Biographic Information: English, Female, 23yrs
Themes: Biographical information (participant’s age, where participant is from), Participant’s family (traditions), Participant’s educational motivations and aspirations, Participant’s future plans, Life in the border region of the Southwest, Participant’s likes and interests (foods, cooking, school, sports, pet peeves, jobs, traveling etc.)
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Transcript:
0:00
Interviewer: Alrighty, so go ahead and tell me about yourself.
0:08
Participant: Okay, so I am twenty-three years old. I’m from El Paso, Texas. I was born and raised here. Um, what else. I have two older sisters. I am the youngest. I am currently attending New Mexico State University and I am majoring in communication disorders and linguistics, and minoring. In counseling, educational and psychology. I do plan to continue my education by applying to grad school, and hopefully becoming a speech language pathologist and I plan to work either in a school setting or a private clinic with children.
0:48
I: Wow. You are majoring and minoring. So what made you- what brought you to this path of communication disorders and linguistics as well as your minor?
0:59
P: So actually, when I first had enrolled into college, I wanted to be- become a nurse. However, as I started going through the different classes and everything, I just, I figured nursing was not the path that I really wanted to go um through. So I started looking at different options. And I personally just liked how being a speech language pathologist like you have the opportunity to work with any um age group and an actually in different work settings. So I think it was like a pretty interesting job, just how it’s very flexible. And you get both like the teaching yet like the medical job all in one, which is really nice. If we get like best of both worlds in it.
1:43
I: Yeah, definitely and do you see yourself um working with any bilingual students? Or individuals?
1:53
P: I do see myself working with bilingual students, I think I want to focus more with bilingual uh children. And just given that I do speak, um both English and Spanish, I think it’d be very fun to work with. And then also, since I live c- super close to the border, I think there’s a lot of individuals who unfortunately don’t know English, and um many of them probably do have a speech problem, and I think it’d be uh really awesome to be able to be able to work with those individuals and kind of just guide them and give them the assistance that they need.
2:27
I: Yeah, I definitely think so too. So you had mentioned that you have two s- siblings?
2:35
P: Yes. I have two older sisters.
2:38
I: Two older sisters. Are they in similar career fields? Or um is yours very different?
2:43
P: Very- uh, a little bit similar. So my older sister, she is a probation officer. And my middle sister, she’s actually um she finished um college just last December at UTEP, and she finished with educational with special ed kids. And she is um currently in the process of applying to become a SPED teacher. So it kinda, it’s a little bit similar, just given that we do work with autistic kids, um also in speech language pathology.
3:13
I: Yeah, definitely. That’s very cool. So tell me more about your family and living in El Paso.
3:20
P: Uh, so I, like I said, I do have two older sisters and um right now currently at home, it’s just me, my two older sisters are already married and out of the house. We have always lived in El Paso. Actually, my parents were born and raised in Jua- um Juarez Mexico. So they did, they did struggle coming to the United States. And I know they, they’ve done so much for my sisters and I to be able to have all these opportunities, and I’m very grateful for that. Um, we are very united. We, we trust each other very much. And we’re literally each other’s best friends.
3:59
I: Oh, that’s sweet. Um, do you have a fond childhood memory with your family?
4:06
P: Yes. So um a fond memory with my family is how ever since I was sevenyears old, we would always um we started going to the beach, this beach in Mexico, and we were still going to the beach currently so we try to go every summer as a family together and now it’s a lot, it’s a lot more funner just because I have a niece and nephew now so it’s just slowly starting to expand even more and it’s just a lot of fun being able to be with everybody that’s really meaningful to me.
4:37
I: That’s that’s a cute family tradition and like a memory that carries on. Uh, so you are a student, what do you do outside of being a student?
4:49
P: Outside of being a student I just hang out with my family and friends and also my boyfriend. I do attend church in different church events that we have. Um, besides that, I also babysit here and there, and I dog sit. I’m currently dog sitting right now. So those are pretty much what I do outside of school.
