Latest / Connecting with Kenna / “We Cannot Shame Ourselves Into Change”: From Caracas To DC To Schwarzman | Amanda González Mejía

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“We Cannot Shame Ourselves Into Change”: From Caracas To DC To Schwarzman | Amanda González Mejía · Connecting with Kenna

• 0:00
  Hello and welcome back to Connecting with Kenna.
• 0:02
  Today my guest is Amanda Gonzalez Mejia.
• 0:05
  She is a fourth year student here at DKU and she's studying political economy.
• 0:10
  Amanda is originally from Caracas, Venezuela.
• 0:13
  And she later moved to DC, and this is where she grew up.
• 0:17
  Thank you so much for having me. I'm so excited.
• 0:19
  Thank you so much for being here. What are your favorite hobbies or things to do or some fun facts about you? Yeah, of course.
• 0:27
  I really like to do yoga and I'm gonna take this as like a really shameless plug to invite everyone to come to Yoga Club.
• 0:38
  I actually do love it a lot. Okay. Also, you speak so many languages: Chinese, Portuguese, Spanish, and English. That's amazing.
• 0:45
  Oh my god, thank you. My Chinese is very, like, it's very block.
• 0:50
  No, but I do 100% plan on continuing Chinese.
• 0:52
  I've gone up to 401 thus far.
• 0:57
  That's amazing. But There's definitely so much more to do.
• 1:00
  I'm like always super inspired by the kids that come into DKU with like no Chinese. And then by their last semester, they're taking like the like four tens and like doing interviews in Chinese. I think it's insanely impressive and like very cool. So that's something I'd love to do.
• 1:14
  That's amazing. Okay, so do you want to talk about your life growing up in Venezuela, like for the first part of your life and then moving to the US and what what that was like and also what the culture and traditions are like there?
• 1:26
  Totally. so like you said, I'm originally from Caracas.
• 1:29
  actually, the other day I was in Osaka for the weekend. It was like a beautiful weekend.
• 1:35
  Last weekend? Yeah, this weekend. I was there too.
• 1:37
  Wait, are you joking? What?
• 1:37
  I was in Osaka in Kyoto.
• 1:41
  What? Me too? I went to Kyoto as well. Wait, are you kidding me?
• 1:44
  That's literally not kidding. Three days ago?
• 1:46
  Yes. Wait, me too. I went from Thursday night to Sunday.
• 1:50
  Me too! We should have flown together. What?
• 1:52
  Oh my god, we should have totally flown together.
• 1:54
  Wait, that's crazy. We were gonna meet up like last week and now it was like meant to be. It was totally meant to be.
• 2:00
  Bro, please let me know whenever you travel internationally next.
• 2:03
  Who knows? Maybe we have the exact same flight book next time.
• 2:05
  Yeah.
• 2:07
  That's awesome. That's amazing. In every single episode I've had, I think we've talked about like fate and coincidences.
• 2:12
  So I think that's really interesting. Yeah.
• 2:14
  That's beautiful. Totally.
• 2:14
  What do you think about fate?
• 2:17
  I think everything happens for a reason, for sure.
• 2:20
  What about you? Yeah, I would definitely agree.
• 2:22
  I would totally agree. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
• 2:24
  I think like like actually spirituality is something that's like super strong in Venezuelan culture. Like I think um generally speaking almost like I w I wanna say like ninety five percent of people are Catholic. Okay. Um but it's more of like a cultural Catholicism than it is like a like like everyone has their own relationship with like a higher power and it just like I think the standard just happens to fall in like Catholicism.
• 2:52
  But I do think like everyone has like we like in Spanish you say like ojalá, which is like it's kind of like it's it's very similar to the like I think Arabic word of like I think it comes from Arabic of like saying, May God be willing, but we like throw it around all the time, just being like, Yeah, I hope so, you know.
• 3:13
  But instead of saying, like, I hope, you say, like, ojalá.
• 3:16
  And we use like the word God a lot in like sentences, which I think is really funny. Okay. Um, not funny, but it's just like it's like yeah.
• 3:24
  Like a very cool, like linguistic sort of like fun fact that we just like are always relying on like the idea of like something higher than us in conversation. So I think that's very cool.
• 3:36
  That's beautiful. Is it kind of like the God Be With You say?
• 3:39
  Yeah, it's kind of like that. Yeah, you just like put it a lot in sentences like, um. you just throw it around everywhere.
• 3:46
  you're always saying, God. I like, I can't even come up with like enough examples. It's like, well, it's kind of in English we do it a little bit too, like, oh my God, and but it's not more of a shocking.
• 3:58
  It's not more, it's not a shock.
• 3:58
  It's more so like a hope.
• 4:01
  okay. Yeah. And you also, oh, wait, this one is really beautiful.
• 4:04
  You actually like you bless people and you ask for blessings every single time you meet someone. Oh, that's really beautiful.
• 4:10
  Especially as a young person to an adult.
• 4:13
  if I were to greet my aunt. Or if I were to greet my like, I don't know, older cousin, like really older cousin, it's more so for like older.
• 4:22
  I would say like blessings, and then they it's like bendición, and then they would respond with que Dios te bendiga, which is like, may God bless you.
• 4:31
  And it's literally just like a greeting.
• 4:34
  So, yeah, just very cool.
• 4:34
  That's really nice.
• 4:37
  I think that kind of aligns with the Chinese culture in a little bit.
• 4:40
  Yeah. Oh, I didn't think that. Like no, just having like respect for elders or in a little bit? Yeah. Like in a sense, does that kind of align?
