Hardworker/ Oscar T.

To me all women are beautiful! One of the greatest women on this earth to me is my aunt, Francisca Nicolas, who I have known all my life. She is one very nice lady that is always full of joy and has strong desires.

She lived in Mexico for 24 years until she migrated to the United States in 1992 for a better life. It was tough for her growing up in Mexico because she had been working her whole life. She didn’t have the chance to go to school instead she spent most her days working. It was very rewarding for her to arrive in the United States because she got to raise her son and give him everything that she could.

What does “woman” mean to you?
A woman is someone who is beautiful, emotional, sensitive but strong and loves life.

Tell me an event that challenged you as a woman.
Becoming a parent at such a young age was a challenge that I overcome by working real hard so that my son could get what he wanted. I worked real hard so that I could be a role model to my son and I tried to be with him even though I worked a lot.

How much did you work?
I have been working my whole life since I was little. I usually worked from morning to night. In the United States I worked as a housekeeper for a rich lady in which I would clean her house. She would then recommend me to her friends whom I would then clean their houses. To me working was great because when the money came in I would forget about the work and I would get to spend it on my son.

What this interview taught me.
This interview taught me that my aunt is a hard worker and doesn’t like to give up. She is motivational and enjoys her life as much as she can.

Woman's Nature/ Antony

My mum is always being an idol in my mind because of her strength. Different to traditional Chinese woman, she puts a lot of focus on her own business. From being a government official to owning a wholesale market. I think she must have some secrets to her success. However, her answer is as same to a traditional chinese woman.

INTERVIEW:

A: Traditionally, chinese women were always below the men, their responsibilities were to serve the families and listen to their husbands. Even though it is past, I think women must not give up the responsibility to the family. It does not the gender discrimination. But women always have a characteristic of mother's love. This is our nature that never changes.

Q: What are the most important factors of a woman's success?

A: I think opportunities and knowledge is the answer for most of the people. However, it is for both men and women. In my opinion, a successful woman should be independent and strong. Sometimes they have to even work harder than men do. Beside these two factors, there is a most important factor that the strong and independence cannot take place. That is woman's sweet characteristic. A lovely woman is welcomed anywhere. Oppositely, an absolute strong woman will lose her potential advantage.

Q: Have you ever met any difficulty in your business as you are a woman?

A: I seemed never met any big difficulty in my business. But there is one thing that I feel quite sorry and responsible. I did not pay much attention on my family. I think each chinese woman has her responsibility to serve her own family. I had not enough time to take care of both sides when i ran my business, and I chose to spend more times on works. I remembered that you always called me "Mun, where are you? Why are you so different to other mothers for being outside all the time?" I still feel sorry that I had less time spent with my son and my families before. As I am not that busy now, I would like to be with them much often. If you want me to tell you the difficulty, that would be the spending time on both family and work. Any business woman who cannot get the realizing from her husband will easily break her family.

The preschool teacher/YIkeda

I interviewed to my mother. She is 54 years old strong woman. She has a strong belief. She is working for home care aid now. Before that she has worked in preschool that took care of babies for 26 years. I’m interesting in her because she works two different jobs and both of them are very contrastive, but they have a similarity.


What dose the word women mean to you?

Uh…m, it’s a difficult question. Well, for me the meaning is that to born children and to raise them. And, loving the children. Also as a woman, I can tell them about feminine opinion. So I think women would have the role of telling about women’s original ideas.

Can you tell me a story about challenging as a woman?

Ye~s. It was long story… from my childhood. When I was elementary school student, my father died. Then my mother raised me and my siblings alone while she was working on the land steadily. That time, I was just a little girl; however I thought I had to help her as her older daughter because she seemed to be hard. For the reason, I wanted to get a job properly and I wanted to help her as an independent person. So after I graduated high school, I began to study about the child care because I liked children!!! After years, I took the qualification of preschool teacher, and then I worked in a local preschool. I worked in there for 5 years, and then I got married with my husband and moved to husband hometown. At the first, I found a new place that I could work, but there was nothing place. When I bothered, I heard that a hospital would plan to make a preschool for their nurse. So I joined the project, and the other member and I gathered money and we built a small preschool. At the beginning, the preschool was precious! Because there was the only one place that took care of the suckling. I worked there for 26 years!!! All the time I had proud of my job and I felt it was a worthwhile job. However, for declining birth rate, the preschool was closed on March, 2004. The occurrence has already passed for 3 years… Although I lost the job, I heard that the hospital would make a facility that takes care of elderly. So immediately I took the qualification of home care aid. Then I worked the facility. Now, I want to study more about the care so I would take the qualification of care worker that is the professional qualification.

Do you have any memory as preschool teacher?

It was the graduation. I took care of children between suckling and 3 or 4 years old little boy/girl. They could speak although still be falteringly until they graduated… but it was marvelous and amazing things. And as the same time, they became strong, wise, and more human during those short terms through many experiences. So I was always moved when they graduated. It was my best memory.

How do you thing what is differences from preschool teacher and home care aid?

Uh… I think both of them related with human. So, both of them need to respect and support. However, the case of preschool teacher, I took care with thinking about future. Children are filling of hope. On the other hand, caring for elderly, I don’t want to say that… but they can enjoy and satisfy their rest of life. So I support to them with thinking about how enjoying and satisfying, for instance I talk with them and play together.


I think she is a really strong woman. She still keeps her strong belief that she want to be an independent person and she is trying to take a new qualification. So I feel really proud and respect her. From the intervieaing, I got her power. I also want to try my life.

MY MOM/M FLORES

Martha Flores
English 70
April 17, 2007
Oral History
My Mom.

Juana Flores "yeah up" that's my mom the one that gave me eighteen years full of life and wonderful memories. So she is forty four years old was born is Aguascalientes, Mexico . She is the prime person in my family because not only did she have to raise ten kids but had her first child at the age of seventeen.My mom is the most important person in my life because not only am I thankful for every thing she has given me but how she came up from a family of sixteen. When she was young she had to work to help put my grand mother, she was only twelve years old when she began working. But her job wasnt anything bad just to go door to door or stand in the "plaza" and sell seeds as well as other things such as fruits. She than meet my dad Andres Flores they met because of my mom's sister Rosa at a party where not only did they both found some one that they would marry with out knowing what was going to happened next. So this is my mother's history and how I came to be here.

Getting married was the change in my life, because I got married at an early age of seventeen. At age forty-four, that where I stand now, I was born in Aguascalientes Mexico . Where my sister Rosa and I went to a dance where I found the man I am married with now (lots of humor). I then dated him for two months and then got married a month later I got pregnant with my first child. Than a year and a half later we had my second child. By the time I was thirty-seven I had my tenth child. So twelve years ago I had to make the biggest change in my life in the year 1994 I had to move to California to work. So I could support my family back home. After the first year that I had moved here I then brought my seven children to California . After a year of stay I had a daughter, then a year and a half later I had another boy and up till this point I have six girls and four boys. So I have been married for twenty seven years and have ten kids. As well as five grand children, tree boys and two girls. Four of my kids are married and tree have a family of their own .

What does being a woman mean to you? To become responsible at an early age with out no recipe and not knowing what to do with what life throws at you. As well as to add the final touch, to everything. Because woman like to be perfectionist (my older sister cut in) woman like coke. As well as woman are very tolerant and guide people thought out life problems, struggles. (my older sister cut in) Woman like baby's as well as to take care of people they love having someone around.

Living here in California for twelve years has changed my life. I have ten wonderful children with five grand children. I have a wonderful marriage that has lasted twenty seven years of wonderful adventures. Even though both of my parents have passed away but go has given me five grandchildren (laughing but full of sorrow).

I have learned that having a big family is very chalenging and that life is not easy as it was not easy for my mom to raise ten kids all in twentysix years. But even though everyone is close to each other we all have or problems and we all get along we.Coming from a big family I made a big decision, that I dont want any children of my own because even though I have a big family their's always some one that we could adopt and help them to have a family. Even though my mom raise all of us we have learned what it means to work hard and become some one in this life so we wont suffer as much as she suffer with us.