5:08
I: So what is the best part about being- like babysitting,
5:14
P: Just the fact that like, you become such an important part to their lives, you know, you get very close to them, you spend a lot of time with them, and just being able to see them grow. The kids that I babysit are currently three kids, it’s two young boys and a ten year old. And I’ve been with them sin- for two years already, and they kind of just become a part of your life. And it’s so nice seeing how much they’re changing in their own unique ways, and just being able to be there. While that’s happening, it’s really sweet.
5:44
I: It is really awesome to watch kids grow. What would you say is like the hardest, or the worst part of being a babysitter.
5:55
P: Uh, the hardest is when they have their tantrums. Um, it’s very hard to kind of try them to kind of overcome those tantrums. Just because one, you’re not their parents, so they kind of don’t listen to you as much. They’re more of like, “I’ll get away with it.”, but also, it’s it’s hard because you can’t very- you can’t be very, personally, I don’t think I can be strict. And I tend to let them kind of get away with it. But then later on, it can sometimes be even worse, and it just kind of gets it kind of just gets worse throughout time, which I think it’s, it’s just hard, especially as they’re growing up, they kind of start maturing a little bit more later on, but through, throughout that process, they kind of just do their own thing.
6:38
I: Yeah, that sounds really difficult. How do you navigate those like, those situations? Um, what is your approach?
6:47
P: So um when when it starts, especially when, ‘cause they go to karate, and they tend to like kind of throw a tantrum there, I kind of just sit with them for a little bit and kind of just try to calm them down and just ask them what’s wrong, and I kind of just tried to give them um, I, I
kind of just tried to tell them like, “It’s gonna be okay. It’s gonna go by fast. We’ll be out before you know it.”, and it’s usually because they don’t want to be there because they’d rather be playing. However, when that doesn’t work, and they start crying and throwing stuff. That’s where it gets a little bit more difficult, and that’s when they actually have to call the mom. And that’s what I don’t like doing just because she’s very strict with them. Um, however, every time I usually call them mom, they usually kind of come a little bit more at ease and stuff, which gets a lot easier, but it is a little bit hard having to be the person to kind of like rat them out.
7:38
I: Right. And do you think these situations like will be useful for your career path?
7:44
P: I do think so just given that since I’m going to be wor- I do plan to work with kids, I think just being able to have the opportunity already to like kind of experience, how kids are and like the different things that you can do, to kind of just get on their good side, or to kind of calm them down, I think it will help me especially when it comes to providing that therapy that they need. There might be some individuals that may not want to be there, and you kind of just got to make them feel comfortable. So I think it’s definitely kind of preparing for it.
8:13
I: Yeah. I can definitely see how you can, how you can apply it. Uh, how- where do you see yourself in the next five years?
8:24
P: The next five years, I definitely see myself graduating from grad school, and hopefully becoming a speech language pathologists possibly moving out of El Paso to a bigger city just because I think there’ll be an even greater population um that is in need of assistance. So I do plan to graduate, uh pursue my dream and just move further out of El Paso and just be able to like, pursue my dream that I’ve, that I’ve always wanted to become a speech language pathologist.
8:59
I: What uh bigger city do you have in mind when you plan to move?
9:04
P: I’ve considered um Houston definitely just because I have some family out there that is also very close to me. Or possibly Dallas. I do want to stay in the Texas region. But those are the two main big cities that I’ve kind of looked into.
9:22
I: Okay. And um, do you have any travel aspiration? I, um you had mentioned that you like to travel with your family to the beach, but do you have any travel aspirations um that go beyond um Texas?
9:34
P: So I do want to visit um different parts of Europe? Definitely I think there’s a lot of pretty different places that they have. And definitely Jerusalem just because um religion is a big thing to me and just being able to like, kind of just be there to like, e- learn even more about like, the whole story about Christ and like how it was there and just, they have a wh- like different museums and everything and I just think that would be very, very neat.