• 4:48
  Yeah, definitely. Like there's definitely a very like um like respect like expectation for yeah, yeah, you're right.
• 4:56
  I didn't think about that. Yeah. Yeah.
• 4:56
  Yeah, and how does this differ from like your time living in the US compared to living in Venezuela?
• 5:03
  Is the culture more rich or old in a way? I wanna s I'm probably gonna sound super biased, but is a very like corporate, very like Government official, like it's a very like sterile world compared to Venezuela and Caracas too. Like, even though it's the capital, like you just, there's like constantly like parties going around and parties that are open, you literally see like. Like houses with open doors, and like there's like a concept of it's called being like a arrocero, it's like being like a ricer.
• 5:39
  It means it literally translates into like a rice, a grain of rice.
• 5:43
  But it just means like joining random social events and just making new friends.
• 5:47
  And that does not happen in Arlington. Yeah.
• 5:50
  is very like. Everyone's parent works at like Deloitte or like, you know, like is like a crazy government official in some way.
• 6:01
  So I think that was a big, big shock for me and my mom because we moved together with my grandma. And She like was always really struggling with like making connections in the DC area. Okay. Especially if they like all now she has like this beautiful friend group, but every single one of them is Venezuelan.
• 6:20
  So it's like they're all like, you know, Venezuelan women who like moved and were like. Guys, where are the parties? You know, that's so fun.
• 6:28
  Yeah, I read that I think Arlington's very rich in different cultures and ethnic groups, like over 170 or something. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
• 6:36
  So, are there small communities throughout the city or it's pretty segregated? It's like very segregated, actually.
• 6:43
  There's like North Arlington and South Arlington.
• 6:46
  south and it's like honestly totally redlined.
• 6:48
  Like it's there's like a massive like income disparity between the two and North I live I live in South Arlington, um but North Arlington is like where all the Deloitte people and all the like government officials are and they all just live in Arlington 'cause it's More affordable than living in DC, and some people just straight up don't want to live in DC.
• 7:06
  DC is like a whole other, like, like we could have like a full-on conversation about DC and because I have so many thoughts, and it's like also extremely red lined, also extremely segregated, and also extremely like. Just it's insane.
• 7:19
  you go on certain streets and, like, it's this like massive, beautiful, like, national building, and then, like, you walk maybe like three blocks, and then you're in, like, a like significantly poverty-stricken area, you know. Wow.
• 7:36
  In Arlington, it's the same, I would say, but it's a lot more so the immigrant groups. Like, I think DC is mostly black versus Arlington is very like Salvadorian, Ethiopian. Well, DC is pretty Ethiopian too, but I think the major groups are like Salvadorian, Honduran, Ecuadorian, like a big chunk is Central American. Okay. Um So, yeah, yeah, definitely like very rich in culture.
• 8:05
  But also, like, it's, I think it was a different culture from ours because we're not from Central America and it's like it's a different culture.
• 8:12
  We're more like Caribbean, I think, in nature.
• 8:15
  That's a funny Caribbean in nature, but so I think exploring the different types of like.
• 8:21
  Immigrant groups was also interesting growing up.
• 8:24
  Yeah, that's really interesting. And you always had a global perspective in a way because you're surrounded by people from different cultures and you got to have two completely different experiences. Oh, thank you.
• 8:35
  Yeah, that's really cool. Thank you.
• 8:35
  what's the meaning of people's lives in Venezuela and how does it contrast with people In the US.
• 8:42
  Yeah. do people do on a daily basis with their families or like what brings purpose to people's lives? I think that's such a good question.
• 8:50
  Um, I think Venezuelans are I think there's an expectation of happiness being like a part of Your daily life in one way or another, which I think at least in Arlington is not really that much of a like a benchmark of success.
• 9:11
  I think in Arlington, a benchmark of success is like income, like.
• 9:15
  Where you work, like what's your LinkedIn?
• 9:17
  Like, honestly, I've had so many conversations with people who are my age and I've been like excited to chat with, and they ask me what I do before they ask me anything else.
• 9:27
  And it's really common that you meet someone, and the first thing they ask you
• 9:31
  is: what do you do?
• 9:33
  is: Because it's such a professional city that like most people are not from the DC city itself. Yeah. yeah, people are from elsewhere who are coming to work.
• 9:43
  is: So that's kind of, I think, their main drive and purpose of being there.
• 9:47
  is: If you talk from people, talk to people who are actually from DC, it's like totally different. And like, Are they very like they're very fun?
• 9:54
  is: I think DC people are super fun. They're very like inner-city like fun, like I think a lot more relaxed, which makes sense.
• 10:03
  is: Like if you're moving somewhere for your job, like it would make sense that you're a lot more intense and like serious about it.
• 10:09
  is: I think in Venezuela though, like Even if you have a really nice job and you have like a really nice salary, if you're not having like fun, if you're not seeing your family and friends, like you're not you're not a example of success, which I think is really interesting. So you'd like never leave your family for a job, for example? Um not leave your family, but move far away.
• 10:30
  is: I think like leave your family like like say like if I were like a 45 year old like dad and like I was like by family, I'm gonna move to family.
• 10:39
  is: Oh no, sorry. Oh no, I meant like moving jobs away from families.
• 10:44
  is: Like for example if I move to the East Coast and my family's on the west coast for a job? like being far from the oh I see.
• 10:50
  is: Um yeah I would say it's a lot less common.
• 10:52
  is: Like I think family is a really big um it's definitely it's still a thing.
• 10:56
  is: Like the people definitely still do it.
• 10:58
  is: Okay. Um but it's a lot less common for sure.
