Chicken to Eagle

Wow! Grad School is more then I thought it would be and it is all-good. If all of my classes are this challenging yet this fulfilling I will be a redefined version of myself, better if possible. I am taking two courses this summer and I have learned so much in both of them and I have only had 5 class days. OK, Ok, so this is a synopsis and when I say synopsis I mean short not too many details, Basically things that make you go hmm . . . summary.

Foundations of Educational Leadership

Ok so this last week we have been talking about what a leader is and what kind of a leader we are? Two questions that are difficult to answer. As my brother said it is easier to identify one then to define one. So my Ah Ha! Moment this week was a clarification that occurred to me. When I was about 21 or so I remember coming home from the restaurant crying. I was so sad because some one had not done what I had told them to do. The specifics I don't remember. . . but the jest of the story is that I came home crying to complain to my grandfather. I told him the entire story and he started to laugh. WHAT?! Where was the sympathetic, I love you, you are my favorite granddaughter good advice that usually (and still does) sooth my soul. No, not any of that came out of his mouth. The louder he laughed the more I cried. I was hurt and felt that my one protector had turned his back on me. Once he was able to compose himself, He said in a stern voice that only he had "Belinda, eres tan tonta" for those of you who don't speak Spanish basically he told me "Belinda, you are so dumb". Well as you can imagine my already hurt ego just fell apart. He continued to give me some advice that I never understood. See, I insisted that he make me a manager. In my mind EVERYONE would do EVERYTHING that I said if I had the title thus making me the leader. He then explained to me that everyone who worked at the restaurant owned it and that I had no right to a title just because I was his granddaughter. Well, since I didn't get the warm fuzzy nor a title handed to me I was done, done with the conversation and outburst. I honestly never, never understood that until this last week. See my grandfather use to tell one of my aunts that he was not raising chickens, but that he was raising eagles. Eagles that could soar and see beyond what a chicken could see. As we spoke about the difference between a manager and a leader suddenly my grandfathers teaching became almost tangible for me. I am more convinced today then ever that my grandfather was a visionary man, a man with insight and wisdom that has and continues to bless my life. He was for every intent and purpose a leader. He was some one that inspired and motivated others to be better and do better for themselves. What a powerful legacy he has left for me to ponder as through life I go through the transformation of a chicken to an eagle.

My second class is Multicultural Education a Holistic Approach. Well for those of you who know me, you know that this is right up my alley. Had there been a multicultural program anywhere in the state of Utah . . . I would be there. Well my greatest Ah Ha! Moment in this class so far is how broad culture really is. I have always felt privileged to have such a rich culture as a Mexican-American. However, now I have learned that we all come from varied and rich cultures. I love the fact that last week after class, Rachel, Cassie and Mariah went out to dinner with me and we discussed our cultures. The cultures we spoke about included the obvious ones of ethnicity, language and food. Then we got into deeper ones like religion, age, gender, divorced children vs. traditional families, birth orders, and so many other things that I honestly feel guilty for thinking that I was so unique because I was bi-cultural. Yes! Being raised as one of only a handful of Latin families in Provo in the 80's & 90's was a cultural experience I will never forget or regret. However, we are all multi-cultural. We all bring different experiences to the table that should be looked upon as strengths and not weaknesses or a deficit such as my culture was perceived to me as a child.

Really this masters is making me think about things I had never thought about and it is worth every dang penny I do not have. . . and that is the truth.