10:03
I: Yeah, that definitely would be very neat. And um, does your family go like and travel with you quite often or do you tend to travel individually?
10:14
P: So we do um, do some family traveling throughout the year. However, the last couple of two years, I was traveling um a little bit more on my own, just because my boyfriend moved to Alabama. So I was going to um Alabama for spring break summers, or like Christmas break Thanksgiving break. So I’ve had the opportunity to travel a little bit more on my own. At first, it was a little bit frightening. It was a little scary, just because it’s like, it can be pretty scary traveling by yourself. Especially having to do all the different plane changes, but it was definitely a lot of fun.
10:52
I: That’s awesome that you’ve like been able to like adjust to traveling on your own. Um, is there any family traditions? So you said that religion is very important. Is there any family traditions that you plan to continue with?
11:12
P: Um, family traditions, definitely sticking within the church. Um, I do like later on just like once I get ol- like a little bit more older and eventually have a family of my own, I do want to raise my kids within the church area, you know, kind of just raised them with religion. And then I do want to keep the tradition of continuing to go to the beach just because it’s something that we really enjoy as a family. And we have been doing it since I was seven years old. So I think just keeping that tradition is very important, just because it’s something that we do together as a whole. And it just, it’s just nice being able to be with everybody.
11:51
I: Yeah, definitely. I think that’s really, that’s a really good tradition to keep.
11:54
P: Definitely.
11:57
I: So how would you say that your family would describe you?
12:03
P: Definitely a little bit shy because I, I am a little bit closed off. Um, it’s very difficult for me to kind of put myself out there and just be very talkative, I am very shy. I think they would definitely describe me as being someone who is very, a very hard worker, definitely. Um and definitely someone that just once they set a goal in mind, they try their best and do everything they can to accomplish those goals.
12:35
I: That’s awesome. Uh, how would you say that your friends would describe you?
12:43
P: Friends, I think they would describe me as being definitely friendly. As well as a little bit more outgoing. Just because they know (laughs) a little bit more about who I am as well as my family. But I think they get a little bit different, a different perspective of me. And I don’t know we do different things and stuff that kind of bring bring out my personality a little bit more.
13:06
I: Yeah, I think friends definitely know, like, just a little bit different about you. (laughs). And then, how would you describe your friends?
13:15
P: My friends, they’re definitely very supportive. Um, they’re very supportive. They always provide me with a lot of advice, whenever I’m, like stressed out or frustrated or just going through something. They’re always there for me. They’re also very kind and friendly, and very outgoing.
13:38
I: And then how would you describe yourself?
13:41
P: Myself? I think I can, like I said, my parents probably describe me as being shy. I think I also see that within myself. I’m very shy. It’s very hard for me to talk about myself. Personally, I don’t like talking about myself, I find it very difficult. Um, but I think, I think I am a hard worker. And I think that um I just, I’ve always just, I know that when I want to accomplish something, I would do the best that I could to accomplish those goals that I have. And I just don’t give up until it’s, until my goals are met.
14:20
I: I think that’s like a really good characteristic to have.
14:24
P: Thank you.
14:27
I: And then like, have you ever had a nickname or do you currently have a nickname that you go by?
14:33
P: So actually, yes, since I was little, they’ve always called me Pao just because it’s like the first three letters of my name. That’s usually what I’ve been called since I was little. That’s the nickname that they refer to me.
14:46
I: That’s cute. I like it.
14:48
P: Thank you.
14:51
I: And then. Let’s see. (5.0) So, uh what do you like best uh about living in the El Paso southern New Mexico region?
15:08
P: Personally, I like that I live so close to the border just because I do have a lot of family in Mexico. And then also in Mexico, the food is amazing. So it’s nice from being able to live so close to it um andjust being able to have that. Also the whole like Mexican food side
just because I feel like once you start get- um going into a little bit more into Texas, you get more of the Tex Mex, so it’s nice that I live so close to the border- border and still have that Mexican, those different Mexican dishes around.