What a Mother Goes Through/SCanales

I interviewed my mother. My mother’s name is Alma Valladares; she is 37 years old. My mother was born in Mexico and has been here in California for the past 22 years. I am proud of being her daughter because I do believe that she did go through a lot throughout the years. My mother is a strong woman who raised us good and has done everything she can for my sisters, little brother and myself.

What does the word woman mean to you?
The word woman means to be a responsible person that takes care of her children and gives them a good life.

Was it hard for you to raise your children?
Yes, because I got pregnant at the age 16 and I knew I was not going to have fun the way my other friends would. Another reason is because I had to work really hard to raise you kids good enough and you kids can have all the things you guys needed.

What did my grandparents do when they found out that you were pregnant?
Well when they found out that I was pregnant it was hard because they new that I was not ready for one. I didn’t graduate from high school and was not able to get my diploma. Instead I worked for you kids.

Are you proud of being a mother now?
I am very proud because when your father and I separated it was hard at first to raise you kids on my own. After the years went by I new that I was able to do it on my own because I wanted my family to be proud of me.

Tell me a story of a challenge you faced as a woman?
My biggest challenge would be being a parent at the age 16.

As I interviewed my mother, I knew that it was hard for her to have me at a young age. I understand her because I have a little one also. It was hard for me because I am not ready for kids and I really wanted to finish my school. I am proud of myself now because I work and go to school to give my little girl a better life. My mother and I get a long well because we talk about the problems that we have and try to help each one another to succeed.

A Day With Mom/Eluna

I chose my mom one day for an interview and spent the day together outside while she hung cloth on a linen pin. Me and my mom share a very close relationship,about 3 years ago she had a bypass. After that incident I felt more close her. I was close before, but even more after she suffered a heart attack. I asked her what does women hood mean her? becoming a mother and had have experience and learn as you get older you become wiser.

As er una madre y cada qua de ves crescendo asta adulto vas a accomolando mas experencia y mas alerta, y experta

what challenge you as a women? My surgery I had bypass it was hard I thought I was never going to be the same again.

Mi operacion de mi corazon, se me iso muy difficil no puedia crear que iba a quedar bein.

Now though look at me I go shopping I go to church and walk on the treadmill everyday for 30min. I feel good. I felt all my children gave me encouragement and support and that's why I gave it my all to keep on going.

Ahora mira a mi, me voy de compras voy a misa ago exercio todos los dias 30min al dia. Me siento muy bien. Y es mis hijos me deron animo y muchas ayudas que por eso que le eche muchas ganas.

My mom was a mother at age 14 she never really had a child hood. she was the only child had half a brother,but she enjoy living in a small village with lots of green plants and flowers. She lived by a small river and used to wash cloth there, on a rock. She had 6 children in Mexico and then migrated to the USA in 1964. She had 2 more children and started working in a diaper factory for 25 years. She became a US citizen in 1987. She has 17 grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren. After her surgery she appreciates life more and enjoys her life with all her children. She now is retired and lives at home and is very much happy with her birds

Narrative Essay:
What does womenhood mean? As a child I was always independent and mature for my age. At the age of 15 I got a job after school working two hours,three days a week. I was very excited about having a job I felt important. I was not old enough to have a bank account, but my mom helped me to save my money untill i was 18 years old. I always work hard at any job I had I had al lot of promotions being offered to me. As I became more mature I always face new challages at work I wanted to be on top and known, becuase I took pride in every job I had. There always seem to be obsticles in my life that will slow my career down al lot.

What challenge did I had to face? Coming back to school a bit older, being away from school for a long time and getting back to study habits was a bit to hard for me. But I saw many women go back to school with children, and a household working too. So I diced to go back and give it a chance. Now Iam closer to my career the I had at least expected and never thought it would be possible. That tought me that women can multitask better.

My Mother Cheryl/Christian Mora

The woman who I interview is my mother Cheryl. My mother is an important person in my life because she always showed me right from wrong. I interviewed my superior teacher so I can visualize a better picture of her. We have a strong relationship because we are always talking about new news in the family and in the world today. We compliment each other whenever it deals with work or tests. For instance, she just finished a children's poem book and she is waiting for it to be published. I am blown away of my sweet mother's achievements in her life. I am proud to be her son.

The first question I asked my mother, "What does a woman mean to you?" She responded, " She's one big wonderful receipe and her main ingredient is the spiritual base. Her faith in God, the core of her being, the core of who I am from right or wrong base. This would guide her through the journey of life. The other wonderful qualities is that woman possesses is honest, love, kindness, gratitude, nurturing, forgiveness, sense of humor and patience. Love is most important." I was amazed by what my mother said about a woman because she described herself! I knew my mom was spiritual but I can see why she mentioned the journey of life. Every woman goes to a journey in life and she wants to become an author.

The second question I ask my faithful mother was, "What one event that was a challenging to you (her) as a woman?" She responded, " going through a divorce and beign a single parent." My father had an affair and it was very hard on my mother and the family. She sacrificed a lot for us children. I realized the sacrifices when I attended my first year in college. One of the sacrifices my mother showed was not bringing strange men around the house when I was the age of seven through seventeen years old. I realize that would confuse me and my siblings when growing up. She did a lot of strict punishes to make my twin brother and I learn the hard way! She is happly remarried about seven years now and lives in Sacramento California.

I have a successful relationship with my mother Cheryl. My mother is an important person and we have a lot of history together. She raised me and my two siblings. My brother and sister weren't helpful at times and she had a lot on her plate. I have to give her credit for raising three children. She raised us as a family. My father was around and we visited him on weekends. I look back at my childhood and realize how special my mother is. I have a important relationship with my mother because she always showed me guidance, love and laughter.

A Women's World? by Marc Wahli

After several weeks of desperation I found finally someone who was willing to take the time and answer my questions. I found out that somehow Swiss women do not like to talk about being a woman, perhaps because it’s too natural…?

I never forgot her first reaction after I explained her, what the topic of the interview is about. After a longer break I heard a loud giggling, “What? No it’s ok, go on! I just thought this topic is gone, somehow old-fashioned. Let me think about that!”

Define the word woman in your own words. What does it mean to you?

“Well, you know I guess I am too young to give you an interesting answer on that! Where is the difference between women and men? We are human beings that should be enough! I mean it is the same with races; shouldn’t we speak of the human race, not of black, white, yellow and red skinned people?”

“ I mean, I was born in 1984 in Switzerland. I have the same rights like you, do you agree? It’s not the 1970s when women had to fight for the right to vote, I was born in a free world; at least in a free country. Law guarantees the sexual equality; men and women are equal. On the other hand there are some topics left, women should be a little concerned. In our federal council of Switzerland there is just one female and six male presidents. But I am against quota agreement; the best should be elected!

“Well, sometimes it even better to be a woman. Usually I don’t have to pay or stand in line to get into a club. Ah, I almost forget. We do not have to serve in the military. A big advantage!”

Tell me a story of a challenge you faced as a woman.

“A story? I can just tell you my feelings about the future. I am studying business as you know, and I do not just study to become a well-educated wife and mother. I want a career; otherwise I wouldn’t go to the University of Bern every day and take that burden on me. Family? Sure, I want to have family one day! I love children; I think that is the biggest challenge in a life of a woman: Having children, a husband and a career. I can’t change it; it is still the woman who gives birth to children and not men. And this is good so! The first years one parent should stay at home and take care of the children. That is very important; I hope I am going to be ready to give up my career for these years. I think it has to be me, I don’t know a single man who wants to stay at home and raise the children. It is still a woman’s job, guys feel uncomfortable with the idea to be househusband, It is also not accepted in the business world; in the CV of a man it looks bad, to have spent a year or two as a househusband.

After I finished questioning my friend I had a mixed feeling. I think women in Switzerland have more rights than in most other countries in the world. On the other hand I feel guilty when I think about what she said. Men do not give up the career for their family; I know I wouldn’t feel comfortable to do that either.

Woman Struggles/Marisol

Marisol Loza
English

Women Struggles

As women in society we are looked upon as inferior to males. Although women have gained and struggled to reach equality throughout history we've never reached a balance. Women have and will always be unequal to men. Men have always been the dominant gender and are looked upon as superior.

