Graphic Card

Querencia Final

          Huddled up in a desk, I'm feeling overwhelmed. My fingers are tapping on the caramel colored desk that was assigned to me, one by one, creating a rhythm in an attempt to soothe my mind. A thousand thoughts come thrusting to my brain, bringing me down in the form of a military invasion. I try to think of a place where I can let go of all these worries, and escape from this military force. But where can I go?
         Finally, the bell rings, giving me the slightest bit of relief. I quickly grab my things and leave the classroom. As I'm walking down to the front of the school, I once again try to create a rhythm in an attempt of relaxation.  I listen to my steps as I'm walking. Left, right, left, right. Boom, boom, boom, boom. My hand starts to pat my thigh between the steps, creating a four-beat rhythm. As I continue to make my way down to the front, the beat evolves to a more complex beat to which both my hands and feet are tapping. I look out to the parking lot to see my mom in her charcoal colored Infiniti, waiting for me to see her and get in the car. I walk over to the car, get in, and after warmly greeting my mom with the usual "Hi Mami", I immediately turn on the radio. I can finally feel myself loosening up. My deep fried brain starting to relax. 
         We get home, and I go up to my room. I open up the laptop to turn on Pandora. Laying down, I doze off in my thoughts and forget about the rest of the world. Maybe it's the passionate words perfectly placed together to form lyrics that coincidentally match my situation, or the instruments that work as a team to produce a mood-capturing rhythm, whatever it is, music always get me. It can always take me away.       

         Although music isn't a real tangible place, it's where I go to when I am going through hard times and need an escape. Music is something that is always there, and never changes unless I want it to. It's always there for me when people are not, and always relates to me.

Querencia Brianstorm Yo

           Although music isn't a real tangible place, its where I go to when I am going through hard times and need an escape. Music is something that is always there, and never changes unless I want it to. Maybe its the passionate words perfectly placed together to form lyrics that coincidentally match my situation, or the instruments that work as a team to produce a mood-capturing rhythm, whatever it is, music always gets me. Its always there for me when people are not, and always relates to me.

       

Roots & Recipes Final Draft

           

Just getting home from school, I set my bag down and stumble to the couch; trying to get my mind off of all the homework I was just assigned. I take a deep breath, and there it is.. The scent of Mami’s arros con gandules suddenly came rushing to my nose. I feel a slight sense of relief and excitement, because when there is Arros con Gandules, there is always a reason to celebrate.

Arroz con Gandules has been a part of my family tradition for many generations and generations to come. Every time I visit Puerto Rico, my distant family always comes together and prepares Arroz con Gandules, along with many other food items, to welcome me. I really couldn’t imagine a better welcoming than that. Simply explaining Arroz con Gandules makes my eyes go wide, and my stomach grumble. Back in Puerto Rico, food would always bring us together. It was something in which we could all find common ground, and Arroz con Gandules plays a big role in that. There are countless reasons why this delicious dish is so loved, and prepared for so many occasions. When I asked Mami why Arroz con Gandules is so appreciated by our culture she replied with, “It represents who we are. I has ties from the African and Spaniard ancestry and shows how mix our culture is.”

“It reminds me of home. The smell of the ingredients and all of them put together reminds me of back home. It reminds me of being with my grandparents back in the countryside of the island”, my mom reminisced. She told me stories of how she would watch Abuelita Carmen pick the Gandules of the Gandule tree, “… One by one she would put them in the bucket.”  

Arroz con Gandules is a combination of rice, pigeon peas and pork, cooked in the same pot with Puerto Rican-style sofrito. Aside from Gandules, Arroz con Gandules consisted of: sofrito (garlic, onion, green peppers, olive oil, salt and cilantro), rice, ham, salt, adobo, pork chop, 1 packet of sazon, olive oil, olives, red roasted peppers, and banana leaves. All these ingredients come together to be slowly cooked to reach a level of perfection that is mouthwatering. Mami would first heat the olive oil and sauté the pork chop already seasoned with adobo. Once the pork chop is fully cooked, add the sofrito and ham. Stir all that up for a little bit, and then add the gandules, let that simmer for a few minutes. Now add the rice, and stir up. After that, add the olives and red roasted peppers. Stir everything together, Mami put a lot of emphasis on the mixing and stirring, “… the most important thing is that you mix well the ingredients.” She explained to me. After you have mixed everything well, you cover the pot with banana leaves and put the lid of the pot over the banana leaves.

Arroz con Gandules is more than just food. It’s a part of who I am as a Puerto Rican. It helps reassure me that no matter where the military sends me, I will always be Puerto Rican at heart.