La Bebida que llega al Corazn, La Cultura By Luis Pea

The Soft yet Crunchy Churro The Churro the treat that everyones willing to lay hands on. While others dare to insult its nutrition and its taste. But Churros are more complex then that. Churros have a history, they come in many Toppings and fillings or some people even eat them plain. Many people enjoy them in the holiday season. You know those chilly days when you need something to warm up with some nice mexican hot chocolate with a dash of cinnamon. When you are taking a bite of a Churro remember that you are not just taking a bite of the most delicious treat you have ever eaten but a bite of the historical value. The Churro, before making its long journey to North America the Churro had to come some where right. Well it believed that their origin is from Spanish shepherds. They where created them by putting the dough through a Star shaped frame then frying. The shepherds named these delights after their sheep the Churros. Later along with the conquistadors the recipe soon spread to South America. As the strong demand for Churros increase so did the distribution and they traveled up to Central America and to Mexico. It was only a matter of time before they made their debut To the United States. Churros they come in many and I mean many flavors. There are more variations for Churros than there are for pizza. In western Spain the Churro is thick with more dough and sprinkled with sugar. In eastern Spain they are made thin. So thin that the ridges as impossible to form and it is tradition to never sprinkle sugar instead topped with chocolate. In south Spain the Andalusian Churros known as Tejeringos the instead with sugar are made with salt( taste like

french fries). In Latin America Churros are filled fruit fillings or with Dulche De Leche other wise know as caramel and topped with cinnamon and sugar. In my family and in many other families the wonderful Churro is eaten during the Holiday season along Tamales and other foods. The Churro in Spain is traditionally eaten as breakfast with hot chocolate. A Churro can be commonly eaten in our the Churro can be commonly acquired by simply going to the Flea market (although not as great as a home-made one), When I ate my first chocolate topped Churro I clearly remember that it was the best treat I have ever eaten. The thick creamy decadent taste that was out of this world. I encourage you to try a different Churro if you are not completely satisfied. As you have learned their are many varieties. I my belief is that you cannot honesty criticize the Churro without trying them all. The Churro is rich in Hispanic culture and took the trials over the years. That is why now other imitation can even be compared to original. So the next time you are eating a Churro give i more thought this is more than just a fried piece on dough its culture.

The Golden States California. The state that is split in two. Nor Cal, So Cal aren't we supposed to be one state, one region, one area. Yet we are so different. The people, the ideas, geography. It is as they confused two siblings as one. Trying to mix oil with water. When you are from one and visit the other one it is as if you left your state. Fresno the city that is the border of these two is a clash of both ideologies both cultures. It is hard to believe but they do share some similarities. Nor Cal is known for its technology and agriculture while So Cal is known for its petroleum and the movie, music businesses. They are both a powerhouse economic growth in our country they are both as important. One thing that really affected both was the housing market. They are both known for their abundance of homes for different income classes. This caused the pointing that finger game where So Cal blamed Sacramento while Nor Cal blamed them by saying where's the money. Both North and South California are responsible for making the most income in the nation In So Cal Latinos dominate as the most ethnic culture. While Nor Cal most of the population is non-Latino White. As a whole we are the state with the most Mexican ancestry along with the most historical ancestry centers. Religion is rich and diverse in Both regions of California. In both Catholicism is the concentrated religion because of Latino, Italian and Irish immigrants. Although So Cal has a higher amount of religious minorities while Nor Cal has a higher amount of Protestant Christians. So Cal holds more residents though. Los Angeles alone has over six billion people while in Nor Cal the highest populated city is San Jos with around nine hundred thousand people

Both sections California are unique in their geography. Nor Cal has the Central Valley responsible for half of the counties produce. It also has the Sierra Nevada which is how we have a lot of fresh water and the Woodlands filled with the world's most biggest trees. So Cal has the most and some of the beautifulest in the country. It is an area where many tourists visit. The Mojave desert and Death Valley the lowest altitude in the land. One thing that separates us are sports. The San Francisco Giants and the Los Angeles Dodgers fans are constantly arguing about the better team. Just last season a Giants fan got jumped by Dodgers fans and die in the hospital. It is amazing how different we are from one another by means of culture, morals, economy and even towards sports. So remember the next time you ask somebody " Where are you from"? That person answers from Nor/ So Cal you'll know some what how the community they lived in was.