• 11:00
  is: Like I yeah, for sure. Like I guess a better example of this is or explanation is do like grandparents and parents and kids all live in the same area?
• 11:10
  is: Oh yeah, definitely. Yes. Like you live with your grandparents always.
• 11:14
  is: Okay. Like it's part of the Like family.
• 11:17
  is: Also, oh, yes, actually, and another thing on this is really cool is you're never just raised by your parents. you're always raised by like your grandparents and your parents' friends and your parents' siblings.
• 11:27
  is: Like, it's always like a very community experience.
• 11:30
  is: And like, you're always with your cousins and like that kind of thing.
• 11:33
  is: That's nice. Yeah. It reminds me of the movie Coco.
• 11:36
  is: Yeah, yeah, it's very like that. Yeah, it's actually really accurately like that.
• 11:40
  is: Okay. Well, obviously not in like a magical way, but the family structure is very similar. Yeah. That's so nice. That's beautiful.
• 11:46
  is: Thank you. It's very nice.
• 11:46
  is: Yeah, I do think it's like um It's shaped my like social needs a lot, like in the sense that I feel like very uncomfortable being by myself for a long time and like I just cannot do it. Like I need to be around people.
• 12:04
  is: Which I think happens to people I think as well in the US with like big families or like that kind of structure. But yeah, I think I also. Place like huge value in friendship, which I think is like a interesting thing to talk about culturally,'cause I think it differs in a lot of cultures, like how much like priority your friendships take.
• 12:25
  is: Yeah. Um and like for my mom at least'cause she was a single mom for like up now I have like a beautiful amazing stepdad but for a big chunk of my upbringing She was single, and so a lot of the times that I had to like stay alone, 'cause she she's like a very like bossed up professional woman.
• 12:43
  is: Um I would be taken care of by her friends or like my the moms of my friends.
• 12:49
  is: So it's like like the friendship network.
• 12:52
  is: Takes like a really big role in your daily life.
• 12:56
  is: And it's not just like a fun thing that you like do from time to time, like let's get a coffee. Like it's like you rely on each other.
• 13:04
  is: And yeah, so I think that's a cool cultural thing for sure.
• 13:07
  is: And very different, I think, in a lot of cultures, especially the like corporate American one. Yeah, I think that's so beautiful.
• 13:13
  is: And did your mom move to DC for her job?
• 13:15
  is: Yeah. Yeah. Okay, what does she do?
• 13:15
  is: Uh she's a woman's rights lawyer.
• 13:19
  is: Um she was a lawyer in Venezuela for human rights.
• 13:23
  is: Um and then when she mo when we moved to the US she was offered a job at the well, we lived in Spain for a year, okay, where she got her master's in human rights law. Um 'cause in Venezuela you just get like a bachelor's in law.
• 13:39
  is: Um and I'm also from Spain, so we just like lived there and saw my dad.
• 13:45
  is: And then when we moved to the US it's because she was offered a job at the Organization of American States. Um doing yeah, essentially like traveling to countries in Latin America and like doing like policy advocacy for like women's rights and um you know making violence against women as like punished as possible and not punished that's a bad way to put it but like defending women's rights just put it yeah yeah yeah that's amazing Yeah, she's incredible.
• 14:13
  is: Like, she's my biggest inspiration in the world ever.
• 14:16
  is: Yeah. That's so amazing. By having your mom as such an amazing role model, What do you want to do with your future and how has she impacted that decision?
• 14:25
  is: Yeah, for sure. I think that's such a timely question because, like, as I look to careers, she like she both her and my dad have always been in the public space and like my dad is an artist and like he does stuff for.
• 14:42
  is: Um immigrant rights and does like documentaries and he's very um he's a lot he's a he's a bohemian like through and through.
• 14:50
  is: But um my mom, who knows the professional world and like still is like, you know, very career orient she's extremely career oriented, like she's never wanted me to go into like the private space, for example.
• 15:01
  is: Um So that's been something that's been really interesting to navigate now as like someone who's like looking to start their own like you know legacy and career and whatnot and make positive impact.
• 15:12
  is: It's been interesting to navigate that because I like you know I love her to death and like I think her conviction and passion for women's rights and human rights is like It's something so powerful, and like seeing her speak about things that are important to her is like so moving, and she's so committed to quote-unquote work for the people in every way.
• 15:40
  is: And when she was young, she was like working at like nonprofits.
• 15:43
  is: Oh, sorry, she was like. Working at nonprofits and like earning nothing and at home. And like now she's working at this massive international organization.
• 15:52
  is: So it's like clearly there is like a career path for public work that is like you do find success and like you do find like economic stability and like But I also Feel like my own path may be different, you know, and like exploring that in thinking, like, okay, maybe I can work in something that is private while still feeling like I'm having like a genuine, true, positive impact in the world.
• 16:21
  is: So I think that's been really cool to explore now as a senior and like seeing how I can like marry the two, if that makes sense.
• 16:27
  is: And you have so many options and opportunities that you still have yet to find.
• 16:34
  is: I hope so. I really hope so. Are you wanting to stay in China or yeah?
• 16:39
  is: So I'm staying in China for a year. I'm doing a master's of art.
• 16:44
  is: Management Science, I think it's called.
• 16:46
  is: Okay. Yeah. Of global affairs in Beijing.
• 16:51
  is: And that's amazing. Thank you. Um it's very cool.
• 16:55
  is: You should totally apply. the Schwarzman Scholars Program.
• 16:58
  is: And it's amazing. Like, a very cool program.
• 17:01
  is: Yeah. Totally apply.
