El Mejor del Mejor: The 3 Neruda Poems that I think you should know about... (t2)

     Here we are, as promised. I read them, I dissected them, and so should you. Bienvenidos to my favorite poemas by Pablo Neruda.

1.  XVII ( I do not love you...)

   Let's start with one of Neruda's famous love poems. I think what makes this poem most popular is the way it draws you in with the bold statement of "I do not love you as if you were salt-rose or topaz". Obviously, the reader wants to stick around and see how the speaker does love the intended. The next few lines are definitely shrouded in more mystery. Mentions of "shadow and soul" and a fragrance that "lives darkly" add a fantasy air. But then Neruda packs this great straightforward punch: "I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where./I love you straightforwardly, without complexities or pride;/so I love you because I know no other way/". In general, this poem has my favorite hallmark of romance: begin with a surprise, timidly approach your intentions, and then sweep the reader off their feet with something sincere and magical.

2. Luminous mind, bright devil 

    I won't lie. I'm not sure what this poem is even about. But I like the way it flows, the fact that even if I can't pick out the devices that make this a successful poem, they work anyway. As far as I believe, Neruda repeatedly references "the mind and love" (perhaps the luminous mind and bright devil?) battling until, alone, they reach a balance, after facing "decisions harder than the dreams of a hammer." As someone who's seen her share of battles between el mente and el corazón, Neruda describes this struggle beautifully as it reaches a point were "transparency was built."

3. The United Fruit Co.

    This poem is basically an expose on the evils of U.S. businesses and the ravages they wrecked on Latin America, and it is written deeply. In this poem, "The Fruit Company Inc." strips the best parts of Latin America, overstepping all the authority and rights of the people. They attract "flies", or various dictators. The last stanza drives the anger, mourning, and bitterness home: "Meanwhile Indians are falling/ into the sugared chasms/ of the harbours, wrapped/ for burials in the mist of the dawn:/ a body rolls, a thing/ that has no name, a fallen cipher,/ a cluster of the dead fruit /thrown down on the dump.

There you have it; three Neruda poems to make you feel more intelligent, and hopefully to peak your curiosity in this champion of a poet.
  

Studying Abroad: Because studying in your home country is overrated sometimes. (t1)

     One enticing aspect of most collegiate experiences,  aside from the chance to live and study on your own, exploring the idiosyncrasies of dining hall food, and staying up late to finish papers, is being able to study abroad. While the breadth of programs available differs by college, taking a class or doing research in a host country is an incredible opportunity. It's not often that you can be surrounded in an environment that directly relates to your subject, or that can simply give you a new perspective in your field.
     Being that I'm looking at majoring or minoring in Spanish, studying abroad in Spain or Latin American country is highly recommended, even required, by my top college choices. At times, this does seem rather intimidating. My Spanish is often never tested on the spot, save for when I'm helping someone with homework, talking to my friends from Puerto Rico (and even then their English trumps my Spanish each and every time), or trying to sing along to Shakira, so going to a country where Spanish is spoken rapidly and colloquially is no easy thing. Luckily, this opportunity is still a ways away, giving me time to practice ordering food and dancing the tango (Argentina, anybody?)
     Another concern that some students (but more likely, parents) may have is safety. Traveling throughout foreign countries as a young American female can put you at a disadvantage, and the high crime rates of certain areas in Latin America can send in a wave of unease. However, some smart traveling tips and a working knowledge of the host language, political affairs, and social customs can prevent tourist faux pas and keep you from standing out like a ridiculous sore thumb.

   There you have it folks: practice before traveling, don't walk down dark alleys, know which countries to avoid during elections, and don't read maps openly in public. Studying abroad is a wonderful opportunity. It can open your mind to new cultures, people, and even ways of teaching. Whatever the case, consider studying abroad...because studying in your home country is overrated sometimes.

Pablo Neruda: Diplomatico, Poeto, y Profunda Alma (s2)

      If you know anything about sappy tag searches on Tumblr or Pinterest (i.e, love, Valentine's Day, love poems, etc.) chances are that you've come across something looking like this.

   The basic stock photo background and lack of interesting font may inspire cliche, but the words still pierce through. But here, we're going to go a bit beyond the same stanza from the same poem, and shed some light on Neruda's other poemas.


       Pablo Neruda was born Ricardo Eliecer Neftali Reyes Basoalto in southern Chile, 1904. He would take his pen name from Czech poet Jan Neruda. Boldly selling all possessions to publish his first book, "Crepusculario", in 1923, Neruda reached true renown with his second book

"Veinte poemas de amor y una cancion desesperada" (Twenty love poems and a song of despair). At the age of 20, Neruda devoted himself entirely to his work, and left behind his studies. Beginning in 1927, Neruda served as a Latin American diplomatico (a service traditionally held by poets). Influenced by the Spanish civil way, Neruda moved from love poems to intensely political odes or manifestos, often praising the extreme left,  historical epics, and poems with surreal imagery. Neruda was awarded such prestigious honors as the Nobel Prize in Literature and the International Peace Prize. He was called "the people's poet".