15:41
I: So what is your favorite food?
15:43
P: Favorite food. American or Mexican food?
I: Both.
P: Okay, American food, well, not really- it’s not even really American food, it’s more of Italian food. I love spaghetti. However I do, I personally like just spaghetti and marinara sauce. I’m not a big fan of the meat sauce. And then when it comes to Mexican food, I love tacos, especially like steak tacos. Those are my, my favorite tacos to go for.
16:09
I: Those sound yummy. Um. Is there a specific food that your mom or grandmother makes that uh you’ll only eat if they make it?
16:27
P: Um, I guess there’s, yikes that’s kind of difficult. Definitely in regards to my grandma, it would be her homemade tortillas. Jus because, I don’t know I think they- she makes the best tortillas everand I, they just come out very fluffy. And then in regards to my mom,
uh her favorite- my favorite dish from her would definitely be her um, her f- her, what did they called? Their- her flautas? Her flautas, are very, very good. I think she, she does amazing. And I don’t know, I personally don’t like eating my aunts or anybody else’s. I think she does the best ones.
17:01
I: And are these both dishes that you’ve um learned to make or you plan to learn to make?
17:10
P: Um, I’ve learned how to make the tortillas. I think it’s definitely a lot more easier to make than the flautas, just because the flautas you have to use oil and everything, and I personally don’t like how it kind of splatters everywhere. Um, so I don’t know if I’ll plan to learn how to make those but definitely the tortillas.
17:31
I: The tortillas. Okay, and um are there any recipes that you want to pass on to your future family? Or [Um.] carry on to any other- like passed on to your niece and nephew?
17:43
P: Mm, definitely- well my niece and nephew are kind of picking up the tortillas just because they’ve been around when my grandmother makesthem. So definitely keep that going. As well as to be able to pass it on to my future family. And then in regards to my mom’s dishes, it would definitely have to be, it would be more of like the dessert area. Definitely her banana pie- uh her banana bread. Sorry. I think she does the best banana bread. And it’s not very difficult to make. So I think I would want to keep that tradition of just making it like when it comes to special holidays like Thanksgiving or Christmas.
18:17
I: So what makes hers the best?
18:21
P: I don’t know like it just it’s like, not dry. It’s like the right amount of moist that it’s supposed to be. Um, it’s not too much b- it doesn’t taste too too much like banana. It’s just like the perfect amount of banana. I don’t know, I, I think it’s just the best. (laughs).
18:40
I: Does your mom put any nuts or um any toppings on it? That you- [She put’s-]
18:47
P: Oh, sorry. She does put the nuts, um however not it’s not too many nuts.
So I think it’s like the right amount of nuts just because I feel like too much it’s just, it just wouldn’t taste like, I don’t think, I don’t think it is good.
I: Right?
P: So it mainly is just the nuts. That she adds.
19:05
I: And then um, do you like to cook on your own?
19:11
P: I do. I, I don’t mind it. I’m always up for learning new things. Um, however, I do think it’s very important to start learning how to cook just because once you get older, like, I don’t know, I think it’s important to be able to carry on those traditions that like those um traditions of those dishes that my mom would make and just be able to keep those within the family.
19:34
I: Okay. Is there one specific dish that you are known for making or that you love to make on your own?
19:41
P: Uh, yes, so it’s actually my mashed potatoes. Um I actually learned how to make these mashed potatoes from my mom’s best friend. And it, I, I don’t know for some reason I, I thought her mashed potatoes are the best. So I remember she taught me how to make them, and ever since then I usually make it when it comes to like random like party events or like especially for Thanksgiving, since that’s like one of the main dishes. So I’m usually the one that makes the mashed potatoes.
20:09
I: So what makes them so special?
20:13
P: I don’t know, I guess because my mom’s best friend has been very close to all of us. Ever since I was little and just the fact that she was also able to like share a recipe that she made from scratch, with me. I think it’s very special that I can just be able to like, also be able to make that and share it with others.
