own. I saw children who were in pain but hid it beneath their young, often toothless smiles. One boy, who  struggled to chew the cut up cucumber, was able to blow the nutritionists kisses. The clinic is a blessing to those who leave their Mexico cities for a chance to receive healthcare they would never have the opportunity for. It’s a sad yet beautiful place to be.

Journey By Sea

Cindy grew up in Vietnam until she fled to America by boat.

For as long as I have lived in Arizona, I have known Tony and Cindy Tran. I credit them for repairing my broken nails and transforming them into pretty painted perfections. What I didn’t know was how Cindy got here and what she did to change their family’s path.

Cindy was born and raised in Vietnam but in 1979 at the age of 17 she was told to “get out of the country” because it was so corrupt. In search of freedom, Cindy and her older siblings spent five days and six nights aboard a small boat crammed with 53 people; 33 adults, 20 children. For two days they went without food or drinkable water until arriving in Indonesia, where they stayed for six months. “As boat people you had to be silent. You cannot carry anything with you.” People who were caught escaping risked being killed or thrown in jail for what was considered going against your country. “I’m only 17 I don’t know anything about the country. It’s really dangerous and scary. I saw a lot of people die in the ocean because they did not make it because of the Vikings or bad weather that made boats sink.” Another issue for Cindy was sea sickness, “I got sea sick and laid on the boat thinking whatever happens happens.” With so many young children aboard it was a hard sight to see with nothing for them to eat or anything to play with. “My boat was hard. I didn’t think we could make it one more day.”

After being approved for citizenship, Cindy arrived on American soil where she was placed in high

LA Nails opened its doors to the Tucson community in 1999.

school for two years. “I met Tony and I married him when I was 19 and had kids when I was 20. “ Her first job was picking strawberries. When Cindy and her husband took a trip to California she found her niche in life. “I learned how to do nails in 1986. I graduated and saw California as a success and I began to get started.” Cindy and Tony did do well and moved to Florida to open a salon. “10 years later we start to move around to do business and then we got to Tucson.” Cindy and Tony opened LA Nails in 1999. When asked what it is like working with your husband Cindy says it doesn’t bother her. “We get along really well, as long as he does his job and I do mine.”

 

Tony and Cindy Tran have two children together who are both University of Arizona graduates.

Over the years Cindy has put her creativity into the designs of her nails but she has also put her creative juices to the titles of her salons. In California the salon was called Nice Nails. The title became Natural Nails in Florida. When she moved to Utah she named it Magic Nails. “At first I named it nice, because the nails I did looked nice. I didn’t know the language but I knew the word nice. In Florida I could make nails look natural so I named the salon with the word natural. Finally I used the title Magical because to create the nail is like magic.”

Border Town Girl

Kelly Feldman grew up in Douglas, Arizona.

Kelly Feldman lived on the border of two worlds. She was born in Douglas, AZ, a border town of Sonora, Mexico. Though she is a United States citizen her first language was Spanish. “I went to an all girls catholic school with rich and poor Mexican girls.  They spoke Spanish so I thought it best to learn.” The help also influenced Kelly. “Our maids we got from the border. We would drive to the other side. These women became my nannies, so to communicate is another reason I learned Spanish.” Though these women did more than clean up after Kelly and her two brother’s messes. “They made the freshest and best Mexican food ever. You had warm tortillas 24 hours a day.” Kelly learned early on she possessed a musical gift. She could sing. “With having Mexican housekeepers, you hear the best of mariachi music, the communal parties, the culture. It was over the top, which was amazing for me.” Though picking up Spanish wasn’t the only language she stopped at. Kelly speaks Italian, French, Spanish and Arabic. “Arabic is something I picked up because my grandparents (mother’s side) speak it and I cook all the food. Italian just came easy. I taught French to myself. I liked it in high school and continued on with it.”

Kelly began to see the Mexican culture as full of passion. “I watched the Mexican weddings and the passion they had. They have this special zest for living.” Yet the downfall of living so close to a border is being a witness to poverty. “I saw a lot of poverty, a lot of housekeepers lived in boxes with dirt floors,

The whole Borane family gathers at El Minuto.

hung clothes on branches of trees. One maid had a tub of fresh water, that is how they bathed. And that hurt me.” Kelly’s biological grandparents were from the other side and lived on a train track. With her mother’s side and her father’s side in such close proximity she saw the differences of her biological father’s Mexican culture and her mother’s wealthy Lebanon culture. “My grandparents (father’s side) had an outhouse and knowing they were poor

I remember seeing cockroaches running on the stove. My grandma had to pick me up to use the bathroom in the outhouse. That

was the difference I saw culturally.” Though touched by what she saw, Kelly also witnessed humility. I literally saw what was a border. It was poor but rich with Catholic, humble people.” Kelly’s biological father’s parents, Teresa and Jesus Santa Cruz were married for 75 years. They died when Kelly was 24 and 25.