Is it Limbo?

A Chicano an American born of Latino ancestry or a Latino born, American raised. As Chicanos, we are trapped between the Latino and the America culture. We don't just like hamburgers but, also tacos. Some of the issues we have is most of the time we can't relate to ether that is how we gained the title Chicano. We are sometimes in the awkward position expressing the opposite culture at the wrong time. We are the hybrid culture. The with both Spanish and English morals. A Catholic community, a Protestant community. As Chicanos we are offenses and complaints from each side. We are constantly defending both cultures. As Burciaga said " We are offended by the Mexican community but, we are they best defenders in America". We love the liberty and freedom of this country and we also love our Latin heritage. We try to give the Hispanic immigrants the same rights that are denied in some of their home country. We are the voice for south of the border. If we hear offenses about America we are also the protectors. We Chicanos are the great adapters and the union of culture. As also Americans we celebrate independence waving the flag with pride. As Mexicans celebrate the victory and battle of Puebla. In our pledge two countries under God. When both elections are aired from each country we are glued on the T.V. The Statue of Liberty and El Angel de la Independencia. The Chicano the nationalist of both countries. We are the Mexican-Americans. We watch football and futbol. We are both cultures we are proud of both counties and embrace both traditions, eat both foods. We strive to better both of our countries conditions. We are hybrids. When we favor one culture over another or express it we, always have a wake up call ether by person or moral. For instance, when I forget the importance of many Mexican heritage my Mexican friends will sometimes say "You're to white washed" or " Quien ires". Or when I am with American friends " Did you just get here". These sort comments embarrass me so they help me de-

cide what I need to research and focus on the culture. This helps me better my knowledge and respect for my cultures. The American culture is just as important as the Mexican culture. A Chicano needs to be a knowledgable ,balanced and very connected. Because one thing that defines who you are is your culture and how you embrace it. When you are connected to both cultures you understand new ideas and are more open minded to other cultures. A Chicano a combination that wants the freedoms that Americans have for Mexicans. The Chicano is the protector, the defender of the cultures. The Chicano is both so he wants the best for the both. A true Chicano cannot decide between the cultures instead he takes the role as the defender of both.

The All American city Stockton, ranked "most miserable city in America" by Frobes magazine. Are we the city they are describing? How come we are described as the worst , yet have a history being the best? Is

the media being to harsh on the city, on its people? For me the only way to measure the people's misery is by measuring they happiness. We might be going through some rough time financially , but we are a community the is always involved improving the community. Stockton is also the agricultural center of California it is our job the so called "Most miserable City in American" to fill produce sections in grocery stores all around the country. Stockton is perceived as the poor, homeless, and debt creators. We are known as the city that created a port when only 1% of the population can afford a boat. Or the city where everyone is curt and keeps to themselves. But every year Stockton is home to the Asparagus festival where the whole community participates and attracts a lot of tourism to our city. This effort bring a lot attention to our city, it creates seasonal jobs and earns money for our city. Stockton is apparently filled with 391,091 homeless people (including children) and the country views this as a descriptor of our city. They do not see the effort that the community is doing to assist those in need. I volunteer in United Way and Nick the 7th grader volunteers in the Salvation Army and we are just children. I am also in Key club where we help and support local events. Even the people that gathered this information are doing their part to assist the community. Saint Mary's dinning hall is responsible for feeding those 391,091 people that are struggling in life. Another negative the country notices is our crime rate. This is caused by the lacked numbers of the police to feed the demand of the increasing population of the city due to the migration of the Bay Area people. But because of the non- gang violence programs and the increasing amount of Protection by means of police and security. There are more and more activities that will keep the next generation from crime, gangs, and vandalism. In the future our city will become one of the safest cities in the country. The community is striving to train the teens and the children to be active in the community and be responsible leaders.

Recently Stockton has filed for Bankruptcy. I my perspective it has positive results than negative. At least the city does not have to pay it's debt with the loans. In this year the city was able to start on a clean slate and hire even more police. The community continues to improve and the name of Stockton is rising to its former glory. Stockton is reaching to its All America city award and will continue to improve. This is my culture, my community and I will do the possible to improve this city. The cities country should use us as a role model. We are the phoenix that has risen from its ashes.