Mucho gusto! Let's get to the fun stuff first. I love journaling, dancing in the gym, and being outside in some sunshine. I am from Tucson, Arizona and a '28. I am a proud first generation and low-income student who comes from a loving Mexican and Native American family. An early riser and bubbly personality are some ways to describe me. So before you leave, welcome to Dartmouth! I am Dezstany and I hope you join me on this journey into the woods!
This course was one of the reasons I chose to apply early decision to Dartmouth! I know, how could one course even influence such a big decision? Hearing Professor Duthu describe cases regarding the dispossession of Native tribes, the cultural tensions that many Native youth experience because of the effects of the Doctrine of Discovery, and economic development issues amongst many Native reservations made me edge out of my seat with excitement. The description did not disappoint because although it is one of my earliest classes, I always find myself running to class to learn something new. Professor Duthu presents in a way that wakes you up, makes you laugh, and encourages you to ask some pretty tough questions about tribal regulations. It has been extremely interesting how "bullets of the past are hitting present targets", meaning that many federal policies that happened decades ago still have very noticeable impacts in Indian Country (land in which tribal members own or previously occupied). I love being able to schedule office hours for any leftover questions. Would definitely recommend it!!
Lotería! The name of a traditional Mexican lottery game played during holidays. My final project was presented through the form of Lotería. In this class we analyzed the political and economic settings that domestic laborers and caregivers face within the United States and in Latin America. I really valued the different students that the class attracted as we all became extremely close in the ten weeks we worked together. This class was both an Art and Culture Identity credit so our assignments were extremely interesting as we got to do a lot of interactive learning with movies and plays!
Should we commit a small wrong to save many? Equality or equity? What does it mean to practice effective altruism? I know, very philosophical questions yet that’s the whole point. This class was a crosslisted course between the Government and Public Policy departments. I greatly enjoyed this discussion led class as we talked about issues regarding immigration, the meaning of work, and technological regulations in the labor force. The readings were a usual amount for a Government course as it averaged to about thirty pages per class. I was able to make new friends based off of our class discussions which helped make the class feel more collaborative. Professor Rose was always open to meeting outside of class for office hours and encouraged participation in an effective manner. Walking away from this course I am able to talk about current issues from various philosophical viewpoints.
Fratellanza, il Padrino, lealtà, corruzione, e violenza
Brotherhood, the Godfather, corruption, and violence
As a class, these were common words that arose. This past week our class traveled to Sicily to learn about the more personal effects of the Mafia. Italian IV, our Italian culture class, provided us with a general background regarding the economic, social, and political influence that mafias have held and still do within certain areas of Italy. These conversations were helpful as it allowed us to better understand the testimonies we heard of those who were directly affected by mafia violence.
On Tuesday we heard from two wives who lost their husbands to the mafia. Neither of the husbands were directly involved with the mafia but were simply at "the wrong place at the wrong time". From these discussions it was clear to see the power the mafia held as they created a world of fear amongst many Italian communities. Libera, the social justice initiative we worked with helped us also see the lack of opportunity that exists in smaller towns which often encourages young Italians to join the mafia.
We also visited a confiscated house of the mafia—soon the place will be used as a community center!
One of my favorite activities was playing soccer with children and getting to learn about their lives on Wednesday in Quartiere Spagnuola, an underprivileged neighborhood in Marshall. My Italian is not great but was sufficient enough to hold a conversation with the six and seven year olds we played soccer with which felt rewarding after our first four weeks of language learning. On our last day, Saturday, we went to a memorial for Rita, a young woman who fought for justice as she came from a mafia family. She passed at the young age of seventeen; she worked with local authorities and the government to put pressure on mafias within Italy.
Overall it was a week filled with learning but also direct service which I really appreciated.
This week also included two birthdays. Even though we were learning about pretty sensitive material it was nice to see our professor take the time to get everyone a cake to celebrate. We also were right next to the ocean which allowed us to swim morning, day, and night in Sicily!
When I first arrived on campus, upper-level students eased my fears with their confidence and care. When invited to apply as a Dartmouth Bound Leader, I jumped at the chance to do the same to students starting their own college journeys.
Thinking about studying abroad? Seriously, you should! Beijing has been one of the highlights of my Dartmouth experience so far. Keep reading to hear about my trip to the iconic Great Wall!
While the Hanover community is always strong and thriving, it's hard to imagine what it's like when you are thousands of miles away from The Green. Read on to learn about my Dartmouth life in Rome, and the community within Dartmouth while abroad.
I've just finished my first four weeks as a Concord Monitor news intern, having delved into journalism in ways I couldn't have without the help I received from Dartmouth's Center for Professional Development.
On the Beijing LSA+, we have real-world Chinese practice every Friday. Last week we went to two neighborhoods, Houhai and Shichahai, and wrote a photo log about our experience. Read along to see what immersive language learning here looks like!
