the-international-isle-blog

[the-international-isle-blog]

Please, Check Only One Box

Wednesday April 26th 2017 11:22 AM

When you were a kid, do you remember ever going with your parent(s) to enroll for school and there’s always that section titled “Race or Ethnicity” and under it were sometimes only four boxes: American Indian or Alaska Native, Black or African American, White, and Other Race? Or what about that time your mom or dad let you answer the questions you could in your paperwork at the doctor for the first time? What about that first job application? Those are to just name a few things that the Race or Ethnicity questionnaire are often in. You were allowed to check one. Which one did you check?

For some, it’s super easy. They don’t even have to think about it for a split second. They just know exactly what they are and that’s the end of the story. That wasn’t the case for me, and it isn’t for a lot of other people. I do have to say, that made growing up very hard. Either my race or ethnicity wasn’t there to choose from or all of them were there and I could only choose one. What 8 year old should have to choose what race they’re going to be that school year? LOL! But in all seriousness, I would sometimes, and still do get stumped when I have to answer questions like that.

Sometimes, I would stop at that part and make a mental note “Whatever I don’t choose this time, I’ll choose next time.” It sounds R-I-D-I-C-U-L-O-U-S. Growing up, I had identity issues and some people would say that just comes with growing up. But I didn’t have��identity issues in ways that most would assume. My mom is African-American and Guyanese, and my dad is Mexican but literally, no joke, just looks White. And I just looked like I was Chinese or Asian. I knew what I was in terms of race but I didn’t know WHO I was in terms of identity. I didn’t know if I should identify by Asian because that’s what I looked like. I didn’t know if I should identify by Black or African American because that was the quote on quote way I spoke. I didn’t know if I should identify by Mexican because of my skin color and the food I sometimes ate.And most of all, even though I am not and knew that I am not, I sometimes considered checking the “White/Caucasian” box because that was what my dad “looked” like. That’s literally everything that used to run through my mind when I had to “Check” a box. How many people can say that’s exactly what they go through too? I wouldn’t say that’s the issue with being multi-race, but it is one of the hardships that comes with it.

I can’t say I ever checked the “White” box, because most times my Black mother and or Mexican father was right next to me and God knows, that wouldn’t slide. The sad part is, in the end I just ended up checking “other” because it was too hard to choose and it was taking to long to fill out that paper, whatever it may be for.

I don’t know exactly where I’m going with all of this, but it’s just something I thought I would elaborate on. It’s just something I thought about and thought I would try to relate to you all. Take what you may from this!

Thanks for reading!

XOXO...Gossip Girl.

KMS KMS KMS

Okay, bye.

[the-international-isle-blog]

Explain Yourself

Friday December 9th, 2016 10:31 P.M.

First off, don’t ever feel like you owe anyone an explanation for something you love and are confident about. If in your heart you know it’s right, do it, say it, and don’t look back. And don’t feel like you owe the world an explanation.

For the sake of this being a personal blog, I will explain myself. I will explain my opinions and my reasoning behind them because, that’s why I made this blog. 

Duh.

That’s why your teacher’s tell you to make sure when your doing research for your paper that you’re using credible resources with correct information. That’s also why some say don’t use personal blogs to write informative papers. 

But, They aren’t giving credit to the information the writers had to find to come up with their own opinion. Obviously they had to have gotten their information from somewhere else to be able to formulate their response. If that’s the kind of blog you’re reading.

My blog is that blog.

I’m not going to come here with a bunch of bs and I’m not going to write about a bunch of bs (at least that’s my opinion, and I’m entitled to it). 

The way that I am home schooled allows me to get exposure, learn, adventure, and not to be ignorant. Therefore, that allows a lot of information and knowledge into my life. More than most teenagers my age. But you also have to consider the fact that I can be extremely nosy at times and that learning has always been a passion of mine. And when I found out I didn’t have to go to public school to learn and in fact I could learn more being home schooled, there was nothing stopping me! 

Anyway, I am very far from what I intended this post to be about.

