Crossing cultures
Crystal Stuvland, Guest Reporter, and Kristin Gnile, News Editor
November 28, 2007
Stacey Obra
Stacey Obra was born in Oahu, Hawaii and lived there for the first seven years of her childhood until her small family relocated to Lake Oswego, Oregon. Her extended family remains in Hawaii, giving her a good excuse to go back and visit, which she does every Christmas. Obra gets the unique opportunity to experience life in two different cultures and loves it. She loves both the changing seasons in Oregon and the beaches in Hawaii.
According to Obra there are many differences between Oregon and Hawaii, ranging from food to culture and customs. One of Stacey's favorite things about Hawaii is the food. She said, "Hawaiian food is so indescribable but absolutely delicious. It is comfort food in every sense." She describes Hawaiians as being "one big family" compared to the much more independent Oregonians. "The Hawaiian culture is also so much more laid back and relaxed," said Obra, "and their priorities seem to be much more family oriented than here on the mainland." Greetings in Hawaii are a warm hug and a kiss on the cheek versus the traditional handshake and people who are not relatives are often considered as such.
Obra had a typical childhood in a Christian home and accepted Christ during middle school at a church camp. "I knew what I was doing when I accepted Christ as a young kid, but I didn't know how to live that throughout my life. I had many ups and downs with my faith, and it was definitely rocked when I got to high school."
In her junior and senior years of high school, Obra started to grasp what a "Christ-like life" meant for her and with the help of some Christian friends and mentors, she was able to find a way out of some problems she had created for herself. Obra says she feels that she has come a long way since then. She was baptized last October at her home church in Lake Oswego and continues to grow in her faith. Obra explains, "God has been continually challenging me, blessing me, and using me and I am so thankful to be where I am, surrounded by fantastic Fox students and staff!"
Stacey Obra has no real answer as to why she ended up at George Fox, except that it was a "God thing." She does not know how she chose Fox or if she did, but she is glad that she ended up here.
Tony Zamora
You know him as Tony. You see him around campus or on the soccer field usually smiling. Rigoberto Zamora is a positive person. "I choose not to get mad. I don't let small things upset me." Zamora said. His mindset is part of his culture. "The people over there in El Salvador are jolly towards each other," said Zamora.
Zamora and his family are from El Salvador. His parents were already citizens of the United States when he was born. He lived in both countries growing up and differences in the culture and traditions. "My folks mostly talk in Spanish over there," said Zamora.
His family consists of his parents and his younger sister of seventeen. In the near future, the Zamora's will start fostering "little dudes." His family plays a large part of Tony's life.
The biggest difference that Zamora has found between the two cultures is the food. "I love my country's food." Zamora talks about the unity in El Salvador between people. "Something unites us," he said. "We're like magnets." Generations and generations of his family have lived there. "I love that I can trace my roots," said Zamora. "I can trace back to my ancestors."
Zamora has a lot of love and pride for his country; however, he loves what he is experiencing here at Fox as well. "My roommates," explained Zamora. "They're awesome. I thought I'd get stuck with odd people but those guys really bring out the best in me."
He wasn't planning on going to college but on the day before the deadline he applied to George Fox. He is an engineering major. "I was raised to be an engineer," he said. Zamora is a "freshman by credits, sophomore by heart." He loves the increase of multiculturalism over the past year at Fox.
Whether here or there, Zamora doesn't need a lot to be happy. "It's awesome living the simple life."