I must admit that I was very pleasantly surprised after seeing Carlo’s performance at the Intar. Not only was it very entertaining and creatively put together, but it spoke about a message that is very prevalent in today’s world. I think what made it all the more touching was that it was a very personal experience that allowed us to see into the various aspects of the life of an immigrant.

Before Carlo’s performance, I had many misinformed pre-notations about undocumented immigrants. I have known my share of people that are in this country illegally, but I did not realize how much money goes into staying in this country. Fake green cards, fake social security cards, fake birth certificates. All of which wouldn’t have to exist if it weren’t so difficult to obtain citizenship in this country. The notion that shocked me the most was that once an immigrant has all these fake documents, he or she pays taxes using the social security number provided, yet never can reclaim that money during income tax. I don’t know how many of you have filed your taxes on your own yet, but I’ve been doing it for the last 3 years, and I can say that income tax season is one of my favorite times of the year. I can’t imagine contributing all that money in taxes and getting NONE of it back. Especially once I retire and will rely on social security checks to supplement my retirement fund.

Throughout the performance, I felt strong sympathy for Carlo’s eldest brother who was left behind in Ecuador. I understand that it must have been a difficult decision for Carlo’s parents being that he was over 21 and wouldn’t be able to obtain citizenship with the family, but I can’t imagine how he must have felt. I get upset when someone close to me forgets something stupid like my birthday, what if they seemingly forgot of my existence and moved on with their lives. I found it sweet that he learned some English so he could tell his younger brother in America that he missed him, and essentially teach his brother what it as to miss someone.

Overall, this performance left me with a very different view on immigration, and I’m glad  the NY Times decided to give it the review it deserves. I’d be interested to see a future play from his brother’s point of view.

Without a doubt, the piece that affected me the most was Intringulis. It was so powerful as a one-man show, with all the songs and dialogue. There was so much emotion present in his voice and that really carried over to me. By the end of the show, I felt so different toward illegal immigrants. I never realized the hardships that they go through and how hard and costly the immigration process is.

Like I’ve mentioned in my video blog, the reason the show was so effective was because of the limited distractions and intimate setting. The performance took place in a small room, and in front of a small audience; the number of people Carlo had to interact with was small, and so he could focus more intently on the few that were there. Also, the stage/set wasn’t full of unnecessary distractions. There was barely anything on the stage, and there was no need for the audience to be looking anywhere else but at Carlo. The way the stage was set up forced the audience to look at Carlo and what he was doing. I felt a connection to Carlo; even though I don’t know him, I know him.

When Carlo talked about his brother, Pacelli and how he had to stay behind, I was so moved. Having three siblings myself, I can’t imagine how hard it must have been to leave behind a sibling, even though Carlo was never so close with him. I don’t blame Carlo’s parents for leaving behind his other siblings because it wasn’t easy. It was a decision they had to make and they felt it was for the best. Carlo’s relationships were affected but that was part of the journey. He’s not given up so much but rather so much has been taken away from him, in his and his family’s quest to have a better life.

The reason I was most affected by this piece is because I’ve learned to be so grateful for having been born here. My parents came here and sacrificed their families, and the lives they had in Pakistan, so they can provide us with a better life. Intringulis has taught me to be really appreciate for the sacrifices my parents made for us, my siblings and I. I feel so lucky to be in this country today, and can’t imagine myself anywhere else. If I was living in Pakistan today, I would be a different person.

The piece that affected me the most was easily Maria Full of Grace. While I can’t say I can compare to her story (I don’t have much experience being a drug mule, you see), I can empathize. Maria and her risks had me both angry and on edge. She was at times stubborn, selfish, and irrational, but by the end of the movie I could not deny her strength.

At first, while I was watching Maria, I was extremely annoyed. One: why was the movie in Spanish? What ever happened to good ole’ English translations? And two: what was with this girl and her annoying best friend?

