This is the life story of the firstborn child of a young Puerto Rican couple who began their married life in Brooklyn, New York during the post-WWII years of the late 1940s. The child grew up in a home where two languages and cultures peacefully coexisted and provided the stage for successful bilingual development in Spanish and English. Over the years, her growing knowledge of these languages, their cultures, and far-reaching effects on the path to self-discovery and identity inculcated a deeply rooted love for both. The narrator shares many language and culturally enriching moments that took place at home, in church, in school, and in her social environment. In addition to narrating life story snapshots, the author includes poems she wrote that not only expand on the lived experiences, but also demonstrate the power of words during a quest for self-discovery.
TopIntroduction
The story of my life is written in prose and poetry. My path to self-discovery allowed me to transform myself and transcend my contexts. The clearest aspect of my life has always been the fact that I am bilingual in Spanish and English since birth. In childhood and adolescence, I was not aware of the benefits of my bilingualism and my literacy in two major world languages. In adulthood, they evoke complementary emotions and memories.
The Path
From the moment we are born,
until we take our last breath,
we embark on an unpredictable journey
that takes us step by step from road to road,
through treacherous ups & downs,
around dark bends,
across peaceful plateaus.
Sometimes the way is pleasant & gratifying,
other times distressing, even painful,
but we continue walking.
Sometimes we move with determination,
perhaps driven by our dreams & expectations;
other times we move in fear & distrust
as we come upon paths that are obliged,
with no detours or returns in sight.
Helpless, we stand by, watching
as some of our dreams fall by the wayside,
requiring we reconfigure, change direction,
and begin anew.
It is then that we dare question the Cartographer,
we want to know why...why?...why?
There is no explanation,
still, no matter our dreams and realities,
no matter the unexpected, or the disappointments,
deep within we find the will to continue on our way,
impelled by a force beyond our understanding.
Finally, we know...
We accept that till we breathe our last breath,
it is our path, ours alone,
and no one else can walk it for us.
TopFamily Heritage
I was born in Brooklyn, New York to a Puerto Rican family that valued and fomented love, unity, and cultural values. Among the values, language played an important role. Spanish was the first language I heard at home and among family; English was in the environment outside the home and over time occupied an important role in my life.
My father, Joseph, was an only son who was born in Cuba to Puerto Rican parents who had migrated in search of better work opportunities. His mother died when he was still an infant and about three or four years later, in 1925, my grandfather (Abuelo), emigrated alone to Brooklyn. When Dad was seven, he reunited with his father and met his stepmother for the first time. He went to school until he was 17 when he abandoned it to work his first job as a Western Union messenger to contribute economically to the family’s well-being.
Dad grew up within two languages, each with specific roles; at home and church in Spanish, at school and later on work, in English. I recall he moved freely between his two languages without a perceivable accent in either one. He wanted the same bilingual opportunity for his own children and established a rule: when inside the home and at church, we spoke Spanish. When outside or in school spoke English. Many times, Dad himself broke this rule, especially during our leisure interactions.
Mother, on the other hand, was born and raised in Puerto Rico. She was the firstborn of fourteen children. The family lived in the farming countryside of San Sebastian; a town located 75 miles northwest of San Juan. Mom attended public school till eighth grade, the highest attainable education in rural Puerto Rico in the early 1930’s. Times were difficult in Puerto Rico and many islanders were immigrating in search of better work opportunities; the Roman family was not the exception. The decision to move to the United States was facilitated by the fact that a Congressional statute had been issued in 1917, The Jones Act, granting all Puerto Ricans U.S. citizenship.
At 23 years old, mother arrived in Brooklyn. She had mixed feelings about the move because she was very attached to her mother, however, the economic situation required it. For many years she spoke only Spanish. She worked for a short time as a seamstress at a small garment factory in the Sunset Park neighborhood where all the women spoke Spanish. Her religious activity was conducted in Spanish so there was no pressing need to learn English. The English she acquired over time was functional. She read the weekly shopping bulletins, shopped at the supermarket or department stores, and used public transportation.