Biographic Information: English, Female, 21 yrs (4)
Themes: Biographical information (where participant is from, where participant has lived), El Paso and Vado, School/education, Participant’s future motivations and aspirations, Participant’s occupation, Participant’s family and friends (memories and traditions), Foods and cooking, Culture (traditions and differences), Spanish (words, use, saying and translations)
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Transcript:
0:01
I: Okay. Alrighty. So my first question is to, um, where do you call home?
0:08
P: Home? Um, I would say Vado, just because it’s where I grew up. I feel like I go to Las Cruces and El Paso but I always come back here. I don’t know if that make sense.
I: Yeah, yeah, it does.
P: (inaudible) community here, like I went to elementary, like I know the people, and then go to church and just like a sense of community.
0:35
I: Okay. Awesome. So tell me more about like, your community about in Vado. And Las Cruces, and El Paso.
0:46
P: Uh, a sense of community?
I: Yes.
P: Uh, I go to church every Sunday. And it’s a lot of like, people ol- well they’re a lot older now, but it’s just like, they watched me grow up, and I watched them grow up, sadly. But um yeah. [Aww.] I just like the environment and like, seeing going to like the Family Dollar and be like, Oh, I run into this person. And (inaudible) from church. And it’s like, Oh, how’s your mom? And it’s like, I always like run into people that I know. And I just like that.
1:30
I: Aww. It seems like very close knit.
1:33
P: Yeah. And I feel like in Las Cruces, well it’s a bigger city, and El Paso it’s an even bigger city. So.
I: Right.
P: I like Vado.
1:46
I: I’m like, it seems like a really small town, but like very close knit and very, like, a good community for families.
1:54
P: Yeah. [Uh.] There’s not like a lot of like, we have like a Dollar General and a Family dollar, and then like two gas stations. But like, that’s enough for me. We have like a lot of taco trucks, too.
2:13
I: So, [I like them.] how would- how would you describe Vado? Like-
2:18
P: How would I describe it? Um, I would describe it as, like fields. A little smelly because we’re kind of close to like the cows. I don’t know what those are called.
2:41
I: Oh, like the feedlots? [Inaudible)]
P: huh?
I: Like the feedlot or like the dairies?
2:47
P: Yeah. They’re called Lecherias. I don’t know how to say it in English. But yeah. So we’re close to that. So it’s like a lot of fields. Like we have a lot of pecan trees. Um, we have like a corn field by my elementary. Likke onion fields. So it’s just like a lot of like agriculture.
3:15
I: Okay. (5.0) Okay, and then tell me more about yourself. Um, what year were you born? And anything like that?
3:25
P: Okay, so I’m Xxxxx. I don’t know if you knew that. [(laughs)] But I was born December third, 2001. I don’t remember much then. [(laughs)] But um, I’m Sagittarius. What else can I say?
3:56
I: Umm. Are you going to school? Um, [Oh okay.] anything like that?
3:59
P: I’m going to NMSU and I’m studying communication disorders, with a minor in Spanish. And I want to be a speech language pathologist, and I want to work with like bilingual kids, I feel like.
4:19
I: So what made you like what brought you to that path of um career study?
P: I’m sorry?
I: What brought you to that path to study that career like to get that major.
4:32
P: Oh okay. So I was doing nursing initially, and my brother’s a nurse, and I just like saw, like, how hard the field this especially with like, COVID like really opened my eyes and like, what the scope of practice is going to be like, and like, oh, I’m gonna like, new patients and I’m gonna work twelve hour shifts and I’m gonna, you know? It just like, didn’t seem like something I wanted to do. And then um, I have a coworker who is in this major. And she will talk about, like, what she wanted to do and like, the classes she would have to take. And I was like, uh, I’ve never heard of that, like ever. Like, I’ve heard of, like, speech therapist but I never thought of- (loud clanging sound) I’m so sorry.
I: That’s okay.
P: And I never thought of it as like, I don’t know, something I can do. But I like, looked into it a little more. And I was like, I can see myself doing this. So that’s how I like found this path.
5:38
I: And what makes you want to work specifically with bilingual individuals?
