Without lying, I had never attended a funeral. When I was little, I remember my parents went to one, and they didn't let me go because, in their perspective, it wasn't appropriate for a five-year-old. Anywho, as I have mentioned before, I am a tennis player, and when I started competing, it was a rough time for me since I started playing a little too late. I began when I was 12 years old, and the girls I competed against started at 4. I remember that during my first year, I lost every match, and my hope and desire to compete diminished. However, my dad was the one who believed in me, and I kept trying. After a year, I won my first match, and since then, I have maintained a steady record. I went to nationals to represent my state, and later, I represented my country in professional tennis, which opened the doors for me to come here to the U.S. Thanks to him, I am here studying in the U.S. about to get a degree and go to graduate school. But returning to music, there was a specific song from Linkin Park, “Bleed It Out,” that I used to listen to when I was about to go to court. Listening to this song before I played was one of my rituals to mentally prepare and give everything I had on the court. At that moment, when I put on my headphones and listened to this song, I was ready to play against anyone and win no matter what. It became a ritual since the lyrics say, “Here we go for the hundredth time,” which represented me going for the hundredth time onto the court to compete against my opponent and even myself and my abilities. "Bleeding out" represented how every time I played, “I bleed” for my dreams, goals, and injuries. I bleed to improve, and sometimes, it didn’t matter how hard I tried or practiced; sometimes I lost, which hurt. But at the same time, I had to dig deeper and try even if it hurt. This song gave me confidence and represented that I wanted to win and give everything; it gave me the thirst to prove to myself and people that I was going to win and give it all.
Now, stepping away from tennis and emotions, when I read the title of this assignment, it reminded me of the beauty of my own culture and country. Thinking about it makes me nostalgic for home, making me miss the traditions and my family and want to return home. One significant cultural tradition in my country is Christmas and New Year's Eve, which is a time to spend with family. One of the most listened-to artists is Rodolfo Aicardi or Los 50 de Joselito. One of my favorites from Rodolfo is “Loquito por ti," since when I listen to this kind of music, it brings back memories of family and festivities. It's a tradition in my family and with my grandparents to listen to this music, have a barbecue, dance, and talk.
We also get together on New Year's Eve and usually listen to similar songs, but we add tunes from “Año Viejo." Listening to "Cinco pa’ las 12” by Nesto Zavarce is a big tradition in my family and Colombia. It's played when we wait for the new year, with just five minutes left until it starts. The lyrics of this song is beautiful, discussing family and the joy of a new beginning. Overall, this type of music is “cumbia,” a genre very popular in my country.
I love the sound of the instruments in harmony, reflecting our tradition and culture with this type of song. It's music that brings joy and is danceable, providing space to create new memories with your loved ones and to welcome either a new year or the arrival of baby Jesus. For us, Christmas represents the arrival of baby Jesus and the sharing of gifts among the family. As I said, Listening to this type of music makes me long for my home and roots, as it reminds me of being there, surrounded by the people I love and who support me, having a different impact than day to day kind of music that I listen to.
Hi Sofia, I won’t lie, I'm not really into rock but “Bleed It Out” sounds good. I could see myself listening to it. I loved listening to your Christmas and New Year songs. They have a nice rhythm to dance to which actually differs from the songs that my family and culture play during the holidays.
Hi Sofia, although it was my first time listening to it, I enjoyed the song 5 pa las 12! It’s sweet that your family has songs that have become a tradition to listen to when gathering together! It’s nice that you had a song that encouraged you when playing tennis! While I’m not into rock, I liked the song.
Hey Sophia, I really liked the songs you picked. I like how you found a song with personally meaningful lyrics to encourage you and the upbeat rhythms to hype you up before a match. I've never been much of an athlete or had a hype up song like that, but I also have several songs that are connected to various struggles in my own life. I also really enjoyed the other two songs you included; they have very an upbeat energy that makes me want to dance to them, perfect for a party atmosphere like a New Years or Christmas party.
I’m so excited to talk about some of my favorite genres and songs from around the world. Since I’m not originally from here and am often surrounded by people from different cultures, music is one of the things I always enjoy discussing and learning about. I have always enjoyed traveling and meeting new people, as it means learning and expanding my horizons beyond where I’m from. Starting with my friends, most of whom are international, they hail from Germany, France, India, Brazil, and Argentina. Of course, I had to know what they listened to! Since music plays a significant role in my connection with various cultures and people, I decided to create a small playlist to share some of my favorite songs and genres from around the world. Each song or style has a special memory or meaning for me, and I hope you’ll enjoy discovering these sounds just as much as I did. But let’s start with my own country, as we didn’t have the chance to debate or even discuss it, which is Colombia, in South A...
When the teacher mentioned creating a family blog, the first person who came to mind was my dad, as he has had the most significant influence on my musical tastes. My earliest memories of music are with him, so there’s no better place to start than with him. I hope you all enjoy the interview! Please remember to turn on the subtitles if you don't understand Spanish. :) This is the first song that my dad mentions in his interview, "Isla Bonita" by Madonna, which reminds him of his childhood and is one of the songs he enjoys the most. This is another song that my dad enjoyed during his childhood: "The Four Seasons" by Vivaldi. He has liked it for a long time because it represents a different genre of music from what he listened to when he was young. He finds this piece interesting because it captures the changes of the seasons through its symphony. My dad mentioned that he dislikes Bad Bunny because he feels that this genre is not as beautiful and harmonious as o...
Hey everyone! My name is Sofia Giraldo Jimenez. Yes, I have two last names, not just one with a middle name. If you were wondering, my first last name is from my dad, and my second is from my mom. I'm from Colombia. And nope, I'm not from Columbia; yes, I'm from the south, but not this south; I'm farther down. Yes, I know I'm far from home, but believe me, there are times when I feel homesick and miss my family. However, to achieve more incredible things, you have to make sacrifices. As I said, almost all of my family is back home, and I only have part of my family here, which is my sister. She started attending Brenau this semester, a university in Georgia not far from here. This is me! Coming to the US to study was a dream of mine and one of my biggest goals when I was in high school. I remember stressing so much about it, but when I finally got committed to playing on the tennis team, I felt relieved, which is when my soul felt more light. Coming here was a mi...
Hi Sofia, I won’t lie, I'm not really into rock but “Bleed It Out” sounds good. I could see myself listening to it. I loved listening to your Christmas and New Year songs. They have a nice rhythm to dance to which actually differs from the songs that my family and culture play during the holidays.
ReplyDeleteHi Sofia, although it was my first time listening to it, I enjoyed the song 5 pa las 12! It’s sweet that your family has songs that have become a tradition to listen to when gathering together! It’s nice that you had a song that encouraged you when playing tennis! While I’m not into rock, I liked the song.
ReplyDeleteHey Sophia, I really liked the songs you picked. I like how you found a song with personally meaningful lyrics to encourage you and the upbeat rhythms to hype you up before a match. I've never been much of an athlete or had a hype up song like that, but I also have several songs that are connected to various struggles in my own life. I also really enjoyed the other two songs you included; they have very an upbeat energy that makes me want to dance to them, perfect for a party atmosphere like a New Years or Christmas party.
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