Kelly was also born into a well-known family name, the Boranes. Her mother’s family made all their money in real estate, owning all of the foreign trade zones from the American side to the Mexico side. Her grandfather was the head of the Port of Directors through all of the border towns. The family owns the famous Douglas tunnel. Though the success brought speculation of the tunnels use. “My uncle caught a bad rap. A Song called “Cocaine Joe” came out about him but it wasn’t true.” The tunnel ran underground from the border of Arizona and went through a drug lord’s home on the Mexico side, and further into a wherehouse

Kelly has one daughter, now 26, named Morgan. She refers to her as her "mini-me."

that was Borane property. Hence why the song came about. Her uncle was Douglas chief of police at the time, so times when her rebellious brother Ronnie ran into the law, he usually got off on everything. “He gave the whole family grey hair and was a bad boy in every sense of the word.” In Douglas if your last name was Borane, you could do no wrong. “Many were afraid of Joe Borane. After serving as chief for 20 years Joe became the judge. Her other uncle became the mayor of Douglas. “The Borane family owned most of Douglas. People used to say.” They even dedicated a school in the name of her uncle, Ray Borane.

A Touch of Irish

Chris McGrory and fellow dance instructor Rosemary Browne teach students of all ages. This is a young group of dancer at the 2007 Emerald Ball. Photography credited to Chris McGrory.

In lieu of all the green that I encountered this St. Patrick’s Day weekend it seemed only fitting to write my article about a real Irishman named Christopher McGrory.  Originally from Dublin, Ireland, Chris came to Tucson spreading Irish dance and music one hornpipe and reel dance at a time. He opened a dance company called Tir Conaill Academy of Irish Dance, one of only two Irish dance schools in Tucson, Arizona. He also has studios in Phoenix and in Albuquerque.

At a young age, Chris had dance fever. “I was four years old in dance lessons. Dancing was more important than school, according to my mom.” Irish dancing is something he shares with his wife, who is also a dance teacher. The two met during a World Championship, a prestigious global competition that hosts only the best Irish dancers in the world. Though dance is not the only talent on his résumé. As a distinguished composer, Chris has played in competitions all over the world and his students benefit from learning to dance to his own music. He has played 15 times at the World Championships. He is one of few Irish dance musicians to have gone platinum in CD sales.

Irish dancers wear special soft shoes called "ghillies." Photograph by Rachel Kolinoski

While he has been successful, he admits coming and starting a life in America had its challenges, beginning with basic foods. Foods like bread and milk are much different. “In Ireland the milk is so strong because the cows eat stronger grass. What is considered whole milk here is like non-fat in Ireland.” He isn’t thrilled with the Wonder bread brands and instead has his bread imported from Ireland. ” I have a vendor I order from in San Francisco. The bread is baked in Ireland and then sent frozen to me.”

When asked his opinion about the drunken-Irish stereotype, Chris says “It is very much true. Though it is more of a social thing. The attitude to drink is much different than in the U.S. There is no such thing as having to show an i.d.” In Ireland the drinking age is 18.However, teenagers as young as 15 or 16 who look old enough can be served at a pub.

A signature sign of the Irish is the shamrock. Photograph by Rachel Kolinoski.

Chris said gaining success in America does not elicit the same response in Ireland. “A lot of Irish look up to America and want to come and work here. The perception is if you live in the U.S. you do well and people pat you on the back. In Ireland they bring you down. It’s just a mentality.”

Check out this video of a 2010 Celtic Festival dance choreographed by Christopher McGrory.

Made in Italy

Ivan Lucchina is a gelato expert.

Ivan Lucchiana has the Italian experience we all hope to have someday. And he is bringing us a taste of Italy in the form of a soft, fluffy Italian dessert called Gelato. Ivan is from Lake Como, Italy a small town near Milan. The town is situated between two mountains, creating a scenic, relaxing area to grow up. “For young people there isn’t a lot to do. When I moved away my friends complained there is nothing to do. It is totally different.” Ivan left Lake Como in July of 2010 when he received an offer from Marco Rapella, the main owner of Allegro Gelato, who is from the same hometown. Ivan had worked with the entrepreneur before. “In the beginning he wanted to open up a restaurant but found out there is a good market for gelato.” What could be more authentic then two native Italians making your dessert? Some of the unique concoctions Ivan creates include Guinness flavor, made from the Guinness beer. Rose flavor, which is like eating a cold creamy rose, and spicy chocolate gelato made with cayenne pepper and rich cocoa.

Today's most popular flavor is called "gelato."

Ivan is a worldly traveler and has done so working upon a Queenship. The experience gave him an early feel for American culture, since the ship went to cities on the east coast like New York. He also lived in London for two years, where there is a big city feel relatable to major U.S. cities. “Moving to America wasn’t a big shock to me.”

Ivan is a naturalized citizen and wishes Italy could be more like the U.S. with immigration. “As soon as I arrived to America I had to sit five hours in immigration. I still had a work visa from working on the cruise ship. They had to call and verify everything. It was a good thing I suppose.”  Ivan says working on a cruise ship was fun and a place to always be in good company. “I wanted to do something for myself.” Upon the ship he worked as a bartender, where he worked like a dog going out only once out of the week. Though bar culture is something that never crossed his mind when moving to the U.S. Ivan laughs and says “It’s a different culture bartending on a ship and in the U.S. though Italy needs a drinking age, at least 18.”