• 17:03
  is: And I think it's going to be a really cool opportunity of understanding my place in the world. More than anything, like you get access to like a lot of international like development organizations, but you also get access to like a lot of banks and like just different everything that like would be, I don't know.
• 17:19
  is: I think I'm so grateful to have the opportunity, and it's like I just hope I can make the best of it. Yeah.
• 17:25
  is: I know that's so amazing.
• 17:28
  is: Congratulations. That's so exciting. What did you hear?
• 17:31
  is: Last week. Okay. That's amazing. Thank you, bro.
• 17:35
  is: I really appreciate it. I was actually so sure I was not going to get it.
• 17:37
  is: I was like completely waiting for my rejection.
• 17:41
  is: But it was really nice to like because there is one other DKU student that applied and got into the interview last year.
• 17:48
  is: And he's like amazing and really cracked.
• 17:51
  is: And I thought, okay, if he didn't get it, there's no way, you know?
• 17:54
  is: Um. But yeah, I'm really grateful, and you should totally apply because you would be a great candidate.
• 17:59
  is: Thank you. Seriously.
• 18:01
  is: I look into it. Yeah, 1000%. That's so exciting.
• 18:04
  is: I think you also have like such a cool international background, though.
• 18:08
  is: I know you spent, I mean, you like grew up in Indonesia, right?
• 18:11
  is: Like, that's so cool. Yeah, I spent some of my time in middle school and high school growing up there.
• 18:14
  is: That's like insanely cool.
• 18:18
  is: And I know you have.
• 18:18
  is: Yeah, of course. I like.
• 18:21
  is: Remember in our PoliEcon class that you had a lot of really cool, like actual insights on what it was like to live there and feeling the community.
• 18:28
  is: And I would love to learn more about it and how you think it shaped who you are today. Yeah, so in 2017, I think I was 13 at the time.
• 18:37
  is: Um, this is the first time I feel like I left the US because I lived in Korea for a year when I was a baby and I don't remember that.
• 18:45
  is: And then I only went to Canada like once, so it I remember like taking off and going to another country and it felt amazing.
• 18:51
  is: And as soon as I arrived to Indonesia, it felt like home to me.
• 18:55
  is: And I spent time With my family, like visiting different schools because my dad started an education company in Indonesia.
• 19:02
  is: He partnered with Oxford and then he's now partnered with Cambridge.
• 19:06
  is: So they teach students English through video conferencing and textbooks.
• 19:11
  is: So I got to explore Indonesia and learn about the culture and the people.
• 19:16
  is: And yeah, this really shaped. My desire to gain a global understanding and a global perspective, and also just to understand people from completely different backgrounds. Yeah, totally. And then one moment that really shaped who I am and my understanding of the world was in 2018.
• 19:35
  is: There was a huge seven point one earthquake that hit the island of Indonesia or sorry, not the island of Indonesia, the island of Lombok, Indonesia.
• 19:43
  is: And I was able to fly in a like a small commercial plane, but it was like super small with my uncle and my sister. Wow.
• 19:51
  is: And we went like two days after the earthquake and we were able to pass out food and water because there were no organizations.
• 19:59
  is: Put in place to help the people there. It was insane.
• 20:01
  is: Like all the roads were damaged and everything.
• 20:04
  is: So it was such an amazing experience, and it really shaped who I am today.
• 20:08
  is: And yeah, it made me want to understand people on a deeper level.
• 20:13
  is: So I took like photographs and like portraits of people.
• 20:16
  is: And it's like super emotional like thinking about it.
• 20:19
  is: But yeah, it was an experience that really shaped who I am and my understanding of the world. Yeah. That's so beautiful.
• 20:25
  is: My cute. That's amazing. Yeah, so I've spent some I spent time living there and also coming back and forth in the summers and yeah, I grew up in Wyoming from the time when I was two until twelve or no.
• 20:39
  is: 13 because that's when I left for Indonesia.
• 20:41
  is: And then I went back and forth between Indonesia and Colorado.
• 20:44
  is: Wow, and I spent some summers when I was really little in Utah.
• 20:48
  is: Wow. And now my family lives in California.
• 20:50
  is: Wow. So, yeah. You're also insanely global.
• 20:53
  is: That's amazing. Yeah.
• 20:53
  is: That's so cool, dude.
• 20:56
  is: That's so cute. Where do you feel like you feel the most at home?
• 21:00
  is: Um that's a really good question. Because like if I land in Jakarta, I feel at home. Or if now like Kunshan feels like home, it's insane.
• 21:10
  is: I would say like when I'm with my family, honestly, like it's not really a place.
• 21:14
  is: Like there's a lot of places that feel like home, but when I'm with them, I'm like, okay, I'm home. Like in Osaka. Like we were in a Airbnb but it felt like home, you know? Because the people I loved were there, so That's so sweet, that's beautiful, that's so beautiful so much.
• 21:28
  is: Where do you feel like you would want your I mean, y I know you're still like junior year, but like where do you feel like would be the ideal place to like look for the future in? Um I think when I have a family I want to be in the US just because I want them to be close to family like my kids.
• 21:44
  is: Yeah. But for now I don't know. I just want to explore everything.
• 21:49
  is: Just see what opportunities are.
• 21:49
  is: Oh my god, come to Latin America.
• 21:53
  is: I would love to host you in Venezuela if you were ever interested in I've actually never been to Latin America. What?
• 21:57
  is: Oh my god, you totally have to come. I should really come.
• 22:00
  is: You totally have to come. Oh my god, please let me know.
• 22:03
  is: It's like, I think if you like Jakarta, I think you would love it.
