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8A the university daily kansan
news
thursday,april22,2004
BORDER: Spanish speakers find life in Lawrence challenging
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1A
Jeff Brandsted/Kansan
Raul Perez Estrella, Olathe resident, stocked corn tortillas in his store, La Estrella, 2449 lowe St. Estrella opened the store because there were no other Mexican specialty stores in Lawrence.
Here are their stories.
some of these individuals, knowing that there is a growing population doesn't help. They're still stuck in transition, a foot in two separate worlds, as they carve out their new identities in Kansas.
Betty Sanchez, Hugoton freshman, is constantly working to improve her language skills. Sanchez lived in the United States for two years before moving Zacatecas, Mexico. She returned to Kansas when she was 15, forcing her to readjust to the English language.
Victor Vaca
hat.
"For three months here. I had a stomachache after every time I ate." he said.
For Vaca, food was one of the biggest obstacles to adjusting to life in the United States. In Bolivia food is bought fresh, has fewer spices and less grease and fat.
ate). he said.
Vaca sometimes buys natural food from the The Community Mercantile, 901 Iowa, that's similar to some food from his country, but it's not the same.
"Sometimes I just want to eat something from Bolivia," he said. "I'm still missing my food and my mom to cook it."
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"The they felt the same way as I did so we helped each other," Vaca said. "It was very helpful to have someone in the same situation."
It took Vaca about six months to feel comfortable in Lawrence. He said living in K.K. Amini Scholarship Hall, getting a job on campus and meeting a group of students from Bolivia helped ease the transition. And although Vaca doesn't spend as much time with his fellow Bolivian students anymore, he said those first friendships were valuable.
someone in the University. Like Lawrence, the Hispanic population has also increased at the University. According to self-reported figures from the University Registrar, the number of Hispanic students has increased from 1 percent of the student population, or 250 students, in the fall of 1983 to 3.1 percent, or 834 students, in 2003.
For Vaca, home is not in the United States. He came to the University because it is a good but relatively cheap school, and Lawrence has low housing and
cost of living. He plans to return to Bolivia after he graduates to become a petroleum engineer for the government.
the governor.
"I'll never be a resident. I'll always be a foreigner," Vaca said.
"But I have a balance. I'm stable and steady."
Kemly Regidor
Kelly Regidor
Becoming stable and steady in Lawrence wasn't easy for Kemly Regidor. When her husband, Jorge, decided to finish his doctorate degree at the University, the couple and their four children moved from Costa Rica. Regidor did not know a word of English.
sad.
"I was scared about even answering a phone call," Regidor said.
for several months, the language barrier kept Regidor stuck in her former world. It kept her from doing the simplest of daily activities, such as running errands or having a conversation.
sat:
With her children and husband in school, Regidor started to take English classes. Eventually she began to feel as though she knew the language.
Even though Regidor is now comfortable with her life in Lawrence, she still seeks out reminders of home. Each week, Regidor and her family attend
"Sometimes I just want to eat something from Bolivia."
Victor Vaca
Santa Cruz, Bolivia junior
mass at St. John the Evangelist church where they can choose either an English or Spanish mass.
Father Charles Polifka, a priest at St. John's, said he started having Spanish services because he had a large Spanish-speaking congregation. About 250 people came for his first service last October, he said.
Regidor helped with the initial planning of the services, but she no longer goes to the Spanish mass all the time.
October 11 I realized that there were people out there who were searching for a place to go." Polikia said.
"It's important to keep your own language,but you're living in the United States — you need to learn English," Regidor said.
Regidor sometimes attends the Spanish mass because she said it was more comfortable for her. And when she longs for another taste of home, she goes to La Estrella.
ARISING POPULATION
Raul Perez Estrella
According to self-reported figures, the number and percentage of Hispanic students at the University has steadily increased since 1983.
Fall 1983 250 students 1 percent of total population
Fall 1988 359 students 1.4 percent of total
Fall 1993 506 students 1.9 percent of total
Fall 1998 594 students 2.4 percent of total
Fall 2003 834 students 3.1 percent of total
Raul Perez Estrella If you drive around the Holiday Plaza on Iowa Street, you just might miss La Estrella. It it'sucked in between several larger stores, hidden from most of Lawrence. But owner Raul Perez Estrella wants more people to learn about his store.
La Estrella, 2449 Iowa St., is a small store that rents Spanish videos and sells CDs, phone cards and groceries. Inside, Estrella has about 600 videos — he buys 20 to
30 more each week. Along with the videos, Estrella said phone cards were some of his most popular products. Estrella buys about 200 phone cards each week to keep his customers connected to home.
Unlike his customers, Estrella's presence in Lawrence is only part time. Estrella came to the United States from Mexico in
Source: Board of Regents Damographics Report, University Registrar
1988, lived in California for nine years and then moved to Olathe. Estrella now makes the 45-minute drive from Olathe to Lawrence for his business.
Lawrence for his store in Estrella opened his store in March 2003 because unlike Lawrence, Olathe already had several Spanish video stores.
any stores." Estrella said
Betty Sanchez
"I see a good population of Hispanics here, but I don't see
Betty Sanchez Like Vaca and Regidor, Betty Sanchez has learned to adjust to life in the United States. But one thing separates the freshman from the others: Sanchez is a U.S. citizen. Born in Fort Worth,
SEE BORDER ON PAGE 9A
Life abroad: Excitement fades to culture shock, acceptance
Jeff Brandsted/Kansar
Videos line the wall at La Estrella, 2449 Iowa St., a store that offers American blockbusters in Spanish, among other items. The store has a growing collection of about 600 videos available for rent.
By Jodie Kraft
jkraftt@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
Anyone who lives in a foreign country for an extended period of time experiences culture shock, said Margaret Coffey, associate director of the Applied English Center. Upon arriving, the traveler first experiences what Coffey calls the honeymoon phase: the sights, sounds and even differences between the two cultures are new and exciting.
You don't have to get married to experience the ups and downs of a honeymoon, shock and irritation with your spouse and finally acceptance. Just go to another country.
During the culture shock phase, the once intriguing cultural differences begin to become irritating. Coffey said factors such as differences in food, housing situations, academics, language and homesickness can add up to a stressful situation.
This phase can last anywhere from six months to one year until adjustment happens.
adjustment happens. "They may have some ripples after that, but generally the worst is over in a year," Coffee said.
Factors such as age, the presence of family members and status in society can contribute to well a person adjusts.
"People don't realize how much of our identity is in our jobs. Meeting new people who don't
"They're excited when they first arrive, but as time goes on —
"They're excited when they first arrive, but as time goes on — anywhere from a few weeks to a couple of months it just isn't that fun
anywhere from a few weeks to a couple of months — it just isn't that fun anymore," Coffey said.
anymore."
Margaret Coffey
Margaret Coffey
Associate director of the Applied
English Center
have any sense of who you were can be a shocking experience," she said.
But coping with culture shock and moving toward adjustment aren't impossible.
"There was an old notion that in order to learn another language, you had to completely divorce yourself from your lan-
She said experts now realize it's very valuable for people to get together with others from their home country to speak their native language or eat native food.
"You can express strong feelings and deep emotions that you can't do otherwise," Coffey said.
To ease culture shock, Coffey said having a regular routine, exercising, eating healthy and making friends were essential. She said students have an advantage over other visitors and residents because they have the opportunity to join different university organizations and teams.
"Students are in a good position to adjust well," Coffey said.
Edited by Danielle Hill
P.