5:45
P: Um, I think that, like, there’s, well there should be more people who like can help bilingual people ‘cause I feel like when I go to the store with like, my mom and stuff, and like, I have to, like translate, and she’ll just like, kind of like, bat her eyes and be like, I don’t know what they’re saying. Soo I have to interfere and be like, translate for her. And I just want to like, do that for kids. And if your kids would have trouble speaking, or like maintaining consistency in Spanish, I think that would be the very nice.
6:24
I: Yeah, definitely. So what do you do outside of being a student?
6:35
P: Umm, I like to work at the gym a lot. Like four to five days a week. It usually doesn’t happen ‘cause of school and other stuff. But I really enjoy it. And it keeps like I can like destress and just like the endorphins they really, release them.
7:04
I: Wait, can you repeat that last part? I just didn’t hear you. Sorry about that.
P: The endorphins?
I: Oh, the endorphins. Okay. (4.0) Have you always been very active? Did you play sports in school? Or um did you like come across the gym as like a stress reliever?
7:26
P: Uh, I’ve never done sports in high school. I honestly regret it. Like, I wish I did like cheerleading and something or something ‘cause I feel like I don’t know, I always wanted to but I just didn’t. Uh, but I started going to gym like twe- twenty, twenty-one, twenty twenty-two.
I: Okay.
I: Yeah. And I just like, wasn’t happy with myself so I was just like, Oh, my brother goes to the gym so I said tagged along with him and I really thought I wasn’t gonna stick with it. Like, it just really destresses me and once you see like, I don’t know, the weights and like progress is like really encouraging.
8:12
I: Yeah, definitely. I, I like going to the gym as well. Is there any like specific workouts or activities you enjoy doing? Like? Or do you have like a go to schedule?
8:27
P: Um, I have like a schedule. So like, I’ll do shoulders, and then I’ll do I back and butt and then I’ll do hamstrings and then I’ll do chest and then I’ll do quads.
I: Okay, nice.
P. Yeah. That’s my schedule. Yeah.
8:54
I: And do you also um work as, as well as being a student?
9:02
P: Um, I do. I work at a Firework Store. Which is weird, because most people don’t think people sell fireworks all year round. But we do get customers here and there. And it’s a fun job.
9:20
I: So what’s your um favorite part about your job?
9:25
P: Um, well, we don’t get a lot of customers, but like we get like maybe five a day.
I: Okay.
P: So that gives me a lot of time to do like homework and like other stuff. So, it’s like kind of work study but not really. And I work with a lot of my friends from like high school so we just kind of catch up and talk and we get like boba. There’s like a boba lady at Anthony. She like works from her home and she like delivers and she’s like the cutest thing. So we just get boba and just like talk and do homework.
I: That’s awesome!
P: And then (Inaudible) customers.
10:07
I: And so what would you say is like the worst part of your job?
10:12
P: Um. Definitely the Fourth of July. [(gasp)]. It’s like a total like do 360 from like 5 customers a day to like I don’t know if this is exaggerating but like 500 a day. And [Oh wow!] yeah. But like it’s fun, like, it’s a lot of friends and like community in that store, and we work like twelve hours shifts, and then we stock, and then we stay up late restocking for the next day. It’s just fun, and then sometimes we get like rude customers and they like complain and it’s just fun.
10:52
I: Do you? How do you handle rude customers?
10:57
P: Um, I’m not the best, I usually just be, “Um, let me call my manager.” But last- this year actually I had a really rude customer. And I was like arguing with her and I never argue with anyone. So that was like really out of character. And she’s just getting on my nerves. And I’ve been and I was there since like, 8Am and it was probably like 7PM. So I was just like, over it. And yeah, she was like in the wrong, but she wouldn’t understand where I was coming from and she didn’t understand, like, we just didn’t get each other at all.
11:38
I: That sounds like those sounds like difficult situations.
1:43
I: Yeah. And I’m like, “No, you’re the one that’s wrong.”, she’s like “No, you’re the ones that’s wrong. [(gasp)] Yeah.
11:49
I: So you said that you uh work with your friends? Uh, how would you say that your friends would describe you?