But then I got to know Maria a little better. This seventeen-year-old had to play the part of family supporter. With her single job she was expected to carry her household, a family of five. And throughout the whole movie, Maria was obviously unsatisfied with her life, always yearning for something else, or something more. But there wasn’t really anything she could do to change her situation. Maria was stuck in a family that was overly dependent on her, she was attached to a boy she barely had feelings for, had a best friend who couldn’t make her own decisions, and a job she couldn’t tolerate.

Maria was stuck living and working for other people. At times she got fed up and reckless. She got pregnant. When I realized Maria was expecting, I was all “oh shucks, how’s she ‘sposed to get through this situation?” I wasn’t sure what would be the best choice for her. But the one she made definitely had me shaking my head. “No Maria!” I said, “Don’t become involved in drug cartel!” “No Maria, don’t swallow those pellets; you’re pregnant!” Maria, I thought was acting childishly, recklessly, and obviously did not care much about herself or her unborn baby.

But by the end of the movie she was still alive, she’d made it to America intact gotten her money, and decided to stay to care for her child. I had to at least respect and admire her for that.

As the credits rolled, I took a step back and thought, what could make someone act so drastically? What could make someone put their life and the life of their unborn child in danger? And for what, for money? But then I supposed drastic situations could cause for drastic choices. And while Maria’s situation in Colombia wasn’t the worst, her experience in coming to America is reminiscent of other individuals and their sacrifices. Not just immigrants seeking a different, better life but also those who decide to take on dangerous jobs to support their families. It makes me think of what might’ve driven them to make the choices that they did. What they dared risk losing, and what they might’ve ended up leaving behind.

Intringulis is by far the piece of work that really explained in detail the plight of an immigrant and how hard it really is to make it here, especially if you are constantly under threat.  Carlo took us by the hand and showed us step by step what he went through and spoke about how this whole process tore apart the family, which this transition of countries often does.  He gave us actual examples, while other productions that we saw and read were somewhat made up.

Asuncion gave us insight, but from America’s side.  It showed us how some people have really terrible preconceptions that really have no logical basis.  Though it did refer to immigration, and seemed to discuss it, I found myself not empathizing with Asuncion the way I did Carlo. As for Maria, it gave the example of why people come here and the lengths they go to. Though I did feel bad for Maria, I found myself blaming her for her wrongdoings rather than excusing her for her situation.  Do the Right Thing was more about racism than immigration, which didn’t allow me to really connect as much.  The same goes for Yellow Face.

During the entirety of Carlo’s play I was sitting in the back crying at every turn of events.  I cried because what he was saying was true; you have to pay tons of money for the system to begin to work and then pay more money to keep it in progress.  It is application after endless application. The immigration services are the furthest thing from organized you’ll find.  They managed to lose the six or so pictures of myself that I sent them over the course of eight years and then decided to print my Greencard with my nine-month-old picture. Really? Is it so difficult for you to keep things in one file? And though I applied for my citizenship three years ago, after my parents have been citizens for at least five more, they send me the interview letter to the wrong address and eight months later tell me that my failure to reply has given them justified reason to deny me my citizenship. *exasperation*

I also cried because of the torn relationships that this process causes.  Families are prevented from seeing and knowing each other because no matter how successful you can make it here, if you don’t have the papers, you won’t be able to get back into the country.  And it was already so difficult to make it that no one would ever risk leaving and not coming back. I left my extended family as an infant and came back a twelve year old. Until our first visit in 2006, my cousins had never met my younger brother.  We were outsiders while they were actually family.  I missed out on the chance to have close older siblings, people I can rely on and trust.  In America I am the oldest of the children in all the family gatherings, making me the responsible adult, never the simple child.

I cried because Carlo chose such perfect songs, songs that readily communicated the corruption and the sorrow that he saw.  There was one that was especially sarcastic, proving its point all the more and making me laugh at its wit.   They provided a beautiful tune, well, the ones he wasn’t screaming in. If I were more educated in music of the 70’s and 80’s I would have understood the references he was making with them. Music is a powerful language, connecting all people, and each song hit me with more force than the last.

