Posts

Reflective Blog Post

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 Reflective Blog Post  By Valeria Barajas Personally, I used to think reading and writing weren't for me. English isn't my first language, and having to write essays always made me nervous.My mind was full of doubts: Did I write it correctly? Did I use the right vocabulary? Did I truly understand what I was talking about? Over the years in high school, these doubts started to decrease. My teachers would compliment me on my academic vocabulary and the way I built my arguments. I gradually became good at writing structured essays, but that also made me stop enjoying it. Following strict rules, specific formats, and writing mandatory reflections was tedious, especially during my last two years. English class became the one I enjoyed the least. I felt lazy about reading something only to then have to write about it. For this reason, when I entered SDSU and learned that I had to take RWS 100 as a requirement, I was not excited. I thought that, since it was university, my essays had...
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Living Between Two World- Synthesis

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 Communication and identity of the border community. by Valeria Barajas  Hello everyone! Being part of the Tijuana-San Diego border community means living in constant flux, not only between worlds but also in language. People in this community continually adapt their communication style depending on where they are. We might start the day with "Adiós mami" in Tijuana and, within minutes, switch to a more formal "morning officer " " upon crossing the border into San Diego. It's completely normal for us, but it also demonstrates the unspoken value of adaptability that defines this community. This flexibility in our communication is not only more comfortable but also helps us adapt better. Those of us who travel between both countries several times a week learn to adapt our tone, language, and even our "cura" to integrate more seamlessly. Not because we want to pretend, but because we maintain a balance between both societies. Communication is our s...
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 The border and its external stereotypes by Valeria Barajas Hello everyone! Today I want to talk about something that I find bothersome, but that few people question: how our border community is presented in the media, in other words, our image to the world. Many reports and news outlets portray us as a violent place, full of crime and insecurity. And it's true that the border community has an enormous cultural richness, yet the media doesn't reflect it. Our community has many positive aspects as a community: communication groups, support groups, and social media platforms that help us stay connected and share information. From information about the famous Trolley and its safety, to recommendations for cafes and events. We know how to take advantage of binational life . Living between two cultures broadens your perspective on the world and gives us a unique identity. However, there's much you could improve. Media outlets outside our community only portray the border as a pr...
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Contemporary Issue

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The infinite lines to cross by Valeria Barajas Hello everyone! If, like me, you've also crossed the border between Tijuana and San Diego, you know that crossing is a real challenge. The question, "Como está la línea hoy?" is part of our routine, however, the crossing has become very complicated as well as overwhelming. Currently, one of the biggest challenges for those of us who cross the border is the endless wait times to cross. What used to be 30-minute lines have become hours-long crossings, during which we wish we were sleeping. According to the article 'Devastating' wait times at Mexico border strain California small businesses, “regular border crossers say wait times are going up, not down. Waits that used to last 30 minutes to an hour on weekdays can now regularly take three to four hours. On several days last December, pedestrians waited six hours or more…” Those who don't cross often might think it's crazy, but those of us who do know it's re...
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Living Between Two Worlds

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 Border Community  By Valeria Barajas Hello again! Today I want to talk to you about a discourse community to which I belong and which has shaped my identity, the bilingual border community. A community of hundreds of people who live, study, work, and navigate across two countries, two cultures, two languages, and two different routines. This community is considered a discursive community because we all share common goals, the same ways of communicating, the same experiences, and a collective identity. Our goal is often the same: to live life between Mexico and the United States, adapting and thriving, while maintaining both cultures. The members of this community share the experience of crossing the border several times a week; many do so daily, whether for school, family, or work reasons. And we all understand the challenges and opportunities that come with being part of two such different worlds. We share Spanglish as a form of communication, a language that blends Englis...
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Discourse Communities

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 Tacos, School, and the Borderline by Valeria Barajas Hello again everyone!! Throughout my life, I've developed art from different discursive communities, which have shaped my identity, the way I communicate, and have always made me appreciate the beautiful things in life. In my experience, these communities not only represent a taste or a style, but also what it means to live in two worlds. Today, I want to talk about these three discourse communities that define me: the Tijuanense, the academic community at SDSU , and the border community. Ser tijuanense If you're a true “Tijuanense,” you know that the term doesn't just mean living in Tijuana, it means surviving traffic and los baches, eating tacos at least once a week, and bragging that there are no better ones. Being a tijuanense means knowing what "el otro lado" is, and of course, being a tijuanense means believing yourself to be the best of Mexico . Photo by Chitokan C. on Pexels.com ...
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Traditions on the border

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 Celebrating two cultures by Valeria Barajas " The Day of the Dead "/ CC0 1.0 When I was a child, my home celebrated American traditions that not all Tijuanense did. Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Saint Patrick's Day were very normal, as was waiting for Santa Claus instead of Papá Noel. I always believed we copied traditions from the United States and were cooler for doing so. However, my perspective changed a lot when I started studying at San Ysidro High School . There, I discovered that the border isn't just a place that imitates its neighboring country; it's a place where the traditions of two countries come together and coexist.  " Salute to America 2020, Fourth " by National Archives and Records Administration/ CC0 1.0 My high school was the closest to the border, and because of this, 80% of the students were born to Mexican parents. This is why the school embraced a very beautiful culture, celebrating both Mexican and American tradit...
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