20:32
I: That’s really sweet. I like, I like when families have those, like recipes that get passed on.
P: Exactly. Yes. And are uh, are there any hobbies or um experiences that you want to have in the next five years, um checked off your bucket list?
20:53
P: Hobbies or experiences, I think it would definitely be trying to do skydiving. Um, my sister did it for I believe her, her 24th birthday and I was tempted to do it. However, I haven’t really been able to commit to it. But I definitely would want to try that out. I mean, I think it’d be like such a breathtaking experience to just be able to do that.
21:20
I: Wow, that is a brave experience to do. Uh, are you one to do thosetype of experiences like roller coasters? Um, bungee jumping? I’m trying to think of other, uh do you like the kind of daring experiences?
21:42
P: I think I do. I think at first it’s a little bit difficult. And I kinda gotta convince myself that like, hey, like, it’s only for a little bit, whatever fear you’re gonna feel like, but then again, like you’re gonna get a great like, amazingly an unforgettable experience afterwards, which I think is what helps me kind of to like, push myself a little bit to try different things. So I definitely think I would say I am one of those individuals.
22:08
I: That’s, that’s amazing. I mean, it’s good that you can like talk yourself into doing it, and you go and experience it.
22:18
P: I am a little bit afraid of heights however. I, I don’t know. I feel like just being able toovercome that would be nice. Just because like it’s not something that a lot of people do. You know, the whole skydiving, and it just I don’t know, I think it’d be, it’d be a pretty fun, pretty fun thing to do.
22:34
I: Yeah, definitely. Um, is there any, I guess other like, hobbies, skills that you would want to achieve in the next five years?
22:48
P: Other hobbies or skills? Um, let’s see, I, hmm. I’ve always wanted to learn how to play the piano. And I did take a few classes in high school, but then I kind of just stopped the kids that I babysit actually the the girl, the little girl that are babysit and her brother, um do go to a piano teacher and I’ve taken them also to their panel classes, and it’s very tempting to just be able to like, get back into it and learn it. So I think that’s something I definitely would want to push myself to actually learn and be able to, to just play.
23:25
I: Yeah, the piano would be really cool to learn. Did you um have- Did you play any musical instruments beforehand that weren’t the piano?
23:36
P: I just played the flute when I was in middle school. But that’s all.
23:41
I: And then did you do any sports, in school?
23:46
P: Yes. So in middle school, I did do cross country and track and then in high school, I also did both of them. And then I was also part of the color guard for the band. And then I played softball.
24:00
I: Wow. Which one was your favorite to do?
24:03
P: Definitely softball. Um, I be, I feel like once I kind of messed up my knee, I wasn’t such a big fan of running because it would just pop a lot. And then when it came to the color guard it was, it started to get a little bit more difficult and very competitive once the band started, like winning a little bit more with all of us and kind of just moving up. So, I think just the, the softball was a lot more fun I think out of all of ‘em.
24:31
I: Is uh sports something that you hope that your family would partake in? Is that like an activity that you would want to do with, whether it be your family now or your future family?
24:44
P: I think with my future family a little bit more just because my family now I think they’re a little bit more older to try sports. Um, my parents are close to their fifties so they are a little bit on the older side, but I think I would definitely want to implement the whole sports within my future family.
25:15
I: That’d be awesome. I, I like that. (8.0) uh and so um, what are your biggest pet peeves?
25:20
P: My biggest pet peeves definitely has to be the whole chewing as well as swallowing. I personally don’t like being- like having to hear other people chew. It grosses me out. And then when it comes to swallowing, just like when people are drinking water and be able to hear that they gulp-, I don’t know, I think it’s just very, very gross. Um, those are, I guess, my two biggest pet peeves.
25:46
I: And um when was like the first time that you realize that this bothered you?