I've interview a close friend of mine that I’ve known for about 5 years. Her name is Gabriela Ponce. She is from Venezuela and has lived in Santa Barbara for about 8 years. I've asked her what her perspective of a “woman" is. What the word "woman" means to her?

She responded,” When I hear the word "woman" I think of my mother. I think of the words wisdom, strength, and courage. She has always told me that women are a sacred gift from god. I think of all the things she has taught me and realize how much self-respect is really worth. I think of hope and change. I think of the family I will have one day and the mother I will become.

I asked Gabriela if she could tell us a story that challenged her womanhood.
She said,"In my family it’s ok to be married to someone and have relationships with other men."

She says, “My idea and perspective of marriage is different from the one my parents and most married couples in Venezuela live. When I became older to realize how it works I felt insecure and confused. I asked myself how could a wife or husband share? All the movies that I’ve watched influenced me differently. I know my parents love each other, but I see it different. I’m unsure if I would ever be able to commit to one husband. Watching my parent’s relationships out side of theirs made me feel awkward. How I should react to their lovers? I was always angry and tried to keep them together. I did not want to accept this. It’s been over 15 years, I would say, that has gone by and they still to this day have outside relationships. I had to go through counseling and therapy to explain how it made me feel. After months, years of depression and being confused, I’ve matured and became who I am today. I learned to step out of the bubble and accept my parent’s relationships. My parents taught me a lot and I’ve learned from them. I learned a lot about myself and who I want to become in life. I know the day will come when I get married and I will be committed to one.”

Gabriela says, “Going through this experience with my family has challenged my womanhood and has also helped me realize the woman I want to be. It has made me strong and I’ve encountered my definition of marriage.”

Being friends with Gabriela all this time, I never knew what her parents were like. I like this interview it makes me open my eyes to the world all around us and how everyone has their own perspective of life.

From Italy with Love- Sofia's oral history

I wrote an e-mail to the new woman of my dad.She got a great personality and I esteem her much. I'm glad that my dad found her after my mom. She's such a positive and energetic woman, I guess we got a lot in common, as the passion for working out. That's her answer to my interview, where I asked her what did it mean to her being a woman and what kind of challenge did she meet in her life as a woman.Enjoy!

My sweet beauty,
it’s so nice to hear from you…
how’s life? you ask: well, happily busy as usual, with the kids’ needs (Stefano is a specialist in putting himself into trouble so to add a little of thrilling in every day routine) work, social life, tango, mothers-in-laws, new projects…. but in all that I never miss my training sessions (You know I’ve to oppose the bad effects of time and gravity) : - D
I consider a great gift that you hold me in such a high esteem, I didn’t do anything special to deserve it but still I appreciate that a lot.

Thanks for the photos, you look wonderful and VERY FIT…. Good girl: it means you’re doing great!
I’m looking forward to have you here, so many things to tell you……

I’m so proud of everything you are doing and very happy that you are successful at school and moreover that you enjoy it .

I’ve always loved being a woman! I’m proud of it.
It has given me the possibility of mixing the different aspects of life: I can be sweet but decisive, beautiful but strong, tender but strict. I can experiment the great experience of being a mother and giving birth, but never abdicating my femininity with a partner.
It’s nice to look after, to be understandable, to cuddle the one you love and this is a very strong part of my being. However I never stopped being myself and therefore being active for this I work and choose a job that I love and carry it on with passion.
I’ve always loved my body too, physically I mean (with all its flaws) and I’ve tried to let others appreciate that.

I can mention two very different situations in which I was challenged as a woman.
The first happened when I was a teenager. I had a boyfriend who was a alpine guide.
He went alpine skiing every weekend with a “all-male” group of friends.
Of course, stubborn as I am I wanted to take part and practiced and discussed until I was part of the team.
It was physically very compelling but I enjoined a lot (don’t tell the class that my revenge was at night in the bunch bed when I displayed him masterpieces of underwear)

The second has been going on since I separated.
When it happened I had to play the role of MOTHER_FATHER because my ex-husband was too busy to do his part.
It’s difficult because as a mother you have to be understandable and spoil your kids, as a father you should give rules and punishments.
But it’s working nevertheless….

I hope I’ve answered to your questions if not I can try again


BIG ENORMOUS KISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

Write soon please
Monica

What It Means To Be a Woman/mHolland

I was up at 8 am one morning knowing over break I would have a paper to write . I was online and could see my moms screen name was on .I said to myself wow my mother would be a really interesting woman to ask these questions, I have been assigned she had no response to my hello. My sister soon had signed online and I knew right then she was the perfect one for this paper I had to write up. So I began asking…

What does it mean for you to be a woman? “Being a woman to me means that I have made it through childhood my teenage years which are tough ones for girls. Also it means that I have developed into a woman who is ready to take on the world. I feel that it also means that one day I will be able to mother my own children, which is one of a few things woman can do in which men can’t.

How do you define a Woman? “The female human being, one who by nature possesses kind, caring, gentle, characteristics, motherly, sympathetic and supportive Also in the recent, I believe 50 years, women have really moved up when it comes to overall job quality, which we suffered with in the past. We now see some female CEO’s, Doctors and lawyers.

Recently I went to watch surgeries and was the only woman in all of the operating rooms. All the doctors, nurses and surgical technicians (males), were constantly telling me this is where all the girls pass out and cant handle it. I thought to myself “well you know what I am going to prove all of the men that I can hang with them.” Every couple minutes one of the men would say something that I feel would increase the chances of getting sick in the OR. I remember one man saying “what about the smell the sounds” I continued to tell them that I was fine. I proved to the entire male staff and myself during the first and second day in the OR and was asked to scrub in, put gloves, coat on and hold tools and assist the surgeries. Standing up for ones self is a challenging one for females, I feel during this event I stood up for myself and proved that I could participate in the same job surroundings as males.

Doing this interview on instant messenger at 8 in the morning I learned many things I have never known about my sister and her strengths as a woman . I realized myself we both have changed a lot over the past years and for the better at that. I realized that we are adults now and we are the ones now sculpting our own future.

My friend / Takuya

The woman I interviewed was Erin O'Hanlon who lives in Australia. She used to work in Japan for more than 2 years. We met each other through a mutual friend of ours and have known each other for almost 4 years. Now she is working as English teacher in Australia, so we can't see each other as often as we used to do. However, she is definitely one of my best friends.

What does the word woman mean to you?

The word woman to me means that being comfortable in your own skin, being old enough to appreciate your femininity and being able to enjoy life wearing fishnets or slippers.

Tell me a story of a challenge you faced as a woman.

When I lived in Japan I worked in a male-dominated office. I was the only female teacher in my school. At lunch times I had to listen to some pretty racy stories the male teachers would share. I could either have been repulsed by what they said and let them know that kind of talk wasn't cool with me. But that would have alienated me from most discussions so I made the choice to show mild discomfort when they shared their sexual conquests and sometimes even just laughed along. But it irritated me and at times I just wanted to lay it on them with all sorts of abuse. That was a huge challenge for me to keep my mouth shut, to keep the peace and to keep my friendships.

What I felt after this interview

I actually know some teachers from her story, but I didn't even noticed how she was feeling. Perhaps, she was struggling behind of me. However, she never complained and always looked great. This interview changed my impression about her. I figure out that she is strong, mature and independent as well she became a person whom I respect. I'm really glad that I had opportunity to know her in my life.

Life Is Like That

Life Is Like That

By: Narcisa Parker

On this interview, I have chosen Anna Liza, she is twenty four years old and currently enjoying her single hood, who has been not just my childhood friend but my lifetime best friend. I have chosen her because I am always curious of how she managed to be who she is at present. I witnessed all her hardships in life, especially on dealing with her folks after her father died way back when she was nine years old. I always witnessed how her older sisters maltreated and how her brother doesn’t care of her at all as if like he did not exist. I also witnessed how her mother pressured her. Although sometime I could not blame her mother because all of their lives they been struggling for a better life. Now her mother finds hope in Anna that one day Anna would deliver them from poverty to a little better life. But her mother failed, this is maybe because we cannot set a life the way we wanted to be sometimes. I call it a matter of luck. I don’t know if lots of my readers will agree. But that’s how I see it on her life.