• 22:07
  is: because I I've never been to Jakarta.
• 22:07
  is: But from my understanding, like I think Southeast Asian countries in Latin America have like quite a bit in common in terms of like the like you know, it's the warm weather, the like the fresh fish, the fresh fruit, like it's like this like very Like fast and semi-chaotic, but also like very warm and like friendly, you know.
• 22:33
  is: Yeah, no, I think you would love it. I think you would love it.
• 22:35
  is: Yeah. What like festivals are your favorite in Venezuela or um like celebrations?
• 22:41
  is: That's a really good question. I think.
• 22:43
  is: we have celebrations like literally every week 'cause everyone is Catholic and there's like Saint Days and so like give your name for example like my mom's name is Patricia so during Saint Patrick's Saint Patrick's quote unquote San Patricio um It's like her birthday again. So funny.
• 23:00
  is: And it's like every week, and there's like multiple Saint days.
• 23:03
  is: So like David gets a Saint Day, like Santiago gets a Saint Deb.
• 23:08
  is: So it's like always. But I like that.
• 23:08
  is: And I also like, I think New Year's and Christmas are huge for us. They're like massive.
• 23:15
  is: It's like two weeks of like joy and like 40 people in your house and like insane amounts of food.
• 23:21
  is: Like it's really fun.
• 23:24
  is: That's amazing. Are you going to go back for Christmas?
• 23:26
  is: Yes, yes, which I'm so excited about.
• 23:29
  is: Yeah, it's always like a really big celebration.
• 23:32
  is: I think Christmas more so than New Year's, but New Year's is also like always just like. Everyone's friend and auntie and grandma like in a house, and like everyone's like dancing and like drinking, and that's so fun.
• 23:43
  is: Yeah, I feel like I could be wrong, but a lot of the US people in the US don't really dance or go, they don't dance, they don't dance, you're right.
• 23:51
  is: Like, I didn't grow up dancing a lot, you know.
• 23:54
  is: I thought it was just like ballerinas, really.
• 23:57
  is: Yeah, I didn't really like know that it was like a cultural thing.
• 24:00
  is: It's literally such a joy.
• 24:00
  is: It's huge. Oh my god.
• 24:03
  is: We're going to dance also one day. We're going to dance also.
• 24:05
  is: We're going to make that happen.
• 24:05
  is: We're going to make that happen.
• 24:08
  is: Dude, it's like you feel the music flow through you and you just start moving.
• 24:14
  is: That's so nice. I also think the.
• 24:14
  is: It's like an activity, right?
• 24:17
  is: Like it's not just Like it's the same, it's the equivalent of like talking at a party.
• 24:23
  is: Like you're doing something, you're moving, you're like laughing a bunch 'cause everyone is like, you know, laughing at each other's dance skill.
• 24:30
  is: But at the same time, it's like I don't know, it's bonding and yeah.
• 24:35
  is: Yeah. You need to dance. I need to dance.
• 24:37
  is: I need to dance more, yeah. Yes, yes.
• 24:37
  is: Well, I think people in the US used to dance a lot more than they do now. Oh, that's true.
• 24:42
  is: You know what I mean? Like the old folk dances and stuff.
• 24:47
  is: Yeah. But people just don't do it anymore.
• 24:49
  is: Yeah. I wonder why. You're so right. I think it's technology.
• 24:52
  is: Technology. Phones. It's that damn phone.
• 24:55
  is: I know. Is it like that in Venezuela as well or no?
• 24:58
  is: No. Like, I think people definitely look at their phones a lot.
• 25:02
  is: Yeah. Definitely like, you know, like your mom is gonna be on Facebook sometimes and when you're talking to her and she'll still be on Facebook.
• 25:08
  is: But like at parties, never. Like when I walk through in the US, both in the US and China. Actually, when I walk through a restaurant and literally everyone is looking at their phone, I'm like, how is this real?
• 25:20
  is: no way. So sad.
• 25:23
  is: I find that the case a lot in Asia. even when I was in Japan and I was in the metro, I was like, damn, everyone is on their phone right now.
• 25:32
  is: Like, everyone in this.
• 25:32
  is: Metro car is on their phone.
• 25:35
  is: Every single person. That's crazy. that's definitely not the case in Venezuela.
• 25:40
  is: And you miss out on small things that you wouldn't normally see.
• 25:42
  is: Yeah. Totally. Like, when I walk around campus, I try not to be on my phone.
• 25:45
  is: Sometimes I am. But when I'm not on my phone, I'm able to interact with people or just like say hi or notice like small things.
• 25:51
  is: Totally. how pretty the sky is that day or something, you know?
• 25:54
  is: Yes, 100%. And I think it takes a joy out of life.
• 25:57
  is: 100%. Like people feel happy when they're on their phone 'cause they're connecting with people, but they don't feel like real joy, you know?
• 26:03
  is: Yes, one thousand percent.
• 26:03
  is: I couldn't agree more.
• 26:06
  is: Like you really let so many like small feelings and like small like joys of like looking at the sky. Like you just don't have that on your phone.
• 26:14
  is: Like yeah. You're just like auto-mode like reels, you know.
• 26:18
  is: Like, definitely it's like a well-being difference.
• 26:22
  is: Like, yeah, like a welfare difference.
• 26:22
  is: It's weird to see like what the impacts are gonna be or the effects. Yeah. I'm just staring at a phone all the time.
• 26:31
  is: I know, I know. And especially for kids, like Like, I know iPad kids are like this whole concept, but during COVID, I was a babysitter for like multiple families. There were like two parents that like did not allow their child to look at any electronics at all.
