Discourse Communities

 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

We communicate in the most “curada” language, Spanish, but we love mixing in English words, like the famous “bistec,” or “mapeador,” a mixed word between the Spanish trapeador and the English “mop.” These words come from the cultural blend that exists in Tijuana and that any Tijuanense is used to, along with local expressions and playful teasing that never fails, especially on Facebook groups where memes, jokes, and roasts are shared that only we understand.

As Northerners, we highly value time with family and friends, hard work, and our identity as Tijuanenses, since we feel very proud to belong to this community. We hold the belief that “anything is possible,” and we all grow up aiming to shine, but always keeping the Tijuana essence.
Newcomers learn by paying attention to local expressions, how we joke among friends, and over time they begin to understand the teasing and pride of being from Tijuana.

SDSU community

Being part of the SDSU community means entering a completely different world. We are a huge, multicultural community of students, tackling assignments, exams, and projects, along with staff and professors who always have something to teach in every meeting.
We communicate primarily in English, but there are always conversations in Spanglish, and even teachers, like my chemistry professor, who is learning Spanish with ChatGPT, asks in every class if we have any questions in Spanish.

At SDSU, we value hard work, learning, diversity, and collaboration. Everyone seeks to learn and achieve their academic goals, but we also enjoy university social life. We believe in the power of education and how it opens doors. Our goal is to prepare for the future while exploring our opportunities, and at the same time, enjoying the adventures that come with college life, from late night stress cries to outings with friends at Fashion Valley.

I consider myself new to this large community, and in my limited experience, newcomers adapt by asking questions, taking notes, seeking an advisor, or attending seminars like EOP, which help us adjust to this new environment.

The Border Community

Lastly, my favorite community is the one of those who live in between. The ones who cross the border two, three, even four times a week. It is formed by hundreds of Tijuanenses, women, men, and children, who go back and forth constantly. Workers and students who cross daily, or like me, those who cross twice a week to see family, since many cross to maintain contact with loved ones. Being part of the border community means knowing what it’s like to wake up early for the line, roughly calculate how long it will take, enjoy some good shopping in San Diego, and return for dinner in Tijuana.

We communicate in the famous Spanglish, blending Spanish with English expressions, mixing both cultures. We also communicate through Facebook groups called “como esta la linea?” where we literally share the waiting time or the length of the line.

We highly value the encounter between cultures, the ability to adapt, balancing two lifestyles, and above all, taking advantage of the best of both worlds. We believe that living between Tijuana and San Diego brings many opportunities; educational, healthcare, work, even access to aesthetic luxuries. We know it isn’t easy to be part of this community, as it involves challenges like waking up early, standing in long lines, and learning to navigate two different societies. However, we know it’s part of “living between two worlds” and we should enjoy what this mix of countries offers us.

Lastly, as I mentioned, being part of the border community comes with challenges, so the only way to learn to adapt is by asking how to cross, organizing your time, learning the customs on each side of the border, and daring to be part of this community, where being involved is truly an adventure.

This is how these three discourse communities have shaped my identity, taught me to value my roots, and helped me enjoy every experience. Thank you for joining me on this journey through the worlds I inhabit. I hope to share more in upcoming blogs so you can get to know a little more about life between two worlds.