It’s usually the case that I enjoy entertainment that can get a reaction out of me, so this play was no exception.  The difference is that Intringulis in its simplicity made an impact, completely blowing my expectations, so now I’ll never forget it.

Like many people in the class, the piece that affected me most in this unit was Intringulis. However I feel between class discussions, my video blog, and conversations I’ve had with friends, I’ve spent too much time talking about it. So I want to discuss another piece that really moved me: Maria Full of Grace.

Every now and then when I was watching the movie, I would have to stop and remind myself that Maria was supposed to be younger than I am. They way she grabbed her life by the reins amazed me. Of course, the movie started with her caring for her mother, sister, and nephew, so I suppose taking care of herself didn’t seem like a big feat. But the way she never got scared, just took care of what needed to be taken care of while still maintaining her morals, especially compared to the way Blanca acted, was so surprising. It was incredibly refreshing to see such a strong female role.

Of course the story was what made it such a strong piece about immigrants. It showed how rough life can be for people before they come to America, and the extreme measures they’re willing to take to leave. Maria knew that there was a high chance she could get caught by border patrol or die from a pellet opening, but she did it anyway.

It was interesting that in America, Maria saw that although life was better, it was far from perfect. Most discussions of immigration idealize America so much, so I liked that Maria Full of Grace also showed some of the downsides. The fact that she was aware of these imperfections and still chose to stay in America shows just how bad life was in Colombia and how idealistic Maria was.

It was also so easy to feel sympathy for the characters. When Maria was learning how to swallow pellets, my throat hurt. I couldn’t look at the screen. When Maria and Blanca found the bloody bathtub, I started freaking out for them. When Carla got the phone call about Lucy, I got nervous. I felt the movie conveyed the moods of scenes really well.

I think the powerful message, interesting plot, good actors, and relevance made this a great movie. I was so focused that at some point I forgot it was in Spanish. When the border control officer spoke to Maria in English, I was confused. I knew something had changed, but I wasn’t sure what it was. Then Maria answered in Spanish and I realized. I’d like to think that’s a sign of a great foreign movie.

therefore I have to say that Intringulus and Maria Full of Grace were the two works that affected me the most in this unit, but for different, although somewhat similar, reasons.  Both works appealed to me on an emotional level: Intringulus because of personal experiences, and Maria Full of Grace because of my sense of sympathy.

As I already discussed at length in my vlog, I connected on a personal level with Carlo’s story because of my personal experiences of immigration to America.  Beyond that though, I think Carlo effectively told his story with the use of singing, instruments, and one-man acting.  There is no doubt that his creative usage of these elements displays his incredible theatrical talent.  Even for people who did not have relatable stories to his, the piece was effective as it arose human emotions of sympathy and understanding, and furthermore informed them of much they did not know about the immigration situation in the United States.  As a young, charismatic actor, Carlo is passionate about his topic and this passion gets across to the audience, and I think that’s a big part of what made (makes) his piece very effective.

Maria Full of Grace also emotionally affected me, but was not as much a connection on a personal level (phew).  While watching the movie I felt sad, scared..and naive.

So.

Incredibly.

Naive.

For one thing, I looked up the word “mule” on urbandictionary.  And even after looking it up, I still wasn’t sure as to what the girls were doing.  When it finally hit me, I was nearly in tears.  I turned to my mom and said, “Ima (mom in Hebrew), I’m watching this movie about…” and explained it to her.  “I can’t believe things like this actually happen…people actually do this,” I continued.  “Don’t you watch the news?” she replied gently.