• 26:44
  is: That like child had such Like a huge intellectual difference between the other kids that I babysat that were like constantly on their phone. Yeah.
• 26:57
  is: Um, or like their iPad or watching TV. huge.
• 27:00
  is: Like, he was super curious, he was super enthusiastic about everything.
• 27:03
  is: He was like, always like asking me questions and like just like.
• 27:08
  is: Being a being a kid, you know, and like super sweet.
• 27:10
  is: And like, whereas the other kids were also ex of course, extremely sweet, but like much more, I think prone to getting, like, frustrated and stuff.
• 27:19
  is: And that's, of course, given like a sample of like, maybe like.
• 27:23
  is: What, like ten kids? Like, it's not a huge sample.
• 27:27
  is: Um, but I have like decreased attention spans.
• 27:30
  is: Yeah, but totally. I think it's like even as like a person just going through life, like you notice it, you notice it.
• 27:36
  is: Yeah. Yeah. And I think it is taking away from culture and tradition as well.
• 27:40
  is: Totally. Like, I was thinking the other day about recipes.
• 27:42
  is: I'm trying to create, now I'm working on an international like cookbook from kids, like Ikiyu or just people I meet.
• 27:49
  is: And so a lot of people can't even give me a recipe because so I feel like some people just look online now, you know?
• 27:54
  is: Yeah, so it's hard for them to find recipes. They're like, oh, I've to ask my grandma.
• 27:58
  is: And I was like, but what about when we don't have our grandmas anymore?
• 28:01
  is: we need to. Preserve these recipes, you know.
• 28:03
  is: Totally. Because everyone will just look online now, like, oh, I need to make bread or something. Yeah. Instead of asking your grandma, you know.
• 28:11
  is: So I want to work on preserving stuff like that and having something that's not online in my life. I love that. I love that.
• 28:17
  is: I think that's also like. There's such like I think there's such a I don't want to say the word demand, but like I think there's such like an emotional drive for people now to like go back to like you know real human connection and like real books and and like I think that's such a beautiful idea.
• 28:34
  is: Yeah. Yeah. I love that. I love that. I would buy it for sure.
• 28:37
  is: Yes. I was actually thinking of whoever gives me a recipe.
• 28:41
  is: I'll send them a PDF or something so that they can have it.
• 28:44
  is: Oh, that's so cool. If you're interested.
• 28:46
  is: Yes. Oh, my God. I would love to have a recipe for me.
• 28:48
  is: I have a recipe for you.
• 28:48
  is: Okay. It's changwa and I'll.
• 28:51
  is: Yes. Yes. 100%. That'd be amazing. Yes.
• 28:54
  is: Of course. Of course. Yeah, so I think.
• 28:56
  is: going back to tradition and everything, like food, clothing, everything plays such a big role in um tradition and culture and preserving culture.
• 29:06
  is: So are there is there anything else that you'd like to share from um I think I think Venezuela is more rich in like The topics that we're talking about, but from the US as well. Yeah, I'm yeah, to be honest, like, I don't know that I have much to say on the like tradition in the US side.
• 29:25
  is: Um, you know, like I spend like the 4th of July with my American friends who like I love to death and like their beautiful American families.
• 29:33
  is: Like, I like. Shout out to the Fords, and the Watts.
• 29:37
  is: Like, I actually I think American culture is so fun and, um and it's been so like kind to me that like you know I have a lot of criticism to the US and a lot of things but I think that American culture is very real and like it's very beautiful as well. I think on the Venezuelan side, um I think the dressing part is a lot more Western.
• 30:03
  is: Like I don't think anyone has really like cultural wear that they wear on a daily basis unless you're like either part of a tribe or like you know, living in the like very rural area.
• 30:14
  is: Yeah.
• 30:17
  is: We I think we do have like cultural festivals where like we like dress up in like folkloric like th we have like very long skirts that like go up a lot.
• 30:27
  is: Like they when you when you spin they like go all the way up.
• 30:30
  is: And it's really cool because there's like they're like a bunch of layers and they're really beautiful.
• 30:36
  is: And you just like dance by like moving the skirt. It's really cute.
• 30:42
  is: And I think it's very colorful. Like, I do think also, okay, this is a whole other conversation, but like, I think culturally the like the Venezuelan female beauty standard is like huge and insane and like this massive topic 'cause we like have like won a bunch of beauty pageants and like miss universes and like I think that's its own subculture that plays a massive role in how like women and young girls try to present themselves.
• 31:05
  is: Okay, that's super interesting.
• 31:09
  is: Yeah, it's it's it's almost a cultural like appearance in itself because like there's an expectation that you have like very long, dark, straight, like pin straight, perfectly shiny hair.
• 31:20
  is: That you have big boobs, that you have like you know a very nice figure and a very specific kind of face.
• 31:27
  is: And do people not leave their house unless they're fully dressed?
• 31:30
  is: Never. Oh my god. Like my mom goes to the grocery store stop.
• 31:34
  is: Sorry, the grocery shop with heels. You know, like that's like.
• 31:37
  is: Oh, wow. Yeah, that's just standard. I think it's so important to dress nicely and. To give off a good appearance. But I think when it consumes you and you're spending hours a day worrying about your appearance, that must be so hard and difficult. Definitely. I think it's like, I think my mom has found her balance because, you know, when she started looking into feminism and rights, I think she. like significantly transitioned out of that culture, but it's definitely the standard for every Venezuelan woman to look her very best every time she's like in public. Um and I think that's like that's a hard thing to deal with your whole life.