On this interview Anna and I were talking different languages Filipino and English. On the other hand I am translating it on what she was trying to tell us in English.

Me: What does the word woman mean to you?

Ann: I’m not sure with my answer Sang! For me a woman is somebody who had a strong motivation in life that every time she falls she stands and faced the world again.

Me:Can you share us a story that challenge you as a woman.

Ann: Oh let me think. Okay that reminds me of my sad life story.

When I was young, I thought I’m contented with my life but things have changed when my father died. I was 9 yrs. Old, I dropped my studies but my mom tried to send me back to school so my grades were low. Did u know that I’m a second honor in grade one? And I'm first honor in grade two. But when I reach grade three, that time my world goes down cause my beloved father was gone. I love my father than my mother, pinapalo,kasi ako at kinurot,alam mo naman ako may pagka spoil when my father is still alive.

Anna said that she doesn’t like her mother that much because she spanked and pinched her. At the same, though, she was a little bit spoiled by her dad.

I noticed that my sisters think they were smarter the more they insulted me. Kisyo panget ako, baluga, palwa ang ilong, kung walay bangag hubag. My sister said that I am so ugly, I look like a monkey and my nose looks like the coconut frond and if my nose don’t have whole it looks like a bump). I really really hate them, so I get my happiness to my friends Sang and Joan.

Anna was describing how she hated her sisters so badly. Her sisters always teased her, telling her that she was very ugly, because her nose was shaped like a coconut frond and if it didn't have a hole it would look like a bump on her face.

Until one day, my mom told us that we need to stay in Cugman,I said no, but they tried to convince me that the place was nice “kaysa tumira kami na pinapaligiran ng maraming pakialamera at tsismosang kapitbahay”.My hatred grew strong, to my neighbors and my sisters. Di na ako masaya...

Since that time Anna's familiy faced a challege. They became the talk of our little community. Most of my neighbhors were talking about them behind their backs. Her mother could no longer take it and decided to move to another community which was in Cugman, still part of Cagayan de Oro. But Anna had reached the point where she did not have any body to talk and that made her sad.

When Nita and Marites both got pregnant, I was ashamed of them. Nakakahiya, lahat ng tao tumitingin sa akin baka ako na ang susunod na mabuntis. Marites get married pero walang kasal.

Anna was ashamed of what had happened to her sisters. Her neighbors assumed that Anna would be the next one to get pregnant. Our neighbors thought that getting pregnant without marriage was immoral.

So, I promised to myself na mag aral ako ng mabuti. It was still a disaster because I only go to school four or three times a week kasi walang pamasahe. Walang (no)projects.

She thought that she would focus on her studies, but it was so sad because Anna's mother could not afford to send her to school five times a day, because she couldn't afford the fare for the jeepneys.

Di nakapagtapos ng pag aaral ang mga kapatid ko, wala kasing ambisyon, ang gusto nila pag nag aaral sila dapat my malaking baon for lakwatsa. Di ko sila sinisiraan. Ngayon nga nagsisisi sila kung bakit sila d nkatapos, pero sabi nila swerte ko daw, sabi ko dili gyud tamad gyud mo,gusto happy go lucky. Nakatapus ako ng highschool, the I stop one year at nagtrabaho ako. Pero gusto ni Nita na kunin ang sahod kasi puli lang daw ko ni mam. Kaya hayun nisukol, ano sila sinewerte.

Anna sisters were not able to complete their highschool because they did't want to go to school without any money on their pocket. They thought that going to school was to socialize and to be happy go lucky. Anna thought that they didn't have any ambition in life. Anna goes on saying that she doesn't want to say bad things against them but she thought that they were lazy. Anna was able to finished her highschool in spite of all the troubles. She was appointed to replaced her mom's job position to benefit the family, but her folks were trying to control her to take what Anna earned. But Anna fought back.

Six months later, I think September yun binibiro ko si Mr. Lim, sabi ko Sir mag aral ako ng college. Aral sa gabi trabaho sa umaga, sabi nya dapat ngayon na, sabi ko sir sa June na lang kay wala koy pang enroll, sabi nya ako bahala. Pero ako talaga ang nagbabayad sa entrance fee, sa tuition lang kami naghahati. Until last sem ko na sa college, reklamo si sir kay ask naman ko big amount for whole sem kay mag on the job training nko,pero nipyait cya kay dako daw.

Six months later while Anna was working she asked her boss for permission to continue her college while she was working, and her boss thought that it was a good idea. Anna and her boss decided to divide her tuition fee and all other expenses between them, but during her last semester her boss complained because she had started to demand huge amount of money for her "on the job training."

I decided to stop and working for 1 year then finished college, nihilak man ako mama kay ikamatay daw nya kung dli ko kahuman, hayon nkatapos sa awa ng dios. Grabe hambog ni mama oy kay siya daw nkapahuman. he he he he he he,nkatawa ko, gpasagdaan na lang nko.Hayun nkahuman.

Anna decided to stop going to school for one year and save some money. Eventually she was able to go back to school and graduated. Her mom was very proud of her, but she claimed that it was because of her help that Anna made it. Anna just made a laugh out of that.

I remember that one day I asked Anna if she was still upset with her family and she answered me, “No I forgive them, all I knew I don’t want to be like them! I knew that the scar remains in my heart, it was like yesterday. No matter what will happen, they will always be my family and by doing that I feel light and happy inside.”

Nancy Garcia

I interviewed my sister because she is always someone that makes me proud. Her name is Angelica she is 23 years old and a UCSB graduate. She put herself through college, and she is also raising me. She works hard in school earning honors at the university. She makes me want to be a better person. When I asked her...

What does being a women mean to you?

For me being is having confidence, respect for myself, being self sufficient and having a career. This is important becasue as a woman I want to have control of my future.

What events in your life challenged your womanhood?

For me my whole adolescent life challenged my womanhood. I had a mother who was not there for me or my brothers and sisters. Many times as a child I had to be the adult and raise my younger siblings. We had no stable father figure as well which was also challenging. My mother wasn't a very good women role model. She was very unstable. This drove me to become better...different...opposite of what she was. For me education was my driving force. This helped get through the tough times. I would just indulge myself in my studies and forget about the world around me. This has taught me to become independent and self sufficient. It feels good to be 23, have a degree, and own a home. It feels even better knowing that I can do anything I put my mind to. Especially someone like me with limited resources and everything working against me.

What this interview taught me?

This interview taught me that if i work hard enough I can be as succesful as my sister. I can still work hard even though I have problems at home or with friends. I can still overcome these issues and become succesful.

Looking up to my sister/nGarcia

I interviewed my sister becasue she is always someone that makes me proud. Her name is Angelica she is 23 years old and a UCSB graduate. She put herself through college, and she is also raising me. She works hard in school earning honors at the university. She makes me want to be a better person. When I asked her...

What does being a women mean to you?

For me being is having confidence, respect for myself, being self sufficient and having a career. This is important becasue as a woman I want to have control of my future.

What events in your life challenged your womanhood?

For me my whole adolescent life challenged my womanhood. I had a mother who was not there for me or my brothers and sisters. Many times as a child I had to be the adult and raise my younger siblings. We had no stable father figure as well which was also challenging. My mother wasn't a very good women role model. She was very unstable. This drove me to become better...different...opposite of what she was. For me education was my driving force. This helped get through the tough times. I would just indulge myself in my studies and forget about the world around me. This has taught me to become independent and self sufficient. It feels good to be 23, have a degree, and own a home. It feels even better knowing that I can do anything I put my mind to. Especially someone like me with limited resources and everything working against me.

What this interview taught me?

This interview taught me that if i work hard enough I can be as succesful as my sister. I can still work hard even though I have problems at home or with friends. I can still overcome these issues and become succesful.

Susan, the person I admire/by Vanessa

I have known Susan since I was about two years old. She is a big part of my life. I thought it would be good to find out her perspective of a woman and see what challenges she has been through.

What story or event has challenged you as a woman?
~ My divorce.

Why your divorce?
~ It was a difficult decision.

Why was it difficult?
~ I believed in marriage to be forever. It took me a long time to believe that my husband was not faithful. My husband did not want a divorce. I was also afraid my financial situation would be shaky.