Allegro is located in Tucson, Arizona in the college-friendly Sam Hughes Plaza.

Ivan has accomplished a lot in the couple years he has been in Tucson, Arizona. He applies the skills he gained when he earned his degree from Carpigiani Gelato University in Bologna. Though his greatest happiness is yet to come. Ivan’s wife followed him from Italy and on the first of May his first child will be born. A girl, he plans to name Jennifer.

The Worldly Traveller

Melinda stands in front of Oriental Pearl Tower in Shanghai, China.

Melinda Gravitt grew up in the popular southern California lifestyle. However, at the age of 21 she has seen more than surfers and sand crabs. She has been to over 30 countries, including Japan, India, South Africa, England and China. Melinda is half Chinese and while in China two years ago she learned more of her mother’s culture. “People would speak to me in Chinese just to see if I knew it but then I would say I don’t speak Chinese and then they would ask me if I was American.” Melinda says she didn’t receive the star attention like her fellow students who traveled with her during Semester at Sea. “We had a red haired girl on our trip. She got so much attention. People would run up to her and ask her for her photo.”

In China, people of fair skin, or lighter eyes and hair are a fascination for the Chinese culture who has little involvement with blonde culture. “My boyfriend in college was bleach blonde, blue-eyed and tall. He went with me to China and a bus of people would go by and point and just stare at him. He loved it.”

Not everything in China is as adored. “In mainland China you can’t talk about the government since it is still communist.” Though that isn’t stopping members of the younger generation who bravely venture among the Beijing arena and start movements, protesting for a democracy. “I could see a revolution someday, especially with younger people being exposed to western culture.” Melinda learned about the suppression of free speech is still present in China through Sam, an owner of a bed and breakfast. Just one of the many experiences she had traveling as a tourist. But no trip to China would be complete without seeing the Great Wall of China. “If you want to you can zip line or toboggan down

Yu Garden in Shanghai, China where people get together for shopping and dining.

the hill from the top of the Great Wall. I did it!”

Among other things worth trying in China is eating dog? “You can order snake or dog. When I visited in 5^thgrade my dad ordered a snake but I refused to eat it. So he made me drink its blood.” It is considered good luck to drink the blood of a snake in China. Still, blood isn’t the only fluidy substance Melinda encountered. “I found that a lot of Chinese people spit on the streets. So you have to careful where you step.” Melinda has studied abroad twice during her college experience at the University of Arizona but most of her worldly experiences resulted from good old fashioned family vacations.

From South Africa to Sorority Girl

Georgina Crookes is a sophomore nursing major at the University of Arizona. Even more, she is a United States citizen. She was born in Louisiana but knows only a life in Cape Town, South Africa, where she was raised in a house on the Southern most part of Africa in a boating village. “It is considered to be the second prettiest country in the world next to Sydney, Australia.” Contrary to the notion that South Africa consists of lions (though there are some), tribes and huts, it is an urbanized, first world country. But it is a divided country. “The truth is the white people are the rich, and the Africans are the poor. It is segregated in that sense.” The homes in Cape Town are lavish, with security gates, grass tennis courts and teens with $1, 000 American imported ipods. “I had friends from back home that wanted to fly me back home. I told them it was a $2,000 flight. They offered to pay it.”

Growing up, Georgina knew nothing but an athletic lifestyle. She was even offered an opportunity to run track for the university but she turned it down for something different. She wanted to join a sorority. “There are no sororities in Africa. I knew nothing about it, no idea of stereotypes.” She jokes that her friends back home believe the movies they see on television are what a sorority is all about. She is a proud member of Kappa Kappa Gamma.“They think I live a movie star life.”  To go to the movies in the U.S., an average person will spend $10 on a ticket and then an arm and a leg on whatever sweet or salty treats they want to munch on. “In Cape Town, your candy, popcorn and ticket cost you $5.”

Georgina speaks without an accent, but her lingo keeps her friends laughing. “There are these words people say back in Africa, slang words like when you eat something gross, you say ‘oh that’s so siff’ or the garbage is called ‘the rubbish bin.’” In South Africa, the language is English but the mother language is called Afrikans, which is spoken traditionally by farmers and members of the lower economic class.

Georgina remarks her childhood in Africa as “a different way of life” where baboons randomly run across the street and ostrich riding isn’t limited to a small farm on the city limits. But with any beautiful place comes the ugly. In a town a few hours away called Johannesburg, you don’t ever stop at red lights. Otherwise you risk getting your vehicle hijacked, something Georgina’s family has experienced twice at gunpoint. “Four years ago my mom was outside of a store when a group of people with AK-47’s went and shot the store up. My mom grabbed a little girl nearby and they hid under a car.” With cops easily bribable, many choose to protect themselves. “One of my cousins has an electric fence just in case.” In an attractive country, still feeling the repercussions of a partied, the rich sometimes fear the poor.  It is a true divide.