11:57
P: Um my friends would describe me, I think (4.0) as funny. (3.0) I can be a little shy or like, if I’m having an off day I can just like be shy. Um, (7.0) I’m usually very um caring and like, I try to see the positive and stuff. Like when people like complain with me, I’m like “Oh, look on the bright side.” and like I try to look at the bright side like every situation. (3.0) Mmm. (9.0) Um, I like to think I’m a little smart. So maybe they’ll describe me as smart. [(laughs)] (laughs) And that’s all I can think of.
I: Okay. And then how would you describe your friends that you work with?
13:03
P: My friends? Um, my closest friend. She’s like really like talkative so she can talk for hours. Like I’ll have like, my computer right in front of me and I’ll be like typing and she will not notice and she’ll continue talking. And I just listen and it’s fun to like listen to all her stories so talkative for sure. I would say um a little stubborn. Um caring, insightful like she’ll always like give really good advice. Mmmm. And we always bond over food so I don’t know how to- is- there’s a word for that, foodie.
14:02
I: Yeah. I think so.
P: I think that’s the word. Um. (4.0) yeah. And like I have another coworker and she’s like, they (inaudible) are the opposite. She’s like she does so much for the store and like no one asked her too. (6.0) Um. That’s pretty much it.
14:21
I: So like what, what extra stuff does she do that like she doesn’t have to do?
14:28
P: Um, she’ll organize the whole store like on a Monday night for no reason. And then so like a lot of her ways like label everything. She’ll like clean the microwave. Even though it doesn’t need cleaning. She’ll like label the microwave, and be like “Keep it clean.”. Um, she’ll organize the shirts. She’s done that like three times um the whole time I’ve been there. Um, (4.0) yeah. I mean super nice. I appreciate her like work ethic. But it’s not really busy enough to like need that.
15:24
I: And then um, so you had mentioned like, being a foodie and like bonding over food. Is there [Mhm.] any specific food that like, is your absolute favorite from this area? Or is it a specific food from a family member?
15:44
P: Um, so this- my main, I just ate menudo. My mom made it and it was so good. And I don’t like- I don’t know if you know what menudo is, but they have meat and that’s the menudo part but it’s like really chewy.
I: And do-
P: like, chewy so I don’t like it and I just eat like total corns, that’s my favorite part and my mom made it specifically with a lot of corns because she knows that that’s what I like.
16:19
I: Oh, that’s sweet of her.
16:23
P: Yeah. And then usually around this part, or this (4.0) hold on mom’s coming in.
I: Okay.
(Conversation with third person)
16:39
P: Anyways, around this time is pomegranate season.
I: Mmm.
P: Yes. So there’s a specific dish and it’s called Chiles en Nogada. And it’s like a chile poblano with like ground beef inside, and then with like, pecan um sauce on top and then pomegranate on top. And we usually do it like around this time when it’s pomegranate season ‘cause we have a pomegranate tree outside. And it’s like one of my favorite dishes. But it’s like, once a year.
17:13
I: Oh, wow. I’ve never heard of that dish. [Yeah.]
17:16
I: Yeah, it’s really good.
17:19
I: Is- do you help your mom or your dad make that dish or um do you let them independently make it?
17:27
P: Um I feel like my mom takes over everything, but me and my dad will like get the pe- uh not the pecans, the pomegranates, and we’ll like take them out of their shell or like their thing, the peel. Peel ‘em off. So that’s my job. Or, like grabbing like the pecans.
17:57
I: Okay.
P: Yeah.
I: That sounds like a lot of fun. [Yeah.] Like to be able to make it with your mom.
18:02
P: Mhm. I feel like I have to like learn and I haven’t been ‘cause I want to carry on her recipes. They’re really good. [Is-] I just haven’t.
18:12
I: Is there like a specific meal, like, is this the specific meal you want to learn from her? Or are there other like meals that you remember making with her that you want to know the recipe and you know, you want to know the process?