The way I came about this name was fairly simple. Like I explained in my last post, it was in conversation with my parents. I settled on “ The International Aisle” because I am a mixed kid. My mother is African American and Guyanese and my Father is Mexican. My mom is from Brooklyn, New York, and my dad is from Los Angeles, California. Two different ends of the country, and somehow they ended up in the middle. As I have and continue to grow up my parent’s have always shopped in and out of the international aisle of any store and it seriously is usually one single aisle. It’s sad that my cultures have been relegated  to a single aisle in one big store. One. Just one. And its only made of things every Mexican must use like hot sauce and taco shells or things every Asian must eat like rice noodles. You know, “stereotypical” things. And sometimes it does have stuff we actually eat or use, but most times, it barely does.

Now I know some of you have been thinking:

“ You spelled aisle wrong in your blog name.”

Actually I did not, I knew exactly what I was doing. The definition of isle is:

A single island or peninsula , especially a small one.

I chose The International Isle because there is only one International aisle in a store and it can be relatively small compared to all the other aisles in the store. So yes, I am referring to an international aisle in a store but I’m also referring to a single isle (island) dedicated specifically to foreign people and culture. It is the aisle where all our food is supposed to be but it’s also the isle (single place) where we meet other international people. The International Isle is how you get a Mexi-Afro ( Mexican-African American ) and a Blasian ( Black/African American-Asian). It’s where they meet. It’s where they’re made. It’s where they can be found and it’s where the ingredients for them are. 

Sometimes I get frustrated that we are singled out like that, but then, sometimes I’m really happy and take pride in who I am because there is a place dedicated just to me and people like me. It’s our own community just for us, regardless of how big or small it may be. 

Sometimes it sucks, sometimes it doesn’t.

Especially here, where I will celebrate it and I will celebrate you. 

Thanks for reading.

[the-international-isle-blog]

Impulsive Much?

Friday December 9th, 2016 3:16 P.M.

[Insert witty comment or pun to start this introduction and to sound like you actually know what you’re doing.] 

* I typed this whole thing with a British accent *

I’m not going to pretend like I know how to do this because, after possibly two years of just using Tumblr casually, (casually as in I thought it was just like Instagram, you scroll, you like, you comment) I still have no clue how to use it and navigate it. I even have it downloaded on my phone like I’m going to use it, but the minute I run out of storage on my phone, it’s the first thing I delete. My 13 year old younger sister probably knows how to use it better than I do. 

That’s besides the point of this post.

Literally this morning the thought of starting a blog popped up in my head. Why? Because I was stalking my own Instagram and reading the captions of some of my old posts that were pretty lengthy and thought:

 “I could make blog posts out of these!” 

Later on, about an hour ago, I was sitting down at the table with my parents and asked them:

“If I were to start a blog, what would the name be. Pertaining and referencing to me and my ethnicity?”

Here’s what we came up with:

1. Love Handles

2. Tortilla Gumbo

3. Caldo Gumbo

4. Curry Caldo

5. Jerk Chicken Curry and Caldo

A few more that I forgot.

And Finally,

The International Aisle 

An hour later here I am typing this and formatting my blog. About 30 minutes ago my mom asked me what I was doing and I simply told her:

“Making my blog.”

She said:

“Impulsive much?”

I said:

“Yes, but it’s okay.”

And in my head I thought:

“If i wasn’t impulsive about it I would have just let the thought pass me by along with all the good names we came up with. If I don’t do it now, i never will.”

And even though that probably wasn’t true, I needed to convince myself that this was something I HAD to do as an excuse to just do it. So I did. 

Now let me give you all the cliche introduction you’ve all been waiting for.

Hi, I’m Kharyn Carrasco. Most people can’t pronounce my name so just call me Ryn. I’m 15 years old and if you can’t tell, I’m a girl. I am homeschooled. I have an older brother, a younger sister, a mom and dad, and a dog.  And this is my blog “The International Isle.” This blog will be filled with information, perspective, culture, religion, politics and most of all...Love.

This is getting pretty lengthy so I’m going to try and end it.  There will be another post up here shortly, if not, in the next few days. Like I said I’m not very blog savvy and this will take me a minute to get into a groove and a routine so please bear with me.

Thanks for reading!