• 32:20
  is: But I also think no one questions it. Like, no one like it's really not a culturally like I think a lot of people embrace it, if anything.
• 32:32
  is: It's not a culturally problematic thing.
• 32:34
  is: It's just a norm. Yeah. Um I personally also agree.
• 32:37
  is: I think it's really important to look your best when you can and like you know, I think appearances do matter and I think it's like also I think fashion is awesome and really cool and a really cool way of expressing yourself and like I don't know. Like I think you can be so creative through like outfits and the way you present. But at the same time, if you're only able to present in one way and that's the expectation, I think that's a little bit damaging.
• 33:01
  is: Yeah. Or if you feel like you need to present yourself in a way to appeal to others. Yeah, exactly. Or else you're not going to be respected, you know?
• 33:07
  is: Yeah, that's very difficult. Does that impact like the dating culture?
• 33:10
  is: Oh, definitely. Okay. Yeah. Like, I think so many Venezuelan women are like, you know, they're.
• 33:18
  is: Always looking beautiful. So it's like, if you're not, it's like, ugh, you know, which is like crazy, but it's like unfortunately the case.
• 33:29
  is: And but also, I think something interesting is you're not just expected to be beautiful, you're also expected to be really fun.
• 33:35
  is: And like that's like a big attraction factor.
• 33:39
  is: It's like if you're not like fun in the life of the party and like really like then you're like like it it has to be like the like I the ideal Venezuelan woman, you know. And like if you have one but you don't have the other, like you're not seen as you know, ideal. Yeah. Yeah.
• 33:54
  is: And do people get married what's the average age that people get married in Venezuela?
• 34:03
  is: I wanna say like twenty I wanna say from like twenty s seven, twenty six From twenty six to like thirty two. Okay, so that's about the same as the US.
• 34:12
  is: Yeah, I would say so. It's pretty western in its I think standards.
• 34:15
  is: Yeah. That's awesome. That's interesting.
• 34:18
  is: Yeah, it's very cool. I think um another really interesting thing is like how common cheating is. And that it's kind of an expectation in relationships.
• 34:26
  is: Yeah. Oh my god. Yeah, it's really crazy.
• 34:28
  is: That's crazy. Yeah. everyone cheats.
• 34:28
  is: Everyone, like a lot, it's really common for people to have like multiple families, for men to like have like two families.
• 34:37
  is: And like, yeah, it's. It's like uncomfortably common.
• 34:41
  is: I think a little bit less so in the past few decades, but it's definitely still a thing. I was having a conversation with my Colombian friend, and we were literally like, oh, no way, we have the exact same family structure, and it's that like our like great grandparents have like three different families or something like that. And like the the messiness and like the drama from like between families is like a huge concept for so many people because it's just so common um for like two families to hate each other because the like patriarch was like you know like dipping their toes in both.
• 35:13
  is: Um Yeah, it's crazy.
• 35:13
  is: That's really interesting.
• 35:15
  is: Yeah. So very, very, very sexist culture, right?
• 35:18
  is: Because then we have like women who are like upheld to this very specific standard and also to be like housewives and also to be professional, you know, and then it's like. But then also to get cheated on.
• 35:28
  is: To get cheated on, exactly.
• 35:28
  is: Yeah. Um. And then I will say like men are also put up to like a really crazy standard of like masculinity and like providing and that kind of thing. Um so yeah, I I don't wanna sound ignorant and being like oh the men don't have to suffer anything, whatever.
• 35:49
  is: But I do think that the women suffer more.
• 35:52
  is: You know?
• 35:55
  is: I think it's really interesting how online people are talking about how men need to show their emotions more and everything.
• 36:00
  is: Which I th I don't think I would agree with because I think men are supposed to be um Less emotional than women. Yeah. But I think it's interesting how on social media now everyone's talking about how we should like open up like both genders.
• 36:15
  is: I don't know. Yeah. Yeah. I just think that's interesting.
• 36:17
  is: Yeah, it's definitely interesting. I mean, I feel like.
• 36:21
  is: Or women are supposed to be not emotional now, you know?
• 36:24
  is: Yeah. No, I don't know.
• 36:24
  is: And like hard working.
• 36:25
  is: No, I definitely don't agree with that.
• 36:27
  is: No, and I think there's like. I think there's like a middle point where it's like, okay, we're both like human and we both have like needs and we both have like preferences and we both have different like now in my relationship, which is like, I would say starting to get like pretty long term like exploring the role of our like lives within each other as like who is like'Cause it's true. Like I also low-key think that there is like a difference and like um yeah, I don't know. I like I'm not sure how to navigate it exactly because I'm like still like experiencing it within my relationship.
• 37:04
  is: Yeah. Um But yeah, I do think it's like both parties, I think, just have like to take care of each other truly and like with like real like love and like intention of taking like proper care of each other. I don't know. Yeah, if that makes sense.
• 37:20
  is: And in the different ways. Yeah. So for sure.
• 37:24
  is: Yeah. Yeah. Um but very cool, thank you.
• 37:27
  is: I will definitely be reflecting on this.
• 37:29
  is: I was just on the phone with my boyfriend talking about it actually.
• 37:31
  is: So where is he from? He's from he's originally from Lafayette, Louisiana.
• 37:38
  is: Okay. He was born there, but his family is like very international.
• 37:41
  is: They're like British and also Indian. Oh, that's amazing.
• 37:45
  is: They're like ethnically Gujarati from India, but they like have most of their family in the UK. Wait, where did you guys meet?
• 37:53
  is: Here, we met at DKU.