     Though his oeuvre is extensive, Neruda's most famous poemas come from his second published work. His love poems are what you'll probably see most often. And why not? They're fascinating. Personally, I love how there is not one scrap of cliche. Neruda captures love in multiple angles, with straightforward imagery used in inventive, imaginative, yet accurate ways. One can relate to it, as well as feel that they're reading something intense. It's deeply human. I'd expect nothing less from the people's poet.


Next week, I cover my favorite Neruda poems and why they're worth reading. Be prepared.

Not Football, But Fútbol: La Copa Mudial and understanding a sport for the first time in my life... (s1)

    I do not understand sports well. Sure, I can follow a game of basketball every now and then. My basic understanding is limited to ground rules, the type of ball used, and a U.S. athlete known in the game. Beyond that...NO ENTIENDES. While I have stubbornly defended my ignorance in deportes for years now, I think I am starting to realize that maybe I actually should understand sports. Well, maybe not all, but some...or maybe one. Inspired by randomness and reinforced by actual reasons, this year I am going to attempt to learn about the world of international professional men's soccer (hereby referred to as football), and its championship the FIFA World Cup.
    While the idea for this goal came out of nada, over time it became a logical choice. Worldwide, football is THE sport. All it truly needs is a ball (or something to serve as one), people, and two spots that count as a goal. Football culture is also heavily found in Spain, Portugal, Brazil, Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, Argentina, Chile, and Paraguay, as well as generally here and there throughout Latin America. Football has economic, social, cultural, and even political ties (like other sports) to the countries who play it. So for someone interested in the culture of these countries...football seems like a pretty decent sport to (attempt) to understand.
      So far, in my research, I have discovered the following: (this is also where I am signing over my confidence that I am getting this straight) There are a lot of football teams all over the world, from every continent except Antarctica (c'mon, frozen scientists and penguins). They compete in their own federations and in their regions, and fight for a qualifying spot in the FIFA World Cup. The host country automatically plays, and is showcased in the first game. Spain won the last championship, and bother Germany and Spain are favorites to win. However, no South American team has lost the World Cup on home soil (ooooooohhhh snap). This year, the World Cup will be held in Brazil, with games scheduled in cities throughout the country.
  
     I think this is a decent place to start my education. While there is practically an entire universe of information I still haven't digested (there's a lot of groups and knock out games and rounds and also the fact that I'm not totally familiar with football terminology), I'm confidant that soon I will knowing nada into toda.

Junot Diaz: Inward Inspiration Turned Outward (r2)

       As you might be able to notice, the work if Junot Diaz has been an object of interest for me, i.e. each time I read one of his books it gets polished off faster than a small veggie and cheese pizza when I can't remember basic verb conjugations. Ahem, anyway, back to Diaz. Whenever an author captivates my attention, my curiosity gets hyped up and I do a little research. What I found was a source of raw, inward inspiración unleashed by Diaz's command of prose.
      Diaz's three works "The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao" and most recently "This Is How You Lose Her", all are focused on giving insight into the lives of Caribbean immigrants, the challenges they face, assimilation and the balance of cultures, as well as the history and environs of the Dominican Republic (most notably Santo Domingo). Being that Diaz offers us such rich and cutting images of people hoping to get by while either holding on to or slowly drifting from their homeland, I wasn't completely surprised that Diaz's life mirrors much of the content in his oeuvre.
     Junot Diaz was born in the Domincan Republic, living in Santo Domingo until the age of seven, when his father returned to the island to bring his mother, Diaz, and his four brothers and sisters to the United States. Diaz lived in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, a neighborhood primarily inhabited primarily by Dominican immigrants, an area working amongst poverty. It is these barrios that provide much of the backdrop for Diaz's settings. Diaz spent this time reading voraciously, much like the character Oscar, enough to launch him from the barrio to Rutgers University, another setting commonly found. An MFA from Cornell later, a collection of short stories, and Diaz is teaching at M.I.T.
     It's quite the whirlwind, one whose various stages may be picked out by those who study his work. I think what I like best is that Diaz embraces this complex makeup, not only in his own life but in the lives he creates for his characters. Perhaps the best way Diaz has put it was in an interview with the New York Times, "...That is the great multiplicity of life. We too often prefer our more comfortable slices rather than the disorganized raucous pie. I am who I am because of those different parts."