Honestly, I’ve heard of drug dealers and smugglers, but never anything like this.  I couldn’t even imagine that such things could exist.  Because I was hit with the naivety bomb, my feelings of sympathy were aroused tenfold and I was left sitting in front of my laptop watching the movie, almost in tears.  How the hell did I not know that things like this existed?  How could I be so stupid and naive? Unmistakably, Maria’s story affected me so much more than I expected.  Seeing someone else face such troubles brought out the sympathetic side of me, and the grateful side too.  The difficult scenes in the movie still play back in my head nowadays and I think to myself, “Don’t you ever complain about your troubles in life when other people are going through things like this.”

Hello, again my benevolent classmates! Today I want to focus upon the movie, ‘Maria Full of Grace,’ for it had the most profound impact on me in the Immigrant Unit. After viewing ‘Maria Full of Grace,’ the many hardships individuals, such as Maria, have to face in their daily lives to earn a decent living became elucidated for me. While I feel that Maria’s involvement in the drug business was morally wrong, I thought her intentions were pure. The perpetual conflicts Maria had to confront, whether it had to do with her family, boyfriend, or job, made me sympathize with her. Even at such a young age, Maria dealt with such difficult times and manifests to us the importance of stability in life. At age 17, Maria had to support her mother and her unemployed sister (and let’s not forget her sister’s child), while simultaneously managing her own life. Due to all these troublesome circumstances Maria, unfortunately, became part of an illegal drug business. I simply cannot imagine the unpleasant events Maria had to endure myself at such a youthful age. In fact, if I were in Maria’s place I would have no idea what to do. I would’ve probably stuck to doing the grueling work in the flower shop (and yes facing the acrid remarks of the boss), rather than swallowing lethal drugs down my esophagus.

Essentially, this movie was an eye-opener  because it illustrated the extents people could go to just to acquire money to support themselves. Maria was practically sacrificing her life smuggling drugs to New York, even when she was carrying a child in her womb! Not once did Maria think how her actions would affect her unborn child. However, this again relates to the unrelenting, quotidian problems immigrants, like Maria had to face. It hurts me to see an adolescent, such as Maria, to contain drugs in her stomach and travel to a foreign place to obtain money. Fortunately, Maria learns that what she’s doing was wrong after witnessing her friend pass away. I believe that Maria made the right decision to remain in New York and did not get involved in the smuggling business again. Maria knew a place as grand as New York was bound to have opportunities for her and her child. Nevertheless, I felt that the ending of the movie was a cliffhanger, because Maria made it to New York, but as an illegal immigrant… (deportation!) Who knows what problems innocent Maria may have to deal with in the future, especially when she is expecting a child. Her family will be worried sick about her whereabouts.

In my opinion, I feel Maria surrendered too hastily and formulated the wrong choice by becoming part of a despicable scandal. I wished that Maria thought more rationally and tried to resolve things with her sister, rather than always arguing with her. I know it’s easier said than done, but maybe circumstances would have been more fruitful in the end. The important thing I felt was this film made its point about the many difficulties illegal immigrants had to face and how these difficulties can lead individuals into undesirable situations. The message of the movie was definitely poignant and made me realize even further that everyone does not have an easy way of life. Moreover, the film made lucid the harsh realities of immigrants through the scene of them being thoroughly frisked at the airport.

Honestly, no matter how many times I repeat this, it’s not sufficient: I wished that Maria displayed the same sense of rationality she had done with Blanca when making her decision to join partake in smuggling drugs to the United States. I fully comprehend that life was tough for Maria, but she could have done better I felt. Then again, sometimes desperate situations call for desperate measures…

Maybe it’s because I feel like we’ve already discussed this a lot in class and I also talked about it in my video blog, but to me it actually feels kind of redundant to say that the piece that affected me the most was Intringulis.  After all, we were polled at the end of class on Monday and I was part of the overwhelming majority.  But even though it’s unoriginal, I’m in agreement with the crowd.  For a one-man show that I was expecting nothing from, it really gave me a whole new perspective on illegal immigrants and their struggles upon coming to America.

