Sonia, Spain

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Sonia was born in Denia (near Alicante), Spain. She first came to the US for a quarter as an exchange student in Ohio, while enrolled as a student of English Philology in Spain. She eventually decide to stay put in Ohio where she got her BA in English Humanities. In Ohio she also met a young man called Ryan, a student there, who later would become her husband.

Sonia then got her MA in Spanish Literature (about the Golden Age) in Montana and eventually transferred to Blacksburg, VA for her MA in Education. While there as a TA, the Virginia Tech massacre occurred. She was teaching at that time, and had switched classroom with a French professor who did not like the computer classroom she had been assigned and asked Sonia to switch classroom with her. That French professor was murdered by the shooter.

Shortly after, Sonia had an interview to teach at TCC and took the job, leaving Virginia behind. Besides this traumatic episode, she had found Virginia hard to live in because of the open racism she experienced. She moved to Tacoma in 2007.

 

 

Occupation: Spanish college professor at TCC

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Family in the US: None besides her husband’s family and her young daughter

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Languages: English, Spanish and Catalán

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Favorite pastimes: taking pictures and spending time with family

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Favorite music: Spanish music, for instance Manolo Garcia

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Could do without: People’s reaction to her speaking another language (on the phone or with her daughter).

One episode she recalls is an older couple at Disneyworld who, looking at her and her (white) husband said “Oh my Gosh, that handsome boy with that Mexican girl, what a shame”

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Still hard to say: Can/can’t...people often are unclear on whether she is saying one or the other

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Favorite expressions: English “Good job!”

                                   Catalàn: “Mane?” (“Yes? Tell me, what is it?”)

                                    Spanish: “Ay, mi Madre!” (“Oh My!”)

Objects:

• Valencia Orange: from Valencia, the biggest export from her home country, also the favorite fruit of her whole family and symbol of the Valencian Community

• A book about Miguel de Cervantes: one of the most prominent Spanish novelist, author  of the renown  Don Quixote, Golden Age writer, a key subject in Sonia’s Master’s thesis

• Fan: typical object from Spain, used in classic dances like Flamenco but also in the daily life of Spanish women, who often have a fan in their purse. The Fan is also the holder of a sort of secret language: depending on how it is held, it communicates different things, like jealousy, availability, and expression such as “I love you”

• Her daughter’s clothes (She was with her when I photographed her): Ibiza’s style design

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Sonia, Spain. (Català)

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       Sonia va néixer a Denia (Alacant), Espania. Va vindre als Estats Units per primera vegada con estudiant d´intercambi a Ohio, mentre estudiava Filologia Anglesa a Espania. Amb el temps, va decidir quedar-se a Ohio per a completar la seva Llicenciatura d´Anglés/ Humanitats. A Ohio, també va coneixer al seu home.

Després, Sonia va completar la seva Maestria de Literatura Espaniola (Etat d´Or) a Montana i va continuar els seus estudis a Blacksburg, Virginia, una Maestria d´Educació.

       Mentre estava a Virginia Tech va pasar la masacre universitaria. Estava enseniant al mateix moment. Va cambiar la seva aula per l´aula de la mestra de francés porque a la mestra de francés no li agradava l´aula amb ordenadors que li havia tocat. La mestra de francés va morir al incident.

Poc després, Sonia va tindre una entrevista per a enseniar a TCC i va acceptar el treball, deixant Virginia. A part d´aquest traumàtic episodi, Sonia va trovar la vida a Virgina més dificil de lo normal per el racisme. Es va mudar a Tacoma al 2007.

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Sonia, Spain. (Spanish)

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        Sonia nació en Denia (Alicante), España. Vino a los Estados Unidos por primera vez como estudiante de intercambio en Ohio, mientras estudiaba Filología Inglesa en España. Con el tiempo, decidió quedarse en Ohio para completar su Licenciatura en Inlglés/Humanidades. En Ohio, también conoció a Ryan, su marido.

       Después, Sonia completó su Maestría en Literatura Española (Edad de Oro) en Montana y continuó sus estudios en Blacksburg, Virginia, una Maestría en Educación. Mientras estaba en Virginia Tech ocurrió la masacre universitaria. Estaba enseñando en ese mismo momento. Había intercambiado su aula con el aula de la profesora de francés porque a la profesora de francés no le gustaba el aula con ordenadores que le había tocado. La profesora de francés murió en el incidente.

Poco después, Sonia tuvo una entrevista para enseñar en TCC y aceptó el trabajo, dejando Virginia atrás. Aparte de este episodio traumático, Sonia encontró la vida en Virginia más dura de lo normal por el racismo. Se mudó a Tacoma en el 2007.

 

My deepest appreciation to Sonia for translating her story in Catalán and Spanish and for recording it in English, Spanish, and Catalán