18:28
P: Um I feel like this meal specifically, Chiles en Nogada ‘cause I feel like they’re not well known. So I feel like I can’t just like go to like the restaurant and get it. You know, like it’s very limited. So I want to learn that so I carry it with me. Um also tamales. Like I always really liked my mom’s cooking and not like if I go to a restaurant or hardly ever order Mexican food ‘cause I know that I have it at home and it’s not nearly as good as my mom’s so I feel like tamales I’ll hardly I’ll ever order them like outside of my- or eat them outside of my house. Um, menudo the same way I only really like my mom’s. Um, what’s another dish? (7.0) Mmm. Posole.
I: Okay.
P: Posole is really good and I want to like learn how to make it. It’s just like I don’t know, I don’t know cook. But I guess that’s how you learn.
19:41
I: Do you um cook anything by yourself?
19:45
P: Um, so my favorite food my go to food is enchiladas verdes. And I learned how to make them ‘cause I like crave them and I love them so much. So that’s one of the things- one of the only things that I know how to make. And like I make enchi- or enchiladas, like, an afternoon and then the next morning, I’ll have like some sauce leftover and I get to make chilaquiles for breakfast, which is my favorite breakfast ever.
20:17
P: That sounds really yummy.
20:29
I: Alrighty, so do you have any, does your family have any um family traditions that you also want to like carry on or pass on?
20:40
P:Hmm. So, my family is really religious. So Christmases we’ll pray a rosary. Is that how you say it? Um and then we’ll like undress the baby Jesus. And then like, I think February second, we dress it again, and then we also pray a rosary. So, it’s kind of like when the baby is born. And then- whats the on February second? It’s like with the three, (3.0) the three (2.0) Reyes Magos, I don’t know. So, I think I know how to pray so I can carry that. And, what else? That’s all I can really remember.
21:44
I: Okay,
P: Yeah.
I: I want to learn more about that. That seems really interesting.
21:48
P: Or, Dia de los Muertos too. I think it’s November second. And we do like a little altar for like um the dead.
2:03
P: So tell me more about that.
22:05
P: Um, so we do like a little al- altar and we put pictures of the dead, like my grandparents, and like my uncles or something and then you put like stuff that they would like, on the altar. So like, my grandma used to pray a lot. So we could put like a rosary, or my uncle or my grandpa he wore like a hat at all times, sombrero, so we can put that on the altar. And people usually put like pan de muerto. I’ve honestly never had it. Or like skulls like ours, paper mache like decorations. Um, I’ve also seen like salt. I don’t know it’s meaning.
I: Hmm.
P: Uhh, candles and like uh skulls, but they’re made up like sugar. Sugar, water, sugar, something. They’re like, decorated, super nice. I’ve also seen like, sand on the altars but I don’t know what that means.
I: Okay.
P: Yeah.
23:26
I: I like how like, it’s like very individualized, like the hat for your uncle or like for your grandparents. Like that seems really sweet. Do you have any like, what is your favorite childhood memory um with your aunts or uncles or your grandparents?
23:49
P: My, favorite memory, hmmm. I remember with my grandpa, we were really close. And he was just like, find ways to like make me laugh and like, like, play with me. ‘Cause like my siblings for a lot older than me so they wouldn’t, like want to like, play with me, so um I don’t know what it’s called. It’s like a carreta for you, like get sand or like you put rocks in it and you carry it for like for working construction or something? I don’t know. You know what I’m talking about? The- he like, put me in there and then he was like, give me like rides.
I: Awww.
P:Yeah. And then she would also like, race, and he would always win for some reason and I don’t know how ‘cause he was a little old but, [(laughs)] but he would win all the time or he would like put me on his lap and then he was just like, be like, like caballito like a horsey?
I: Oh. Okay.
P: Um and yeah and then with my grandma, she like um. We would like play like old games with her. I don’t remember them very well but they were like, they were like sayings. Like, like, [of sayings?] Like, la hormogonia like going up your like arm and then like tickling you.
25:25
I: Aww, that sounds sweet and fun.
25:28
P: Yeah. That’s all I really remember. And I don’t know how to describe them, I’m sorry.
25:33
I: That’s okay.(11.0) So tell me more about your family um. How would you describe them? Do you- are you guys all still very close?
