To begin with, when I was introduced to the interview assignment it made me nervous because I’ve seen so many interviews fail. I had in mind all the interviews I’ve seen in the media such as, Good Morning America. I remember seeing the interviewer ask questions which rubbed the interviewee the wrong way. All I could think about was me possibly asking my peer a question that angered them in any kind of way. I didn’t want to make this mistake because I knew how much of an impact this would have. With the idea of upsetting my peers stuck in my head, I read through my peers Who Am I writing assignment to know what questions I should ask. This helped me have a better understanding of who she was as an individual. I learned about her culture and her upbringing as a kid. Down below you’ll be able to read about my interview with Ariana.

Interviewer: Hi, Ariana! I would first like to thank you for allowing me to interview you and get a chance to know you more. I read your Who I Am poem and have gathered some questions for you.

Interviewee: Hi, thanks for having me. Lets talk.

Interviewer: If you can describe your household in one word, what would that be?

Interviewee: Energetic.

Interviewer: Why did you choose that word?

Interviewee: I chose the word energetic because I live with my two older brothers, my younger brother, my mother, and four pets, two dogs and two cats. There’s always someone home, there’s always noise and never any dull moments. My two older brothers are very goofy so there’s always jokes and laughs going on. The dogs are always playing and running back and forth. My younger brother is always playing games and gets bursts of energy so he runs back and forth a lot as well. I’ll definitely say my household is loud and energetic. 

Interviewer: In your poem you said, “I am from believing in what you think is right and accepting people for who they truly are.” do you ever find yourself conflicted in between what’s right vs what’s wrong? & how has your beliefs played a role in your growth?

Interviewee: Sometimes I do find myself conflicted in what’s right and what’s wrong, and I think I find myself in these situations many times all due to the fact that I have a good heart. I tend to always feel bad for people who sometimes don’t even deserve my attention. I think my beliefs have played a huge role in my growth, because even though I may find myself stuck wondering what’s right and wrong, I learned the hard way to always follow my heart, because usually for me my mind tells me to feel bad but my heart knows what’s the right thing to do. There has been many times I followed my mind and it was the wrong thing because again, it’s me feeling bad for people who I shouldn’t have and this has had many negative impacts on me but I still find these as learning experiences that contribute to my growth, along with when I do what’s right, they both play a role in my growth.

Interviewer: Have you ever practiced affirmations?

Interviewee: I’ll say I have practiced affirmations but without a hundred percent knowing so. I never really sat down and wrote out affirmations to follow but I always tell myself in my mind what I know I need and want to hear and this has helped me push forward. Even though I may not speak it out loud, I always remind myself what I need to do and tell it to myself in positive ways to help motivate me.

Interviewer:Has being a part of a family that lacks religion made you feel different from others?

Interviewee: Being a part of a family that lacks religion has made me feel a bit different from others, especially when it comes to a lot of other hispanic families, because usually they can be really religious. But at the same time, I don’t find it as a bad thing or anything along those lines, I’m proud of the way I was raised and even though I may not be super religious I still respect religion and god.

Interviewer: When you start your own family how would it differ from yours?

Interviewee: I would love to have a family of my own one day, but it definitely won’t be as big as my immediate family. My mom having five kids is a lot and the most I’ll go is three kids and that still feels like a lot for me. My parents met at 16 and after about 25 years together they separated, and I’ll say I had a good childhood, but there were many times I witnessed my parents toxic relationship and the toll it put on my brothers and I, and that constant feeling of being put in the middle. So in my relationship with my significant other I will definitely deal with things more privately when it comes to issues within the relationship, it’s something I’ll never put on my kids or let them witness constant arguing because from my own experience, I see what that can do to a child. I have been with my boyfriend for a few years now but will definitely wait to create a family, I will for sure want to be ready so I can give my child everything they need. I won’t be like my father either who forced my brothers to pay bills as soon as possible because he needed help. This is why I’ll make sure I’m fully ready because I don’t want to put pressure on my kids to financially help out until they’re ready. There will for sure be things that are different from my family, but I will always keep the constant laughs and jokes around, with love and respect and open communication.

Interviewer: How would you like to leave your mark on this earth? Would it be writing a book or etc?

Interviewee: I’m not too sure to be honest, but it won’t be something huge. I feel like as long as I know I helped the people closest to me and people who could have needed my help. I feel like those people will always remember me due to me being kind and giving them a helping hand. I’m also thinking of being a teacher, and if I follow through with that, that’ll be another way I’ll leave my mark on this earth. Helping all kinds of students and motivating them.

Interviewer:  How do you want others to remember you?

Interviewee: I want others to remember me for my personality and how loving and helpful I have been for my family. But also for my hard work and dedication, I never give up even when things have gotten tough for me and my family.

Interviewer: What is it like being Puerto Rican? The pros and cons (like the good you encountered & the bad you’ve experienced).

Interviewee: This is a tough question but I’ll say one of the cons is that a lot of Puerto Ricans speak Spanish but there’s also a lot of kids that grow up in America in this time period and are just taught English and not really Spanish. And my brothers and I were some of these kids, so it makes it tough to connect to my culture sometimes or with other Spanish nationalities. For instance, my boyfriend’s parents speak majority Spanish so it makes it difficult for me, and learning a new language when you’re older than younger and growing up with it is harder. A pro is that Puerto Rican families are usually really close and we’re all about family and being together. So I love when my family is all together and spend family time together.

Interviewer: What’s something that’s associated with your nationality? & what’s the meaning behind it?

Interviewee: Puerto Rico, may be a simple answer but the island is beautiful and it’s a place many people want to visit for vacation and I can’t blame them, it’s a beautiful island. Also Puerto Rican day and it’s parade, this is a day you see many Puerto Ricans outside and just celebrating our culture, it’s meaningful because it’s a day many people can actually come together and be peaceful most of the time.

Interviewer:  What is one of the hardest things you encountered and how has it affected your character?

Interviewee: One of the hardest things I’ve encountered is probably family problems, especially with my father. This is so the moments where I was conflicted in what’s right and wrong. Because wanting to forgive a family member that’s supposed to be like number one in your life is something I want to do almost all the time but it’s hard to keep negative people around who constantly hurt you. So definitely dealing with the relationship with my father has been the hardest thing I have encountered and is still encountering.

Interviewer:  If there is one song that you can relate to so much, what would it be and why?

Interviewee:This is a hard question because no matter how much I listen to music, there’s never been that one specific song I related to so much and will always go to. But whenever I do listen to music I always go back to the 2000s songs and the classic hits. I grew up listening to these songs because my mother used to always have them playing in our old apartment.

Interviewer:  Wow! I definitely asked such questions that made you think but I appreciate you taking the time to make this happen. You’re amazing! Before you go can you share a picture with me that you love.

Interviewee: Thank you! & hmmm. Here’s one.

After completing this interview I felt I walked away understanding her culture, having learned about the interviewee’s identity and experiences. Learning how much of a close knit community Puerto Rican’s share has shown me how much unity there is. Ariana has given me a glimpse of how together her family is despite their differences. I learned how much of a loving person she is and how she wants to leave her mark on this planet. Being able to have Ariana as my partner to interview has allowed me to self reflect and it has been a pleasure working with her.