My Trip to the Latino Mercado

What did you experience and how did you feel about being the other?

The opportunity I had to attend the Hispanic Mercado in Orem was an experience I learned a lot from. As I drove to the Mercado I found myself actually getting pretty nervous. I didn't know what to expect and I realized I would probably be the only one who did not speak Spanish in the entire store. The Mercado was VERY busy today which helped me experience the culture of the Mercado to its fullness. It was a very difficult experience for me to be the "other". I walked into the store and observed many things that I was not used to, for example these pork rinds in brine and tons of different types of Hispanic Candy.  

Pork Rinds in Brine. Something I have never
 tried or seen before! 

As soon as I walked in I saw a TONS of bread in all shapes and sizes. People waiting in line at the cash register had a plastic plate with many large pieces of bread piled upon it. I saw lots of other foods I had never seen before. Different candy, snacks and even hair products than I was used to were in the aisles of the Mercado. Because food is such an important part of culture, I interpreted that there were many differences between Latino and American food. I realized if I wanted to pick some snacks and candy I would have no idea what I was buying and may not really like the product. This made me feel more like an "other". 

Some Candy from the Mercado
 

What troubled you about the experience?

It was very tough for me to feel like I didn't belong. I didn't realize how hard that would be. I actually felt like someone was going to come up and ask me what the heck I was doing there. There were times while I was walking around I wished I could just somehow look like everyone else and blend in. I knew I didn't speak Spanish so that made the situation much more difficult. I also felt like I didn't have the cultural capital to participate in the Mercado at all! I didn't know how to navigate this new culture. I wasn't sure how I would have bought bread or meat. Not having cultural capital was  a hard experience for me. I constantly felt worried and unsure about how to navigate the circumstance I was in. 

What happened that allowed you to eventually participate in the space? Describe how you felt about that.

I felt pretty stressed when I decided I should buy a tamale from the part of the Mercado that sold food. I was nervous because I don't speak a lot of Spanish and as I heard other people order I knew the cashiers were only speaking in Spanish. I saw an "order here" sign which helped me know where to order and I also observed other people doing the same thing. The process of ordering was a little tricky but I ended up figuring it out. The cashier when I paid for my tamale spoke perfect English and I was relieved! I can't believe how much that helped. By the time I left the Mercado I felt a little more comfortable and like I had gained some cultural capital, but it definitely still wasn't a place where I felt completely at ease.

A yummy tamale from the Mercado! 

What are the implications for the students in your classroom who are experiencing school as a "foreign place?" What insights do you take with you into your future work as an educator?

This experience is something I will remember for a long time. One of the most powerful parts of this experience actually occurred after I left. I had to visit another store to look for a couple of things. As I walked in I realized I didn't feel stressed at all. I knew the cashiers would speak English. I knew that when I couldn't find the item I was looking for I could ask a cashier and they would direct me. I realized that someone who isn't American or doesn't speak English might have a really hard time entering an environment like the one I was in. I realized that my experience at the Mercado was brief, but my students who come from different countries or different backgrounds are completely immersed in a culture where they often feel uncomfortable or worried. I only experienced that feeling for just a brief time in the Mercado. I cannot even begin to imagine how stressful it is too be the outsider in a junior high or high school. In those situations not having cultural capital can lead to having no friends and feeling sad and outcast every day.  Realizing this made me participate in some critical self-reflections. Who were the students in my high school or junior high who felt this way? Did I make their situation worse? Did I even recognize how they might be feeling? If I didn't as a student, how can I change so I do recognize these feelings as a teacher? Will my ethnocentrism of looking at everything through my own culture get in the way of helping my students? Will prejudices I have lead those who come from different background as my own not be as helped or looked after in my class? I hope to learn about my own prejudices and biases and be able to affront them during this class. I hope to love and encourage all of my students. I hope to realize that many of my students have different backgrounds than I do and to learn from their perspectives. This student just gave me a small idea of how tough it can be to be the "other". I hope to help anyone who feels like the "other".