Why did you believe marriage was forever?
~ I did not believe anything as bad as unfaithfulness could touch me. I thought it was only in soap operas and novels.

How did you end up making everything work out?
~ My husband offered to support my daughter and me indefinitely. But I wanted to do some on my own. So I went to the two largest companies in my area and one hired me. They had a great salary and offered my daughter and me full benefits.

How did it work out on your own after a couple of years?
~ It was difficult. There were a lot of ups and downs. I waited until there was not reconciliation before the final divorce.

Did you think about what would happen to your daughter?
~ I underestimated the impact on my daughter. My daughter, I think, still feels sadness. For her, I feel, relationships are difficult for her now.

What were the pluses to your divorce?
~ My self-esteem increased and I developed a circle of friends. I ran-in-10k’s. I finished college. I went out a lot more. I bought a new house. I just enjoyed myself like the world opened up.

___________________________________________________________________

What does the word woman mean to you?
~ Being a nurturer. A reflective person and an even person. A strong appreciation of life and looks at the glass as full.

After all this time that I have known Susan I have not known this. I really liked how she got to make it on her own. I like how she looks at life. I really admire her for her strength, getting a divorce must be really hard.

My Mother / by Yuzhu Lu

From the left way, the second one is
my mother. I don't have her own picture right now,

so it is from her work hospital. My Mother

In my mind my mother is not just beautiful and smart woman. She is a great mother. I am so happy to being her daughter. She gives me a lot of space let me feel freedom. She did not have many rules. She is a very kind person. When I had some ideas or problem I always tell to her, she can makes me clearly what I should do. We have more friend ship than relative ship, just like friends or sisters. I spent much more time with her than my father. And she saw me growing up. She is not just a good mother also is a good teacher; teach me how to be a person. Her personality is easy- going and she always smile. She is a dentist, also is a wife and a mother. In every area she is doing well. She is a independent woman. She does not want be control by man. She wants me to study a lot, not just from inside the book, every area I want, and get more experiences. It will be my wealth in my life. One day I could use it.
在我的眼中，母亲是伟大的。她们给予我们生命，并给予我们爱和温暖。我的妈妈就是这样一个伟大的母亲。我非常庆幸成了她的女儿。从小到大，我都是在一个宽松的家庭环境下长大的。说起我们的关系是母女但更像姐妹，有时我觉得妈妈比我还热衷时尚。而且她不会给我很大的束缚和压力，只是希望我能开心地去生活。我要说她是一个很懂得享受的女人，也是一个很有思想的女人。在遇到不愉快时，她总是用笑容冲淡一些。我的妈妈是牙科医生，她是很有责任感的人，她会认真地对待她的每一个患者。但当她脱下白大褂后，她要扮演起母亲和妻子的角色。我觉得她很厉害。我的爸爸都会佩服她。“学习不仅是学习书本上的知识，其实是方方面面的。”她总会这样跟我说。她希望我能多看看外面的世界，拓宽自己的视野。

I asked her: “What does woman mean to you?”
我曾经问她, “你觉得作为女人的意义是什么？

She said: “As a woman family is important for me. I have happiness family, a lovely daughter and good husband. We all love each others. In my opinion, health is the first important thing for the life. So I just hope all the members of my family can be healthy. That is enough. And also I have a nice job; I can make more valuables for society.”
她说：“因为有个幸福的家庭，这也就足够了。而且我还有工作，能实现自己的价值。我觉得我很幸福。”

When I asked her “What event that challenged you?” She said, “When I had you-my daughter. You know your mother is a person that doing everything wants to be the best. Not only was being a student in school also when I got a job. At that time, I worked in hospital not a long time and at night I went to night school to study. I hope my job would do well and I was working hard. My ability was be proved by other leader. I had chance to promote. So I was still working even though I knew I was pregnant you. And that time I did not tell all my colleagues till they saw my belly is bigger. But when I had you, my mind changes a lot. I know family is the first important thing to me, because I am your mother.”
我问她：“ 有什么事情让你很难忘的？” 她说：“当我有了孩子以后，我的转变挺大的。你也知道我是一个做每件事都会尽我所能去做的人。不管是在我读书的时候还是参加了工作，我都是在尽我所能做到最好。当时白天我要上班，下班后又要去上进修课。我那时很受领导的赏识，很快就会得到职位上的晋升。我不想耽误工作，怀孕我也没有和同志和领导说。但是当我有了你以后，我把我的工作重心都移到了你身上。我知道你对我比其他的事情更重要。从那后我的思想也有了很大的转变，变得现实了很多，知道对女人来说家庭是不可缺少的一部分。

I heard that to born me also was a painful experience. She said:“I am so difficult to born you, because of your position of fetus was not correct. So I was doing Cesarean birth. In that moment it was so painful that I’d ever forget. After I had a child, I changed a lot, I was being reality. I knew I am a child’s mother, I understand take care of you is the first important.” I can see the scar left by knife cut on my mother’s abdomen. It is a mark by me. But she still thanks God to give her a child.
　　 我的很痛苦的经历就是在我生你的时候，真是很辛苦。因为你的胎位不正，所以要做刨腹产手术。” 我问她：“是不是很疼？” 她说，“因为当时扎了麻药，所以没有什么感觉。但过后，因为麻药过了劲儿，就疼了好几天。” 直到现在那个在她肚子上的疤痕还清晰可见，这也是她身上唯一的疤痕，却是因为我。因为我她放弃了很多东西，所以我觉得很对不起她。但是妈妈却说很值得。

“Now I am 49 years old. I do not think I am old. In my live, everyday can be wonderful. Shopping is my favors things now, I am enjoying it. When I looked back my life, I know I should make myself happy. I think I am a lucky woman. That is all.”
“虽然现在我已经49岁了，但是我不觉得我老了，我会去享受每一天，做我喜欢做的事，只要想做是永远不会晚的。作为一个女人更是如此。善待自己，享受生活。 ”她说到。

After the interview, I think a lot. I know being a woman should independent. I will enjoying my life.

结束了交谈，我想了很多。我知道作为一个女人应该学会独立，而且我会学着珍惜现在，享受我的人生。

Diana Ruah Kozlovskaja/ Natalia

I interviewed Diana Ruah Kozlovkaja. She is my housemate and my friend too. She has a really interesting life. I hope you like it.

1. What does the word woman mean to you?

-One woman with courage makes a majority I heard this phrase from my Yiddish mama again and again. A woman was a concept, a picture, an idea in my mind but to carry out that idea, to make it function there must have been an individual. And so, the idea of being, living as a woman did not exist for me apart from being an individual. Becoming an individual is of a very delicate matter, gradually, step by step and the charm of the process is that it is never ending. When you are honest, thoughtful, and aware of who you are as a woman, and of the ones around you there is not only a disconnection from all those causes that create conflicts in the world, but also in that understanding there is a completeness, a wholeness.

2. Tell me a story of a challenge you faced as a woman.

- A challenge came where I never expected it to meet me. Seeing diverse sides of life through the years of traveling and learning I more enjoyed being a young woman than was in any case burdened by challenges of it. And the tests, which came by on my path, were taken with delight and appreciation, humbly, as toughed by my mother. They were building me up, always making me stronger and supposedly kinder person. Although once it came, a challenge that stretched every single thing inside of me to fit the moment.In front of me was an elderly Chechen lady. She just buried her two sons, a daughter, and a grandson. We were in an abandoned village, which was used by men, the rebels. Muslim custom forbade strange man to comfort a woman and so, her house, partially destroyed, was isolated, nobody dared coming even near it.I was the only woman, young, and inexperienced, and the only one who had to come and bring this woman ‘utesheniye’, a word Chechens used for comfort. I saw many Chechens wearing black but this old woman was darker than anything else I ever saw. I was torn inside. Her eyes looked like bleeding with pain, an enormous pain, inhuman. That day I became older. Older in such a way that I would never choose to come back to where I was before. I am grateful that the Chechen woman let me bring her ‘utesheniye’, whatever little I could bring her. The lady's name is Amrina. From Semitic languages it may be translated as "Joy of the People."