• 37:53
  is: Okay. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
• 37:55
  is: but yeah, he it's really 'cause he comes from a very traditional background and I come from a very untraditional background.
• 38:01
  is: Or like in terms of like family structures, if that makes sense.
• 38:04
  is: Yeah. has very like early married parents, like big family, you know, like versus that like single mom, like. artist dad, you know, like that kind of thing.
• 38:14
  is: So it's been really 'cause I think I come from that like urban place of like, oh, like women need to be like hardworking and like and just like don't need men and like, you know. And like exploring a an alternative that like still allows me to be empowered but like doesn't mean that I need to be like Alpha mode all the time. Like, I really am interested in exploring that.
• 38:36
  is: That's really nice. And it's good to have a balance of different perspectives or lifestyles, too. Yeah, totally.
• 38:39
  is: I think that's so fun.
• 38:42
  is: Yeah, thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Yeah.
• 38:45
  is: So I always end with a word of advice or a favorite quote if you'd want to share anything. Yeah, for sure. Okay. I think I would say, like, connect with your community and, on your community. Um, and find empowerment and like strength in being able to rely on others and being able to rely on you because it goes both ways, right?
• 39:10
  is: Yeah. But I think Recently I've been having like a really tough time this semester with like figuring out what it is that I want to do and like just casting the widest net possible and like the conversations that have undoubtedly helped me the most are those with my friends and mentors who are actually extremely willing to help and like so present in helping you figure stuff out.
• 39:33
  is: Yeah. And like in the professional space, it's really common to have mentors.
• 39:38
  is: definitely reach out to anyone who interests you.
• 39:41
  is: Like, people are so much more willing to help than you think they are.
• 39:46
  is: And in terms of your friends, like connect with them, like ask them questions about anything that you're thinking about.
• 39:54
  is: Like allowing them to give you guidance and like not feeling alone is like such a game changer for how you're doing, or at least for me.
• 40:02
  is: It's just been such a game changer for me.
• 40:04
  is: And I honestly don't think I would be capable of like a quarter of anything if it weren't for the. People. No, not a quarter weight, sorry.
• 40:13
  is: I wouldn't be capable of anything that I do if it weren't for my ability and like the privilege of like relying on others as well.
• 40:21
  is: And I hope they can rely on me. You know, I hope I'm also a pillar for them.
• 40:24
  is: But yeah, just rely on others. Like, find, you know, find peace in saying that it's okay to ask for help. And reach out.
• 40:33
  is: Reach out. I love that. Yeah. And I have you heard the saying that we're all like little bits and pieces of everyone that we blog or like communicated with or connected with. And I think that's so beautiful.
• 40:44
  is: That's so beautiful. I could not agree more.
• 40:46
  is: I genuinely could not agree more. Yeah.
• 40:48
  is: And I think this is such a cool podcast because I think, in a way, you're like building this like. You're like painting this picture of like a bunch of different pieces, but it's all in like one mission.
• 40:59
  is: So I think that's super beautiful.
• 40:59
  is: Like you're doing that.
• 41:01
  is: Thank you so much.
• 41:01
  is: You're doing that. Yeah.
• 41:02
  is: Of course. Of course. Thank you. And do you have any favorite quotes that you'd like to share? They're hard to remember.
• 41:08
  is: Yes. Oh my gosh. Wait, let me think.
• 41:12
  is: Wait, I look you have like a Pinterest board with quotes.
• 41:15
  is: That's so sweet. Let me see if I can. Pull something up quickly.
• 41:19
  is: Or, like, a saying? I guess we did talk about a lot of sayings already.
• 41:23
  is: Um, oh, it doesn't have to be in English.
• 41:27
  is: Oh, that's that's a good point. Um, I have one in English that I really like, um, and it's I think, I think people in this environment are really hard on themselves. Um generally speaking in like academia and like the professional space, but like I think DKU is a really interesting place and that we're all like very hardworking and like very passionate. And I think my my quote is that we cannot shame ourselves into change.
• 41:53
  is: And to like speak to yourself kindly and like, I don't know, be like give yourself the grace that you give others, yeah.
• 42:02
  is: That's really sweet because we're all so hard on ourselves, yeah, exactly, and it's like.
• 42:09
  is: We're all doing cool things and like we it's so hard for us to put a mirror in front of ourselves and be like, wait, I've gotten so far, like I've gotten so much like we're just constantly hungry to like the next thing or the next task or the next blah blah blah. But like Yeah, those tasks are only worth it if they're actually fulfilling you. And like you can't feel fulfilled if you're not celebrating them or like you know patting yourself on the back, like giving yourself a hug, literally give yourself a hug.
• 42:33
  is: I think that's so important. You know, I think that's so important to also realize like how far you come. Yes. It's like, okay, like I can just relax and realize that this is where I wanted to be, you know.
• 42:42
  is: Totally. Or like when you're in Beijing next year, like think about that.
• 42:45
  is: Thank you. Like, this is where I wanted to be.
• 42:48
  is: I didn't think I would be here, but I am.
• 42:50
  is: Yeah. And like, you're qualified to be there, you know.
• 42:52
  is: That's so sweet. So amazing.
• 42:55
  is: Thank you so much. You're welcome. Yeah.
• 42:56
  is: Same for you. Wherever beautiful place the world takes to units, like give yourself a hug. And like when this podcast has like a million monthly listeners, give yourself a huge pat on the back. Thank you, Amanda.
• 43:08
  is: Of course. Thanks for coming today.
• 43:08
  is: Thank you so much for having me.
• 43:13
  is: Yes, you're welcome. And thanks for listening today.
• 43:16
  is: Bye.