25:57
P: Umm, I would say so. I feel like when my grandparents were there, we were a lot closer and were a lot closer to the rest of the cousins and uncles and they would all like, come to our house and we would have like dinners and stuff. But once they passed away, like, we don’t as much but like my immediate family like we are so really close. My brother he has like his own family. But he still comes over like he’s coming over in a few minutes in a few. To like eat dinner with us. Um (3.0) but, yeah. I will like go over to his house. Like we try to like stay close. And stuff.
26:50
I: That’s good. Um, do you guys travel a lot together? Or is it mostly you guys stay like home and do things together?
26:59
P: Um, lately we have like two weeks ago we went to Ruidoso. Um, as a family and it was super fun. We stayed at the Inn of the Mountain. I’ve never stayed there ever. But it was so nice. And the air was so crisp and it’s like chilly and it’s raining and thundering. And it was super fun. My brother also went and my niece and my- (4.0) his wife. Um, and then about literally a week ago, my, my, my mom and my sister went to Florida to visit my aunt over there, and they were there for a week.
I: Oh, wow.
P: Yeah, so that was super fun for them. And they were sending pictures like all the week. My mom hasn’t been to the beach in like, I don’t know, more than like twenty years so it was so fun like seeing her, like smile and stuff.
28:10
I: Oh, that sounds so nice to see her like reliving it. Do you have um, if you have any do you have any travel aspirations?
28:22
P: Um, I want to travel to Italy really bad. It just looks so beautiful. M, also, I’ve seen pretty pictures and videos of South of France, like the beaches and stuff. Um, I also wanna explore Mexico a lot, because I know there’s like a lot of beautiful places there. Um, and for some reason, Charleston. I don’t know what’s in Charleston, but I just want to go there. [So.] It just looks cool.
29:01
P: What sparked your interest about Charleston?
29:05
P: Um, probably Outer Banks.
I: Oh, okay.
P: (laughs) And like, on Tiktok I’ll see like people like go to the beach in the morning. I don’t know it just seems like like, small town like, (3.0) rich people. I don’t know.
29:28
I: Yeah. So would you, would you ever consider like, through your travels would you ever consider moving somewhere else? Or would you want to stay home and then just travel for vacation?
29:45
P: Um, also I would always want to be like “I wanna move. I wanna move!”. Like, I don’t know I always found myself like in Oregon or something. Like where it always like, rained and stuff, but I realized I don’t really know how to drive with the rain. So, I think I would stay here, maybe Las Cruces um and then travel.
30:18
I: And then travel. Okay. [Yeah.] (4.0) I think that would be fun to like still have home. But go travel [yeah.] Um, where do you see yourself in the next five years?
P: Five years? I’ll probably be twenty-six or twenty-seven um (3.0) hopefully I’ll be a speech language pathologist. Um (3.0) maybe I’ll be in a long term relationship, I don’t know. (laughs) Um, I don’t know. I don’t really have like a set time set length, ‘casue I don’t want to be upset if I don’t beat it you know? (6.0).
31:08
I: Do you have any goals of travel or hobbies or any accomplishments you want to have completed in the next five years?
31:12
P: Next five years. Um can you repeat the question I’m sorry.
31:26
I: That’s okay. So uh, you said that you weren’t like sure exactly but were there any like personal goals like I have to have this accomplished in the next five years?
32:28
P: Um, I would lo- I’d want a new car.
I: Okay.
P: Like a new car. I would want that. Like maybe a little truck. I always wanted a little truck like a two-seater, but I don’t know if that would be practical for the future. ike what if I have a family someday. (inaudible) In like the, the trunk. (laughs) inaudible. Um I definitely want to like graduate I would just, I want to have my master’s degree. Um. (5.0) Maybe move out I don’t know I’ve never like, been away from home. So I think I want to experience that if I can. If I can afford too. See what it’s like to be alone. With a roommate maybe hopefully. Um, travel wise I want to go to Guadalajara. (3.0) Mexico, I feel like it’s so beautiful and it’s constantly on my mind. And it’s kinda like hills with like really colorful houses and like all you see are houses and it’s also really close to Tequila Jalisco, so that could be fun. I really really want to go!
33:16
I: That sounds awesome I think, those are all good goals to have.
New Mexico Border Spanish Corpus 