When Diana was talking about her life, her family, and her amazing jobs, I was thinking in my life too. There is one thing in common between her life and my life. Both of us needed to travel because the political situations in our cities was complicated. I was born in the Basque Country, in the north of Spain. We have a problem of terrorism. The terrorists threaten people because they need money to buy weapons. For this reason, my family and I have been traveling all our lifes. We cannot live safely in our city. However, we are a happy family. We learned how to live and protect ourselves in a difficult situation. I was glad to interviewed Diana because I know she is happy also in hard moments too.

SPANISH:

La persona a la que he entrevistado es Diana Ruah Kozlovkaja. Ella es mi compañera de casa y también es mi amiga. Ella tiene una vida muy interesante. Espero que os guste.

¿Qué significa la palabra mujer para ti?

Una mujer con coraje es adulta. He oído esta frase por parte de mi madre judía una y otra vez. Una mujer es un concepto, una fotografía, un idea en mi cabeza que cumple una idea q debería realizarse individualmente. Para mi la idea de ser y vivir como una mujer no existe separada de ser un individuo. Convertirse en un individuo es un asunto delicado. Gradualmente, paso a paso, convirtiéndose en un proceso q nunca acaba. Cuando eres honesto, considerado, y te das cuenta de cómo eres como mujer y cuándo sabes que no hay desconexión de otras causas que crean conflictos en el mundo. Pero también es el entendimiento.

Cuéntame una historia que te haya supuesto un reto como mujer.

Un reto viene cuando nunca esperas que venga. Viendo diversas facetas a través de la vida a través de los años, viajando y aprendiendo, he disfrutado más siendo una pequeña mujer que cargando con el reto de serlo. Y los exámenes, que han venido por el trayecto, han sido tomados con placer y apreciación, con humildad, como diría mi madre. Ellos me ayudan a crecer, siempre fortaleciéndome y haciéndome mejor persona. Siempre que venía, un reto me llenaba por dentro y encajaba cada parte dentro de mi. En frente mío, había una mujer joven chechena. Ella acababa de enterrar a sus dos hijos, a su hija y a un nieto. Nosotros nos encontrábamos en un pueblo abandonado, que era de los hombres, de los rebeldes. Una orden musulmana prohibía a los hombres extraños consolar a una mujer, así que su casa, parcialmente destrozada, y nadie podía ayudarla cerca de allí. Yo era la única mujer, joven y sin experiencia que podía ayudar a esta mujer a "utesheniyae" una palabra chechena que significa consolar. Vi a muchas personas de negro, pero esta anciana mujer era lo más negro que he visto nunca. Sus ojos me miraban con dolor, un enorme dolor, inhumano. Ese día me hice mayor. Mayor en el sentido de nunca querer vovler a los lugares que ya habái estado antes. Estoy agradecida a la mujer chechena que me trajo "utesheniyae" o lo que pude ayudarle. El nombre de la mujer es Amrina. En el lenguaje semético es traducido como " la laegría de la gente."

Cuando Diana me hablaba sobre su vida, yo pensaba en lña mía. Hay algo en común entre su vida y la mía. Las dos hemos tenido que viajar porque la situación política en nuestras ciudades ha sido complicada. Yo nací en el País Vasco, al norte de España. Nosotros tenemos un problema de terrorismo. Los terroristas amenazan a las personas porque necesitan dinero para comprar armas. Por esta razón, mi familia y yo hemos tenido que viajar siempre. Nunca hemos estado a salvo en nuestra ciudad. Sin embargo, nosotros somos una familia feliz. Hemos aprendido a yudarnos y a protegernos en situaciones difíciles. Me alegro de haber entrevistado a Diana, porque sé que ella también es feliz, incluso en momentos difíciles.

Power of A Woman/ R. Castillo

I interviewed my mom who I think is a strong woman because she has dealt with everything that has been thrown at her. She is 43 years old and was born and raised here in Santa Barbara. She is the youngest of nine children and has five children herself; also one grandchild. She works all day and is still able to come home and have fun with her grandson and make sure everything is in order.


What does the word “woman” mean to you?

I think the importance of being a woman is becoming a mother. Being a mother of five children is a very important role to me personally. It’s a job that I love because I am able to have fun with my kids as well as be serious with them. I think being able to succeed in raising my children on my own shows that a woman is strong enough to stand on her own two feet without the help of a man.
Is that all it means to you, just motherhood?
No, I also feel that being a woman doesn’t mean you have to be in the kitchen all the time, you can do just as much as a man can do if you set your mind to it. Women can do the same job a man can, and maybe even better. I work in the kitchen at work, then I come home and cook again for my kids, but that isn’t the only thing I do. I also go out and do the gardening and keep the house clean inside and out.


Is there an event in your life that has challenged you as a woman?

Losing your father after the 20 years we were together really challenged me as a woman. It was a difficult time for me because I had to do things on my own; there wasn’t someone next to me helping me make decisions. I had to make sure you and your brothers and sisters were getting things done like usual in between working a full day and having to come home and cook dinner. Handling five children on my own was difficult because everyone wanted my attention all at once and it felt like I needed to make clones of myself to go around. I was able to talk to you and your sisters fine because I was able to give you advice on issues you brought up. Talking to your brothers was another story. I knew they needed to talk to someone but I couldn’t be that person because it had to do with guy issues and guys aren’t supposed to talk to their mothers about those kind of issues.

Interviewing my mother for this project has shown me that I can be strong no matter what has obstacles come my way. She is a stong woman who I look up to. I hope I can get through things just like she has without giving up.

A Strength Of A Woman/ CPlowman

How do you define the word woman?

A woman is the back bone of our society. She may not be president or building skyscrapers but she is building the future generation. She molds and shapes the tone of our society by her strong influence. A woman has a calming peaceful effect that reduces violence. She is patient and consistent. She often takes on tasks that men can't or wont do. Woman often don't need the attention or praise that men do. I feel that to be a woman is to be strong.

Tell me about an event that challenged you as a woman?

I suppose the most difficult event that I ever endured was my divorce. The emotions of anger and jealousy can be over whelming and can consume all the good times of your life. I became determined to not let these emotions take hold of me but rather to look at the future as full of possibilities. It would have been easy to lose my self-worth as a woman but I strove to be more confident.

Enjoy being a woman/nDraeger

The woman I interviewed is my sister, who grew up in Germany, and is now 28. My mom raised us very unconventional. My mother always told us to live our lives the way we want, as long as we are happy with our decisions. I think, my sister and I grew up very different than my grandmother did, who saw her role as a wife and mother. My sister always lived her life free from any commitments. She lives very independent and wants to implement her aims in life before starting a family.

What does 'being a woman' mean to you?

Sister: Hmm, this is a hard question to answer!
First of all I am happy about being a woman and I would say that I had an easy live so far (as a woman). I think it's the same to you because I am just 4 years older than you and I would say that we grew up in the same 'time'. You know, we grew up very different than our grandma and I think it's easier for women to live now than it was at a time our grandma grew up. You remember when she often told us about her view of a woman – for her, it means being a supportive wife. She did the housework which was harder to do than today, raised the children, and hold together the whole family – do you know what I mean? And there was no time for anything else like hobbies, sports or anything else we do now for our own pleasure. You know that I always wanted to travel and work in different places. I can do that, but I don’t believe that our grandma could have done this. Can you imagine? As a woman in this time, you were cast as a mother, and a person who takes care for the house and all this. But you couldn't really implement your dreams, I guess.

Yes, I know what you mean, but do you think our life now is easier than the life of our grandma?

Sister: So see, our grandma was absolutely dependent on our grandpa. He was the one who went to work and our grandmother was home, did the dishes and cleaned the house. And at this time cleaning the house, doing the dishes was not that easy like it is today. It was hard work for her. It was a full time job for her. But you see, today, I can do all that right after work. And I love to go to work – outside of home. I would die to stay home all the time and taking care for the house – I am so thankful that we have a dishwasher, a laundry machine, and everything is so easy to handle. Don't you think? I love to have all that time to meet friends, going out, making sports and all that. I think I can design my life more than our grandma could do.


I think the same and I can't imagine that our grandma had the same opportunities than we have now. So, the role of being a woman has changed a lot during the last generations. But can you think of an event where it was challenging for you to be a woman.

