Tag Archives: Healing

student blogs

Day 2: Making Progress

There’s something powerful about stepping away from the everyday, to create space for focus, creativity, and healing intentionally. That’s exactly what this retreat is: a much-needed pause to reconnect with my writing and recenter myself. I’m especially grateful that, despite the intense heatwave, we’re still able to meet remotely for class, it helps ease the transition into our focused space and keeping the sense of connection alive.

At the center of my focus is the memoir I’ve been working on. I still have a long way to go in terms of clarity, figuring out exactly what I want this book to say and how I want it to be structured. And yet, the more I write, the more ideas seem to flow in, uninvited but welcome. It’s like the story is revealing itself to me piece by piece.

Writing, I’ve realized, isn’t just about telling a story. It’s also about healing. This retreat is my opportunity to slow down and sit with myself: to reflect, to process, and to create. I hope to tune out the world for these two weeks and immerse myself in the work: How do I bring shape to the emotions and memories that live in my head? What will the final format look like? Etc. 

After just two days, I can already feel something shifting. There’s a sense of momentum building just like Dr. Zamora mentioned. It’s not just about writing more, but about becoming more connected to the work itself. I feel more grounded, more open, and more ready to face the complex material. 

Part of this journey also involves research. I plan to spend time reading memoirs that resonate. Learning from how others have crafted their stories. I also want to explore the topic of trauma more deeply, and how my own experiences connect to broader narratives. Understanding these themes better will help me write with more intention and honesty.

This retreat is more than just a writing getaway. It’s a space for self-exploration, healing, and creative commitment. And now that I’m finding my rhythm, I’m excited to see what unfolds in the days ahead!

See you all on Zoom!

student blogs

Unpacking the Past: Part 1 Interview

​​In this blog I’d like to share my reflections on my interview with my sister. As you may remember from my last post, this interview was a key step in gathering the material I need for this memoir. I’m considering this part 1 of the interview process since I kept it brief and limited our conversation to just an hour to avoid overwhelming either one of us. To be honest, it wasn’t easy. Reliving some of the memories of her accident and the aftermath was incredibly tough, not just for her, but for me as well. It was important to me to approach this gradually, as the subject matter is heavy and emotional.

But despite the heaviness of the conversation, I believe we made it through with a sense of strength and purpose. It was emotional at times, and there were moments when it felt like we might not be able to continue, but we pushed through. There were tears, of course, but there was also a sense of healing in talking openly about what happened.

After reviewing the notes from the interview, I’m feeling optimistic. I believe I have something to work with. The details my sister shared with me will be valuable as I continue to piece together her story and the impact of the accident on both of our lives. It’s going to take time and careful thought but I feel like I’m on the right track.

I’m also reminded that writing about such personal experiences isn’t just about telling a story, it’s about honoring the journey, the pain, and the growth that comes from it. It’s about sharing something that can resonate with others, helping them feel seen and understood, too.

Thank you for reading and following me on this journey. I’m excited to continue working on this memoir and to see where it leads. Stay tuned for more updates.

student blogs

Reflecting on the Journey: Final Project Ideas and Beyond

Hey all! 

As we stand near the semester’s conclusion, it’s both a reflective and anticipatory moment. The journey we’ve collectively undertaken in our graduate course has been of intellectual exploration and growth. As we approach the final group project, I am excited by the diverse and imaginative ideas many of you have suggested for the group project. 

In these final weeks, the spotlight falls on our final group projects, innovative endeavors that encapsulate not just the knowledge we’ve acquired but the spirit of collaboration and creativity that defines our cohort.

Although I missed class last week, I looked over the workshop brainstorming notes from the previous class. I was excited to see that we all have a connection with the most exciting ideas, the learning outcomes, and how we can make this group project count in a meaningful way that matters most to each of us individually. I recognized the profound connections with the themes we’ve explored in class: Identity, Multiculturalism and multilingualism, AI, Voice, Healing, Trauma and writing, and Pedagogy of the oppressed. These thematic intersections provide a wide-array framework for our project, ensuring that it aligns not only with our collective interests but also a pathway for creating something that resonates on a personal and profound level. 

As I consider how we can make this project impactful, I find myself driven by a desire to venture into the creative realm. I envision crafting a project that transcends the typical academic endeavor, a work that involves both academic exploration and personal, creative growth. This project represents an opportunity to generate content worthy of inclusion on my CV, portfolio, or website, serving as a testament to my academic proficiency and ability to engage with thought-provoking themes in a creative manner.

I enjoyed reading through everyone’s final project suggestions. I thought Michael’s idea of creating a curriculum was creative and innovative. It presents an opportunity for us to apply the readings to theoretical concepts we studied throughout the semester in a practical and impactful way. Crafting a curriculum becomes a channel for our understanding of writing pedagogy, theory, and creative expression into a dynamic learning experience. 

I also enjoyed Fran’s suggestion of writing a fictional story inspired by a real-life struggle that we have encountered, then giving our story to a classmate who will read it, digest the emotional appeal, and then write a poem that reflects the emotions they had felt while reading it. 

The idea of swapping papers and having a classmate respond with a reflective poem introduces an outsider’s perspective. This element of the project encourages a mutual exchange of empathy and understanding. As writers, we often get absorbed in our narratives, and having someone else articulate the emotions they felt while reading our stories can offer new perspectives and illuminate aspects of our struggles that we might not have recognized.

The incorporation of poetry as a response adds a layer of artistic expression. Poetry has a unique ability to distill complex emotions into concise and powerful language. The poems generated through this project will serve not only as reflections of our classmates’ emotional responses but also as creative pieces in their own right, offering a different medium through which to explore and communicate the shared human experience.

This project aligns with the goals of our writing and theory course by integrating theoretical concepts into a practical, creative context. This idea is a meaningful and holistic exploration of personal narratives and creative expression. It has the potential to deepen the understanding of ourselves, and the powerful connection between writing, theory, and the human experience.

I’m open to exploring any additional final project ideas that may arise, and I’m excited about working on this group project with all of you!