Chapters

Today in Anthropology our professor wrapped up the class by introducing us to the ideas of reflexivity and of the crisis of representation. As an exercise he had us imagine that we were writing our autobiographies. With this in mind, he told us to come up with the names of the chapters that would be in our book--the "Chapters of Your Life." We shared our chapters with someone we did not know in the class, and then they related our autobiography outline to the class. It was an intense, emotional, almost cathartic exercise. Here's what I came up with:

Chapter 1: Spanglish
-Being an American with Canadian and Argentine heritage

Chapter 2: Fifty-four
-(Approximately) the number of first cousins I have
-Growing up among family members and the way they have shaped my life

Chapter 3: "Are You Amish?"
-As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, I often get this question
-Growing up a member of the Mormon church and what it has taught me about perspective and tolerance

Chapter 4: The Other Hemisphere
-Moving to Brazil and coming to understand another way of life

Chapter 5: Ms. Lebiecki
-My fourth grade teacher, who gave me a taste of the thirst for knowledge
-Education at a private international school and how I learned to love learning

Chapter 6: Stoplights
-People coming up to your car window as you're stopped at the light and begging for money
-The poverty I saw in Brazil and how that changed my perspective on materialism 

Chapter 7: Toasted Ravioli
-A typical food from the St. Louis area
-Moving to Webster Groves, MO and the battle against myself to accept it

Chapter 8: Turkey Day
-The 102-year-old Thanksgiving game and the oldest high school football rivalry West of the Mississippi
-High School and the traditions of a Midwestern town

Chapter 9: OH-229
-Kenyon College
-My freshman year

Chapter 10: Deja-Vu
-Deciding to transfer to Brigham Young University