Sister:
Hmm, I don't know exactly because I haven't had many problems being a woman so far. But, can you remember the time I was working as a waitress in that restaurant? I don't know but my colleague, Susanne, and I we had always some annoying situations with male guests. Of course, we were supposed to treat the customers nice, doesn't matter if they were male or female. That's normal when you work in a restaurant. But some men treated Susanna and me very grotty. It was not obvious but they made little comments to make us feel just as a 'little, girly waitress'. Their gestures and little comments said everything. And I can remember that they tipped us always more than our mal colleagues. Ok, that was nice, but it made me feel always a little strange and degraded as person. These men were a minority and most of the time it was fun but these men made me feel awkward and not very comfortable being a woman. And besides this, our male colleagues had never had such problems. Guess why ….

But you know, I think that women in my age don't face the same hard challenges as their mothers or grandmothers.
And being a woman doesn't mean to me necessarily being a wife and a mother who supports her husband. Gender roles and expectations have changed and I kind of like that :)

My mother / By E Ito

I interviewed with my mother. Because I thought she was strong woman and she had some story to tell about... Also she doesn't much talk about herself, so I wanted toknow something about her.

My mother live in Osaka, Japan. She is 47 years old. She's been housewife since she got first married.

*What does woman mean to you?

Being strong and sometimes weak.

I think woman means mother.
Woman makes a family.
Woman makes family happy and makes place warm.
Woman support man, because woman is powerful than man in many ways.

*What event that challenged you as a woman?

A year ago, my father slumped over from a cancer. When I got the hospital where my father was carried to and saw him, I wasn't upset at all. I didn't know why, maybe I was ready for that. Then I went to see a doctor to talk about diagnosis of my father's condition. The doctor said about how long he could live. That was about six months. Finally I got upset after I heard that.

I started taking care of him everyday. At first taking care of him was hard for me, because I had to see him getting weak and nearing his end. I was so sad that I sometimes thought that I wanted him to die sooner, so I wouldn't have to be sad all six months long. Of course I didn't want him to die, but it was so hard and sad to take care of him. I was thinking only about myself. I thought I was the only one who felt suffer. But after talking with my brother, I realized that I should have not thought like that. He was only my father. Six months was only left time for me and my father.

After that, I took care of him seriously with full of love. I always searched about what was good food for him or which hospital had good doctor or something.
Several months before he died, I found it in myself that taking care of him was all for me. When I knew that I was thinking that taking care of him was for me and my job. That made me not felt sad and hard than before.

Now he died, and it was really sad. But all that happens between when he was carried to the hospital and he died made me strong and live with positive thinking, no matter what happen. This event made me strong.

What do you think about your divorce and remarriage?

These event was hard to me and made me strong, and a lot of things changed. I had two daughters that I had to take care of, so it was big decision of my life. I don't know it was good for my daughters but I needed to divorce and remarry for their future.

Now my daughter is studying in the States and other one living with her father and working at clothing store. I believe they are having fun their life and living right.
I believe that I did right dicision.

My Sister / By: Christoffer Nyman

I’m now going to explain what my sister Manny Mattson feels about being a woman. My sister is a very strong person and has faced a lot of challenging situations that might have been easier to complete if being a man. But being a woman has never scared my sister and she has always accomplished her goals.

What does being a woman mean to you?

Being a woman is both easy and difficult, depending on which age you’re in. you have a whole different safety, authority, and self-esteem when you’re forty-five, compared to being in your thirties. At that age you’re most likely getting birth to your kids and that just take the time it does. Unfortunately, a lot of women take over almost all that responsibility, just because it kind of “should be like that”. That means that they have to wait with doing anything else that they want to do in life. It’s hard for me to explain what it truly means of being a woman, but for me it’s all about that it shouldn’t be any difference of being a man. I should have the same rights as a man, and the same salary for the same job as a man. However, there is a physical difference. Many feminists’ draws that line straight and I find that really ridiculous. I can not work in a mine, just because I don’t have the right muscular strengths for it. We can not continue carry on with equality without knowing this. Many feminists actually forget that.

Tell me of an event that challenged you as a woman?

Describe anything that has challenged me? Yes, that’s a lot. Within my work I have no great ambition for taking over any manager position (I have already turned that down twice). It’s more important for me to have god, flexible times and great colleagues. My leisure time is more important.
My big interest is handball, which controls my leisure time and it’s there I put all my time and strength. The challenge of being a woman in one of the greatest sports in Sweden has of course being hard.
I always put up new goals and I will never quit until I have managed them all. I had, for example, decided to take my team to the Swedish Championship final, which I did. When I said yes to take over the district team, I wanted to win the whole Swedish Cup, which we did. Both of the time there has been surprised men around me saying “well done, it can’t be easy doing this job being a woman and all”. That’s not the best thing telling me! But even if I don’t like hearing that it leads me to become more definite to stamp on the men’s territory. I was asked several times if I wanted to be a part of the board of directors for the handball club, before I finally said yes, three years ago. I worked in that committee for two years and started to understood that if I wanted to continue working here, I need to take over the chairman position, so that I can get the club in the direction I want it.. This I did one year ago. I would say that everything is possible if you really want it. You just need to find the courage to stand up and don’t let anyone drive over you. It’s wonderful to be a woman; because it’s almost all the time men you’re going to challenge and that is fun. Feminism is good as long as it doesn’t go exaggeration. Equality is a matter of course.

A Strong and Beautiful woman

The woman I am going to introduce you to today is a young Polish girl named Katarzena. She was born and raised in Poland but decided to come to the United States of America when she was 25 years old. She grew up in a small village of the North West of Poland, close to the Russian border. When she was 19 years old, her father died and it represented a crucial moment for her as a woman. This is the time in her life that we are going to talk about in this interview.

What does being a woman mean to you?
To me being a woman means being able to combine warmth and strength. As a woman you are the symbol of love and affection. Your basic function is to bear children and to raise by giving security, love and affection. But a woman is not only this, a woman is also a very strong individual that is challenged in her daily life. In the temporary times we have seen a lot of women fighting for their rights, the feminist type of women. A woman to me is someone who can be both successful in her private life and in her professional one. Being a woman does not only restrict you to your basic function but it is also about being able to manage a wide range of different tasks.

Do you see yourself as a real woman?
Yes. I think I can combine my femininity with my career life. I enjoy being a woman by being pretty and attractive, just like every other woman, but I also enjoy pushing myself to learn and to become successful. I do not only want to be a pretty girl. I want people to look at me and listen to what I have to say and think I am smart. Looks isn’t everything.

What episode of your life challenged you as a woman?
The death of my dad, for sure. After my father died I had a weird dream that really shocked me, and that has stayed in my mind ever since. I guess we can say it was the awakening of sensuality. It may sound strange that the death of my father was the starting point of my life as a woman, but it pretty much was. One night I dreamed of myself living this life of an attractive and desirable woman. Men would look at me and want to be with me. I had never experienced anything like this before. I had never thought of myself as a woman that men would look at with greedy eyes. I always had a very naïve vision of life. The only man in my life was my dad. But after he was gone I noticed that other men looked at me differently. It was very challenging for me to realize I could be sexually attractive. Growing up in a small village in Poland, it was taboo to talk about sex, so young women were not really aware of their sexuality. The death of my father was a big trauma in my life, and it brought a lot of different feelings to me. This episode of my life, however tragic it was, was definitely a moment of awakening to womanhood. I can say that from that time on, my vision of life has changed completely, I was no longer a child but a grown woman.

My Hero/ By: Ashley Calderon

Interview with Pamela Blanchard

I interviewed my mother Pamela. She is fourty years old. She was been married twice. She has spent twenty years of her life living in Santa Barbara and just recently moved to Santa Maria and bought her own house. For a year she was been waking up at 5:45 am and leaving for work at 6:30 am down to Santa Barbara. She is a very hard worker and she never gives up on what she starts.

What is your full name?

A: Pamela Jane Staguaard

Do you have any brothers or sisters?

A: I have one younger brother. His name is John and he is expecting his first child soon with his wife Catalina.

Where did you grow up?

A: I grew up in San Fernando Valley; I lived in Van Nuys and North Hollywood. I moved to Santa Barbara after high school.

