Changing Lenses

I met a travelling nurse this weekend. She moved from Orlando to Nashville a week ago and will be here 3 months. I identified with her on many levels. Her family is from Latin America, I think she said Honduras. She grew up bi-culturally and hasn’t spent much time in her family’s homeland. I could also relate to her view of her time in Nashville. She knew she would be here for a finite time and wanted to see as much of the city as she could before moving on to the next assignment. Nashville has been home for 20 years. I graduated high school and college here, I got my first job at Guinn’s Shoes in neighboring Hendersonville. Today I see my beloved city the way the travelling nurse does. I have to see and experience everything I have not taken advantage of. All the parks I need to hike, the events I need to attend, the people I need to spend a little extra time with. I’m not saying goodbye to Nashville yet, but I know that day is coming.

I have also changed lenses on the way I see my neighborhood. My amazing realtor has been sending me listings of comparable homes in my area and I am in shock and disbelief at the asking prices. Yes my neighborhood is awesome, the yards are big the homes are sturdy and the location is close to everything. It’s not East Nashville, but for new Nashville, it’s close enough.

The Horse, the Cart, and Everything In It!

I met with the realtor again this weekend to discuss paint colors, flooring, appliances, etc. to spruce up the house before listing it. I know I'm putting the cart before the horse by selling the cart and everything in it before I'm offered a horse. The hoarder in me will need a lot of time to say goodbye to her things so I'm starting super early. I've done a little research on how storage works, what should go in said storage and what one takes with them. The link here and here were really helpful. I've been following the Ficklins' blog for a year now and love little Allie! They explain their first move here and Deborah has an excellent series about the moving process on her blog "Reflections From a Global Nomad".

The good news is that someone posted on the OMS Hopefuls Yahoo Group that the Position Foreign Service Office Management Specialists will open on March 23, 2016 and will close on April 05, 2016. Soon I'll be able to say that I have at least applied for the job. Soooo excited!!

Will Work, Will Travel: Repurposing This Space

I'm dusting off the old blog and giving it a new purpose. I may review events again but I don't get out like I used to! It's 2016 and my goals are clear. At the top of that list is getting a highly coveted Foreign Service job. I attended the US Department of State Global Careers Networking Event in beautiful Birmingham, AL on February 11, 2016. There I learned about Foreign Service Officers, Specialists, Civil Service and Internships. I am working on my resume, catching up on the FS OMS Hopefuls Yahoo Group posts, and waiting for the position to open soon. I met with a realtor yesterday to sell my house later this year. The process for this job is long and it may take several attempts to get in but I want to be ready to go the day I get that call.

Clueless Latina in Nashville: Mas Música

I was finally heading home after a very busy day of running around at work when my buddy invites me to see Gilberto Gil at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center. I knew he was playing here because I read about it on Hispanic Nashville. ;) But here’s the part where I admit I’d never heard of him. Yes, I often reside under a rock. It turns out he’s a Grammy winning legend. Where better to be introduced to such a man than Music City? And more specifically, the amazing Schermerhorn. Cindy McCain says that for almost half a century he has “wowed crowds worldwide mixing samba, bossa nova, rock, reggae, and funk.” All I know is that while listening to him and his band do their magic I closed my eyes and imagined myself on a gorgeous beach in Brazil. Ahhhh. As the evening progressed I told myself I was far too tired to get up and dance despite the temptation to do so. But the music and energy were too good to just sit there. By the end of the night Gilberto had everyone in that beautiful building on their feet. I danced, I clapped, I sang along, I laughed, I forgot my troubles. More musically inclined folks can tell you what kind of music he played and the history, significance, etc. What I can tell you is that it was good. He’s a legend, people! Viva Brasil

Latina in Nashville: L is for Liberal

The L-Club, a group of progressives who gather to discuss the issues and causes du jour, got together on a Saturday night at La Iglesia Catolica de Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe (after finding a place to park) to talk about New Americans and the Dream Act.

Amelia Post, Youth Organizer for TIRRC, the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition, and a group of youth working with JUMP, Jovenes Unidos para un Mejor Presente, gave the L-Club an in-depth view of life as an undocumented student. Some of these young people were brought to the United States as young as 2 years old while others came a little older. But regardless of who brought them or how they got here the struggles they face every day are the same. The simple task of getting around the city can easily become a misdemeanor that can then turn into deportation. Finding a college or university that will accept them is one hurdle, paying for higher education with little to no financial assistance or loans is another daunting task. Many undocumented students not only face a myriad of fears and obstacles, they also have to deal with shame. For starters, one doesn’t admit that he/she is undocumented because of the legal ramifications. But not having a social security number can also make a person feel less than whole. The inability to obtain an identification card with your name and photograph, the inability to leave the country for vacation, the inability to vote, and the inability to work and give back to the community that raised you can leave a young person feeling trapped, disabled, hopeless and ashamed.

The encouraging news is that TIRRC and JUMP are fighting for undocumented students and offer solidarity and support to students dealing with this very complex and controversial issue.

I remember how excited I was when my shiny new driver’s license was handed to me for the first time. There is no telling when these students will get to experience that same privilege. They need our financial and moral support. From now on I will think of them every time I touch my driver’s license. I hope you will too.

Latina in Nashville: Music

On Friday night I headed South to the popular Latin dance club, Ibiza Night Club, to hear the tunes of Revolfusion. My date was an hour late and the band didn’t start until midnight so the old lady in me was considering calling it quits. But I couldn’t. These guys are too good to walk out on.

I’ve been following this group as Kazique, and watched them gain momentum as Conexion Americas utilized their talent under the name Rumba to win the Arts & Business Council of Greater Nashville’s Corporate Band Challenge earlier this year. That exposure opened doors for the group to perform during the CMA Music Festival, to be the opening act for Los Lonely Boys at Live on the Green and to perform at the gorgeous Schermerhorn Symphony Center.

This has been a year of tremendous growth for this group. They are doing their own music with a very unique style and great lyrics. The band members are more in sync with each other and with the audience and the crowd responds to their beats every time. It also doesn’t hurt that they are nice to look at.

I’m under the impression that along with the name change the guys are getting increasingly serious about their gift. They’ve hit the recording studio recently for their first record, Machete Desembainao. If you haven't seen and heard the fun and energetic music Revolfusion delivers you should make it a New Year's resolution. I'm sure you'll join the rapidly growing group of Revol-lovers. Se te meteran en el pecho poquito a poco. Enjoy!

Latina in Nashville: ARTEmio

It's another chilly Thursday evening and my buddy and I head over to Watkins College of Art, Design & Film for a lecture by self-taught, Mexican printmaker, Artemio Rodriguez. This guy tells the Watkins Art students the story of his life. The more he talks the more enchanting he becomes. He's sweet, honest, and totally open. He isn't afraid to talk about his fears, his mistakes or his passion for his art. It was refreshing to hear an artist speak so humbly about his incredible work and journey. The students laughed when he used the *f* word and I laughed when he cursed under his breath in Spanish. I was pleased that the students got to hear about his experience crossing the border and what life is really like in Mexico beyond what you hear in the news.

Rodriguez learned the art from a friend and mastered it. He specializes in Linocut which is carved linoleum that is then fed through a printer press. He has a few young students in his shop back in Mexico. I'm so happy to know that there are little Artemios out there soaking in all of his knowledge and talent.

The patience, skill, and creativity Rodriguez employs is evident in each one of his pieces. His humor, frankness, and humility are just icing on the cake.

YouTube video below: