Final Reflections

           Reflecting on this class as a whole, I realize how much of an impact it has had on my views of the world. Coming into this class, I feel as if I was sheltered from many of the issues surrounding us. Whether this is due to a lack of interest on my part, or a lack of access to information regarding issues that the United States is involved in, I have learned how little I actually know about Latin America. Through this class, however, I have learned not only about the history, but also about culture, art, language, and literature of Latin America. The most enjoyable experiences of this class for me were the workshops and outside activities we were able to participate in. In speaking with friends from other honors sequences, they are always shocked to hear that we had dance workshops, a drum workshop, and even a field trip to Detroit to see the DIA. Not only were these activities a nice change to our normal class time, but they also helped spread Latin American culture to students who have most likely never been exposed to it before.

            I have also realized that this class has encouraged me to better myself academically. Through writing papers, answering discussion questions, and participating in learning community activities, I have been able to expand and challenge the ways in which I approached questions and problems before. By working in our groups, I have become more open to other’s ideas and have grown an affinity for group activities. The papers and discussions questions have also pushed me to critically think and become more analytical in my responses. Overall, this class has allowed me to gain a better understanding of problems in Latin America, and has taught me about issues in the world that I had no previous knowledge of.  

Week Ten

This week in Professor Stark’s class we discussed the history of Nicaragua and the Somoza and Sandinista periods. One thing I found particularly interesting, and a bit disturbing at the same time, was how large of an influence the United States had in Nicaragua. Obviously, throughout history we hear about United States and their foreign interference, but to me, their foothold in Nicaragua seemed to be pushing the boundaries. The fact that the Reagan administration did everything in their power to try and undermine the Sandinista regime seemed unethical in a sense. The Sandinistas wished to retain foreign relations with the United States, they just didn’t want to be subservient to them. Reagan, however, saw this as a threat to US business and to democracy and as a result began trying to destabilize the government and the economy of Nicaragua. There was also a rumor that Nicaragua was a communist country, but this couldn’t be possible since they were a pluralist society that did not want to follow the Cuban and Soviet models. After learning of the US influence, I realize why we as a country have such rocky relationships with other nations. It seems that in many cases, we have overstepped our bounds, and almost every time it’s for our own benefit. I am curious to see how our foreign policy changes in the future, if at all, with the new Trump administration. Since Obama tried so hard to create positive relations with other countries, I wonder if Trump will do the same in his endeavors as president.  

Response to Megan

Since I live in metro Detroit I have also visited the DIA many times, but was surprised at the lack of information I had about his mural. I was taken aback by the fact that every single detail of the mural had a significance. My favorite part of the murals was that he incorporated the minerals he had painted into the actual paint he used to create his mural. I love the way in which he portrayed Detroit and that he highlighted the car industry and importance of workers in this industry. I also liked that he incorporated himself into the mural as a worker because it shows that he views himself as an "average" man.

Week Nine

            This week in class, in Professor Serrata’s class, we discussed a poem by Pablo Neruda called “The Heights of Macchu Picchu.” This poem had multiple parts, each of which had a separate theme. Overall, the poem was about Neruda and his journey to Macchu Picchu. Before he arrived, he talked about how empty his life felt and that he didn’t seem to know what his purpose was. Yet, once he reached Macchu Picchu, he felt connected to the ruins and felt a newfound identity as Latin American rather than just Chilean. This change in his sense in identity made me wonder how people in other Latin American countries identify themselves. It seems that in a lot of document that we’ve read, people find their Latin American identities and this makes them gain a sense of belonging. I wonder then, why it takes some people so long to feel a sense of connection to all of Latin America as a whole. I thought that a contributing factor could be different political ideologies in different Latin America countries, or perhaps the fact that some people are unable to travel outside of their home countries. In a documentary I watched for our final project called Which Way Home, the children that were travelling to the United States from countries such as Honduras and Guatemala, had never been outside their home country. They seemed surprised at how different other areas of Latin America were when they travelled through them. This makes me question if in order to feel a sense of the “Latin American identity” one has to travel around Latin America, or if it’s and identity they’re born with.