How old are you?

A: 40 years old

What was an experience that changed your life as a woman?

A: I was accepted into California Lutheran College. I decided to get married instead at the age of 22. I married my first husband (David) in Santa Barbara in March 1988. We lived in a one bed room and bathroom apartment in Goleta. In November of 1989 you (Ashley, her daughter) were born. August of 1994, David had left us. You (Ashley) and I had moved into a smaller home that your family lived in before. David and my divorce were very stressful and also depressing. I became a couch potatoes and it was very difficult to move on with my life.

I finally snapped out of it when I met my second husband Louis. Louis and I met in January of 1997 and got married in June of 2000. Marring him was the best thing I could of done besides having my daughter (Ashley).

Where are you today? I am living in Santa Maria, CA with my family.

A: I am also working at SBCC. I started working in the foundation, and then I moved to payroll. Now I am working in Human Resources.

Are you happy with your life right now?

Yes, I am very happy with my life. I have a beautiful family, a roof over my head, food on the table, a great job, good health and adorable fun loving pets.

Have you learned a lot in your life?

A: Life is short! Enjoy it while you can. I learned to be happy and also how to be a better person.

What does the word woman mean to you?

A: When I hear the woman I think of slave. We should not be treated lower than anyone else. Women should feel amazing in their own skin. We should have all equal rights to men. The word woman makes me feel proud and strong.

I loved to hear about my mother speaking about her life. I learn something new everyday from her. Listening to her speak about her life to me has changed me for the good and the bad. I know that she made acouple of mistakes in her life and I know now that I will not make those mistakes. I do know though I will always take after my mother with her kind heart and outgoing personality.

Challenges make us stronger/F.Duarte

We are all well known that a mother’s life is not so easy. Children, Job, Husband, House, and a lot of other responsibilities to take. However, we normally don’t pay attention to the facts that really happen and make a mother feels proud because of it. That is why I am describing a story and an interview about a mother that I truly have an appreciation.

- How do you see yourself as a woman?

I feel very proud of being woman, because in spite of everything that still happens against us, like injustices and discriminations, I feel we, woman, have gotten stronger and stronger. We have proved that we are capable and have conditions to face every difficulty that we have in our lives, and inevitable obstacles and challenges that we are obligated and used to face, never giving up.


- What is the challenge for you, as a woman?

I think that the woman’s day-by-day is a constant challenge, because we have to work, give attention and take care of our sons and our husband, take care of our home, always worrying about everything that is around us, always on the run. And of course, take care of ourselves, psychologically and aesthetically. I emphasize the aesthetic. We have to keep up our health and our beauty, not to look sloppy, because we are an example for our family and acquaintances.


- What is the biggest challenge that you have ever had in your life?

My biggest challenge ever was to take care of two dear people when they got sick – my son and my husband. I had to keep strong and under control to help them, because otherwise the things could not have had a good result as they fortunately had. My son had a delicate surgery by his eight years old. He had to be in treatment for a while, and I had to be with him, even in the hospital, for a long time. It made me feel good because I saw how strong I could be as mother. My husband had depression, and it was another hard thing for me to handle. Patience and self-control were two necessary things for me. With all my effort, I could keep my great family under control.


- What does the word woman mean to you?

Finally, the meaning of the word woman is, for me, a mix of determination and tenderness, plus a right dose of sensibility. It is exactly what makes us different to men.


Now, she has not worked anymore. She has just taken care of her family, even because her husband is about to retire himself. She has a couple, and her daughter, 26 years old, works with Occupational Theraphy. Her son, 24 , lives abroad. She uses to spend her weekends and vacations time in a farm house, 50 miles away from her home.

.

Translation to Portuguese (without pontuation):

.

Todos nos sabemos que a vida de uma mae nao e’ facil. Criancas para cuidar, marido, trabalho, casa, a muitas outras responsabilidades. Contudo, nos nao prestamos atencao nos fatos que realmente ocorrem e fazem um mae sentir-se orgulhosa. Este e’ o porque de eu estar escrevendo uma estoria e entrevista sobre uma mulher que eu realmente aprecio.

Como voce se ve como mulher?
Eu me sinto orgulhosa de ser mulher, porque apesar de tudo que acontece contra as mulheres, como injusticas e discrimanacao, eu sinto que nos, mulheres, estamos cada vez mais fortes. Nos temos provado que somos capazes e que temos condicoes de enfrentar todas as dificuldades que temos em nossas vidas, e obstaculos e desafios inevitaveis que somos obrigadas e costumamos encarar, nunca desistindo.

Qual e’ o maior desafio para voce, como mulher?
I acho que o dia-a-dia da mulher e’ um constante desafio, porque nos temos que trabalhar, dar atencao e cuidar dos nossos filhos e do nosso marido, cudar da casa, sempre se preocupando com tudo que esta a nossa volta, sempre em atividade. E claro, cuidar de nos mesmas, psicologicamente e esteticamente. Eu enfatizo a estetica. Nos temos que manter nossa saude e nossa beleza, para nao parecer desleixada, pois somos um exemplo para nossas familliares e colegas.

Qual e’ o maior desafio que voce ja’ teve em toda a sua vida?
O maior desafio que eu ja’ tive foi o de cuidar de duas pessoas muito queridas que ficaram doente – meu filho e meu marido. Eu tive que ser forte e ficar sob controle para ajuda-los, porque caso contrario as coisas nao caminhariam bem como felizmente caminharam. Meu filho teve uma delicada cirurgia quando ela tinha oito anos de idade. Ele esteve em tratamento por um longo tempo, e eu tive que estar junto a ele, mesmo no hospital, por muito tempo. Isso fez com que eu me sentisse bem, pois eupude ver como eu sou forte como mae. Meu marido teve depressao, e isso foi outro fato dificil de lidar. Paciencia e auto-controle foram duas coisas extremamente necessarias para mim. Com todo este esforco, eu consegui manter tudo sobre controle com a minha familia.

O que a palavra Mulher representa para voce?
O sentido da palavra mulher e’, para mim, uma mistura de ternura e determinacao, somada a uma certa dose de sensibilidade. Isso e’ exatamente o que nos faz diferente dos homens.

Hoje nem dia, ela nao trabalha mais. Ela apenas cuida de sua familia, mesmo porque seu marido pretende se aposentar em breve. Ela tem dois filhos, um casal. Sua filha, de 26 anos, trabalha com Terapia Ocupacional. Seu filho, 24, e’ estudante e vive no exterior. Ela costuma viajar para sua casa de interior – a oitenta quilometros da capital – nas ferias e finais de semana.

.

.

ESSAY - Life is Made of Challenges

.

“I know that I don’t know anything.” That is what I realized during my growth. I have faced challenges during my whole life that inevitably have made me grow up as man. After twenty-four years of life, I have started to understand the meaning from everything that has happened to me. Among so many challenges, one that is currently and actually happening can be stood out.

Brazil has faced social problems of inequality since the military regime was over. After years of the system’s ineffectiveness, so many people get nothing, and some others have too much. I am greatly thankful because I have ever had the privilege of such a good life, even studying in particular high schools and universities, financed by my parents.

As a result of social crises, the inevitable unemployment has gotten a large number of the population. The consequence was an unfair competition on job market followed by a low average of wages under the expectative plus non-recognition of personal talents.

As decisions in life always turn up suddenly, I decided to come to the United States of America to learn the most important language spoken in the world, although I have graduated from business. It opened a window for me, also opening my mind, and therefore, it has created a challenge for me. I have been living in California for a couple of years, and now, I am planning to take international business classes next semester. I have realized that now, I have full responsibility about my life, already living by myself, abroad. It doesn’t mean that I don’t need my parents’ help and support, either financially or emotionally. I am going to have the challenge of graduating by my second language, and improve my career developing a few years of professional experience in the U.S., to be ready and have a plus on the Brazilian’s job market.

Even though it seems sameness, I emphasize the word strength. That is what I, a man, think that I must have. That is what most of the notorious men have had in the history of the world; the power to create things, discover the impossible, build societies, face controversies, and destroy the humanity. And I am just looking for the right way to create my story, discover my happiness, build my life and my future, and face my challenges, helping the humanity.