Essence Unveiled: A Journey into Self-Discovery

The speaker discusses various aspects of her identity, including her cultural background as a Latina from Colombia, her religious upbringing, and her linguistic intelligence and interpersonal skills. She highlights the influence of both nature and nurture in shaping her empathetic nature, and how her family and religious community played a role in nurturing empathy. She also talks about her language learning experiences, including Spanish, English, and sign languages, and how cognitive and social learning theories apply to each. The speaker reflects on her parents' authoritative parenting style and the loving and supportive environment they created. She mentions her social inclinations, being somewhere in the middle of the extrovert-introvert spectrum, and the need for personal space. Overall, she sees her identity as an ongoing journey of self-discovery, growth, and understanding. Hello and welcome to this special podcast. My name is Gina Phan and I craft this as part of my identity project. I truly hope you find it enjoyable. Let's dive in. Let's start by understanding the bio-social aspect of my identity. I am Latina, born and raised in Colombia, and I have experienced the rich diversity of cultures within my country. Latina or Hispanic will be my race, and Colombian is my ethnicity and my culture as well. Three years ago I moved to the US, but I still don't consider I'm part of the American culture. My background in a religious family has profoundly influenced my values and character, instilling in me a strong sense of empathy, which is a trait shaped by both nature and nurture. Growing up in a warm and loving family environment where hospitality and kindness were highly valued contributed to the development of my empathetic nature. My parents are empathetic people with big hearts, and most of our family are, so in a way to say it, empathy and kindness is something that runs through our family blood and can be considered a result of nature. On the other hand, nurture also played a significant role in shaping my empathy. Being raised in a religious community like Jehovah's Witnesses, which places a strong emphasis on compassion, understanding, and treating others with love and respect further nurtured and reinforced this quality within me. Observing and experiencing empathy from my parents, siblings, and other relatives within my family setting provided ample opportunities for learning and modeling empathetic behavior. Engaging in acts of service, volunteering, and participating in community activities as part of religious practice also encouraged the development of empathy by exposing me to diverse perspectives and the needs of others. Moving on to the cognitive domain, I recognize that I possess linguistic intelligence. In an article from the University of Tennessee, where Gardner's theory is addressed, they mention "linguistic intelligence is the ability to think in words and to use language to express and appreciate complex meanings. Linguistic intelligence allows us to understand the order and meaning of words and to apply metalinguistic skills to reflect on our use of language". So this intelligence has enabled me to express myself effectively and engage in meaningful conversations. I find joy in writing, reading, and speaking, which have all been important outlets for my thoughts and emotions. As an example, I feel when the time comes to give a speech, words come to me easily to express my opinion, or when I do writing. For example, in my English class, I had to write reflections or essays, and I gave my opinion on the topic and expressed it very well. Additionally, interpersonal intelligence plays a significant role in my life. According to the Child Development Book in Module 12, interpersonal intelligence is the "ability to discern others' nonverbal feelings and thoughts". This attitude allows me to understand others' feelings and thoughts, fostering strong and meaningful connections with people around me. Providing a listening ear and offering support to my friends have become second nature to me. When it comes to language learning, I have been exposed to Spanish from birth, being surrounded by Spanish speakers. My interest in English began at a young age. I would say around four years old, my parents told me I started singing in English, trying to copy the singers. Of course, I didn't pronounce anything right. Also, through immersion, online research, and formal classes, I developed my language skills. Colombian Sign Language, which I learned later in life when I was 18 years old, was a result of interaction and observation within the Deaf community. At the age of 29, I started learning American Sign Language in college, and I'm still working on improving my skills in this language. The learning theories that apply to each language will be cognitive and social learning. According to an article I read on a website called mylove4english.com, for the cognitive theory, a factor that influences learning is "environmental conditions". This one applies to learning Spanish. Do I grew up in a Spanish speaker environment? And for English and sign languages, apply the social learning theory. And as stated by the same website, "this learning occurs through interaction, observation, and social context, interacting in a community of practice", which has been the main factor that improved my skills in these languages. For example, to learn Colombian Sign Language, I started by being friends with a Deaf girl in my neighborhood. She taught me the ABC in sign language, and after that, some of my friends and I started watching sign language videos from our Jehovah's Witness community. And we learned Bible vocabulary to preach to Deaf people and teach them about God. So after that, I started talking with Deaf people very often, engaging in long conversations with them, and as well, attending the religious service in sign language, where I interacted with a lot of Deaf people and made dear friends. In the psychosocial aspect, after reading the parenting styles in module 6, I realized my parents employed an authoritative parenting style. They worked together as a team, setting rules and boundaries while also being affectionate and loving. When my sister and I disagreed with my dad, which was not very often, my dad would say, "As long as you live under my roof, you live under my law", indicating the presence of rules in our home. However, my mom played an equally essential role in making sure we followed those rules, and at times, she would set her own rules that complemented my father's guidelines. Despite the rules, our family was filled with affection. They would always be ready to listen to us and help us when we had questions or in any situation. My parents would reassure me and my sister of their love through affectionate words, hugs, and providing for our needs. Their cohesive approach contributed to a nurturing and supportive environment, which has shaped the person I am today. Regarding my social inclinations, I find myself somewhere in the middle of the extrovert and introvert spectrum. While I enjoy social interactions, there are moments when I feel overwhelmed by large groups of people, needing time for self-reflection and solitude. In those moments when my introverted side arrives, it has led to misunderstandings with some people. They might perceive me as an arrogant person who doesn't want to talk to them. However, it is essential to clarify that my introversion is not a reflection of arrogance, but rather a natural need for personal space. As I reflect on my identity journey, I realize that it's an ongoing process of self-discovery, growth, and understanding, embracing my empathetic nature, linguistic intelligence, and interpersonal skills has allowed me to build meaningful relationships and pursue my passions. Thank you for joining me on this journey of self-discovery through my identity project. Wishing you all the best on your own paths of self-discovery. Until we meet again, take care and stay true to who you are. Goodbye and see you soon.