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At home in two worlds Mail Tribune / Bob Pennell South Medford High School students, from left to right in the foreground, Yesenia Banuelos, Celia Ledezma, Banca Vallalta and Sarah McGee gather in a stairwell at the school during their lunch period. Hispanic students often find themselves caught between the culture of their native Mexican parents and their new home, suburban America. As their parents toil to become part of the valley�s Anglo culture, Hispanic students know both languages � and both societies By DAMIAN MANN With their feet planted firmly in two cultures, Hispanic students have become one of the best bridges between the Anglo and Latino worlds. These cultural emissaries are helping the Rogue Valley community understand what it�s like to be Hispanic in a predominately Anglo society. They are also part of the Rogue Valley�s biggest and fastest-growing minority, with 12,126 living here � more than double the number of a decade ago, according to U.S. Census figures. On a given day they can be helping their parents translate at the store, on the telephone or at the doctor�s office. Then at school, they are as comfortable chatting in English with friends or teachers as they are in Spanish with their Latino friends. In recent interviews, six Hispanic students at North and South Medford high schools unanimously agreed they have had very few problems living in two cultures. But parents of these children still struggle to make inroads into the Anglo world, primarily because their proficiency in English is limited. As a result, these students become their parents� translators, sometimes with frustrating results. "My parents get so mad when letters and stuff come in the mail and I can�t tell them what it says in Spanish because the words are so hard," said 16-year-old Yesenia Banuelos at South Medford. Juan Hernandez, 16, at North Medford said, "It�s frustrating for them. I can�t always be perfect when I�m translating." Born in Morelia, Mexico, Hernandez said his family decided to move to America four years ago to learn English. He admits the first year was lonely as he struggled to learn the language. Damian Camacho, 17, at North Medford said, "My mom already understands English, she�s just afraid to speak it. But I know she can do it." Many of the students agree it will be difficult, if not impossible, for their parents to learn English because they are not immersed in the language, and because of their reluctance to speak it for fear of making mistakes. These students have such ease with the two languages that they sometimes forget that they are speaking Spanish when they should be speaking English. Camacho, born in Cocula, Mexico, said there is even a term for mixing words from each language into the other: "Spani-English." In general, the students agree there are major differences between the two cultures. America, they feel, has generally better economic conditions, but the Latino culture offers a more close-knit family structure. Juana Sanchez, 16, at South Medford said, "Somebody�s mom that I know told me that we�re so lucky to live here because in Mexico we wouldn�t have any underwear, or good clothes." Camacho said, "Wages are no good in Mexico." Many people work half the year in the United States, he said, then return to Mexico for the other half to live with their family. "A lot of people live here alone, but send money back to Mexico," he said. But "money is not happiness," he added. "In Mexico you are content with what you get." Celia Ledezma, 15, at South Medford said, "When I lived in Mexico it wasn�t hard, because my dad was like what you would call the mayor." Many of the students said their parents believe that in America there is more violence, more drugs and too many gangs. "There are too many gangsters and wanna-be gangsters," said Banuelos. "It�s too bad because many of the guys in gangs are cute." Although the students say they have Anglo friends, they tend to associate more with other Latino students. Rodolfo Flores, 16, at South Medford said, "It doesn�t matter to me what color skin a person has." A teacher of English as a second language at South Medford High, Victoria Snow Mountain, said, "Even though Latinos don�t hang out with whites, the whites also tend to form in cliques, where one group will associate with a similar group." With increasing numbers of minorities in schools, she said educators have become more interested in what it takes to teach these students. "I think the Latino students are finding more of a place in the schools than they used to." Many of the students said they will be the first in their family to graduate from high school. "My brothers had to drop out to get jobs," said Banuelos. One thing the girls particularly like is that they won�t be getting married too soon. Banuelos� parents were married at 14. "This is the reason they don�t want us to date this young, because they don�t want us to make the same mistake as they did," she said. Other girls said it is not uncommon in Mexico for a 13-year-old girl to go out with a 19-year-old man. Most students said they have had few problems with other students in the school and racist remarks are heard infrequently. But, Camacho said not all differences are greeted enthusiastically by the Anglo culture � particularly the tendency of Hispanics to wear gold. He said many people from his culture put away chains and bracelets unless they are with other Latinos. Camacho, on the other hand, is proud to wear the gold, particularly a bracelet with the words "Damian" engraved on it. "I am not ashamed of my culture," Camacho said proudly. Reach reporter Damian Mann at 776-4476, or e-mail [email protected] Immigrant students often have a tough time By DAMIAN MANN The first few months in the United States for Chinese-born Alexandra Huang were lonely ones. "I didn�t have any friends here," said this 15-year-old student at South Medford High School. "I felt like we were all alone here." Another immigrant to America, Russian-born Oleg Garmash, also at South Medford, has found the differences in culture too great and is considering eventually moving back to his home country. "Here, it�s all about money," said the 18-year-old youth. "People are fake here." These reactions underscore the complicated emotional issues that confront immigrants who move to America, particularly if their English is limited or nonexistent. Victoria Snow Mountain, who teaches English as a second language at South Medford High, said a lot of her immigrant students have difficulties living in America. "Many of my students say they don�t like it here and would prefer to go home," she said. "They are immigrating because their parents want to come and they don�t feel they have a choice in it." The main complaint is that there are too many cultural differences, she said, particularly with the United States being materialistic, while other countries are more family oriented. If a student is not totally bilingual, it is also difficult for them to communicate with other students. Huang has gone from learning about 10 words in English to about 10,000 after being here just one year. When she first arrived, she said, "I missed my friends, I missed my grandpa." But now she has learned to speak English and has friends. "I feel much better." Now that she has become acquainted with this culture, she has found Americans friendlier. "The Chinese are so serious ... I like American people." Garmash, who has many friends at the school, believes that the Russian culture supports people better than the American culture. "Here it is just too hard." He also thinks there is more bureaucracy in the United States than in Russia. "The cultures are too different." Reach reporter Damian Mann at 776-4476, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.