25:51
P: Um, I think it definitely had to be once I started um working a little bit more with this company that I work with in Las Cruces, and there is this older man that works there with us and he just, I don’t- it’s just very gross on how he eats and drinks, and I think it’s just- I spend more time with him, like every other day, throughout the week, and it’s just I don’t know, I, I think that’s where I picked it up, because before, I guess I really didn’t really pay too much attention to it. Unless it was with people chewing gum. Um, but besides that it would probably have to be at work. (laughs)
26:28
I: Uhhh.Yeah. So uh. (2.0) Oh there’s our notification that we are running out of time. (laughs) [(laughs)]. (4.0) So, I lost my train of thought. (4.0) Wow, um. (14.0) Wow, I really don’t know where it was gonna go with that.
27:03
P: We were on pet peeves.
27:05
I: Yes. So on your pet peeves? So about like, so the gentleman?
P: Yes.
I: Um, you said that you see him regularly? Where are you seeing him regularly?
27:17
P: I do work for a surveying company in Mesilla. And I go every Tuesday and Thursday that I’m on campus. And he happens to work Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, he doesn’t work Mondays or Fridays. Um, so I, I mean, his desk is right next to mine. So that’s how I tend to hear it quite a lot. And the desk are not very far apart so it has become very difficult. But I think I’m kind of starting, I’m starting to get used to it. However, I kind of just try to like block it out, even though it’s very difficult to do so.
27:51
I: Yeah. (2.0) Does it make you very conscious of how you are with others around when you chew or drink?
28:01
P: I think so just because like, given the fact that I hear how he does it or like how it, how he does it. I think sometimes when I drink or I’m chewing something, I, I think I start to overthink the way that I’m chewing nd I’m kind of thinking of like, Can others hear that? Like, is it very loud? Like? I don’t know, I think it just makes me think whether I’m, I’m kind of eating or drinking the same way that he is.
28:29
I: Wow.
P: (laughs)
I: And so uh, what was your first job?
28:34
P: My first job was um as a server. Um, at this one place in El Paso that it’s called Singapore café and it’s a Vietnamese um restaurant. And I actually started working when I was fifteen instead of sixteen, and I’ve been working ever since then.
28:55
I: Wow. So what are your um best memories from that job?
28:57
P: The best memories definitely have to be that I started working there with my sister. Um, she’s actually the one that got me in and they were very low staff and they needed somebody. However, since my birthday wasn’t until October, they kind of were willing to work with me a little bit just by getting my parents signature. So I had to be working with my sister just because I was able to spend even more time with her outside of like home and just since we didn’t go to the same schools and she’s older, it was nice just being able to be there with her.
29:27
I: Yeah, I definitely think that would be really nice to work with a sibling, and kind of have comfort. What would you say was the hardest part about working with your sister?
29:37
P: The hardest part was just maybe because she did start training me. And I mean, it was a whole different menu from what you typically see when you go to like American restaurants. So it was just learn- like learning the different um items on the menu was very difficult just because like I didn’t want to like mess up and kind of make her upset or just like disappointed in me. So I think it was just a fact that I just, I didn’t want to feel her when it came to taking orders and stuff.
30:07
I: And, uh the skill that you gained in that job are they now applicable to your current job in Mesilla?
P: 30:16
I think so just because I think it did provide me a lot of- with a lot of customer service. Um. I di- I was with different people regularly and I think it kind of helped me a little bit to be able to be comfortable and talk to others. So it definitely helped me with um, just kind of putting myself a little bit more out there not trying to be so- as shy. However it’s, I’m still a little shy but I think it’s helped me kinda grow a little bit.
30:44
I: That’s awesome, that like you have gained those skills in a previous job and youre still able to like better them now.
P: Mhm.
30:52
I: Um, that is all the questions I have for you today so thank you so much for letting me interview you. Um, I’m gonna go ahead and stop recording.
31:01
P: Okay. Thank you!
New Mexico Border Spanish Corpus 