Carlo’s story shows that although immigrants can find a better life in America, it definitely does not come easily.  The most moving part for me was when Carlo added up all the money his family had to spend to come to America.  Although I’ve never been one of the people who are violently opposed to illegal immigration, I was always under the impression that illegal immigrants did not pay taxes.  Carlo showed me that I was wrong; in fact, illegal immigrants who are on payrolls pay more taxes than citizens because their Social Security numbers are fake, meaning they will never be able to claim the Social Security money that has been removed from their paychecks.  They are also not able to get the tax refunds that many US citizens get at the end of the year.  Learning this was pretty eye opening for me—after all, a lot of people who are opposed to illegal immigration base their argument on the myth that illegal immigrants do not pay taxes.

I was also affected by the internal struggles Carlo had with his illegal status.  He just wanted to grow up and be a “normal” kid, but his family was in constant fear of deportation.  So even though he got a bunch of acting opportunities, it was a big ordeal to ride in the Thanksgiving Day Parade and to do regular kid things like hang out with friends or listen to loud music.  I can only imagine how horrible it must be to have to keep a secret like that from everyone you know.  It’s bad enough to keep something minor from your friends, let alone the fact that you’re actually an illegal immigrant.

I think the main reason why Intringulis has affected so many people who have seen it is the fact that it puts a face to a cause.  Carlo is a very likable guy who puts his entire life out there for everyone to see.  He is trying to bring awareness to the fact that illegal immigrants are people who contribute to society and have to work incredibly hard and spend quite a bit of money to do so.  It’s easy to say that all illegal immigrants should be deported, but when you actually know someone who is here illegally (and Carlo’s intimate show makes you feel like you do), it forces you to examine your beliefs in a whole new light.  It’s rare that I see a performance with such a strong message, and I would honestly rank it with one of my favorite shows I’ve ever seen.

This is a difficult topic to write about. Among the works in this unit, I cannot pick a specific one that affects me the most. Every piece of work is essential in gaining a deeper understanding about the relationship between arts and immigration in New York City. For this reason, I would like to discuss all six pieces of works. They come together to form a very important piece of work in presenting the arts of this special group of people in the city—immigrants.

To be honest, I don’t find “Intringulis” is especially effective to me. While I was attracted to Carol’s stories, I thought I would enjoy reading his autobiography more than watching his performance. “Intringulis” is Carol’s “live autobiography”. He presents his stories through music and monologues, which is an innovative choice. However, some stories such as the ones about illegal immigration are better  presented in words than in performance, because people usually need some “space” to justify the characters’ decisions. By bringing the story into life, it would eliminate this “space”, and somehow force the audiences to accept the justifications that they might not think is correct.

The overall theme in “Maria Full of Grace” is a “never fading cliché”. Like my parents say to me everyday “We’re coming to America for the good of your future,” Maria stayed in New York for the same reason. The plot of the movie is routine, but the title is inspiring. What the title suggests is not simply the major theme of the “American dream”, but also the dignity, sacrifice, danger and struggles behind this dream. Despite Maria’s action was risky and foolish, she has stood up for her life. She is indeed full of grace in overcoming the hardships of her life.

I dislike “Yellow Face” the most in this unit. In my opinion, David Henry Hwang’s combination of fictional and real stories is not very successful. While the real stories about his father and the Asian American actors’ protest flow very well, his fictional story with Marcus is somehow meaningless. The whole story about wrongly casting Marcus as an Asian role, and found out he is not Asian does not convince me at all. It seems that Hwang doesn’t understand what Asian Americans truly need. Asian Americans need other people to understand their cultures, and to achieve equality through understanding. Other than the fictional story, “Yellow Face” is a great work in advocating the awareness of prejudice and inequality among Asian Americans.

“Asuncion” is my favorite piece, not because it is hilarious, but because it bravely brings up the issues which people always deny its existence. Unlike “Intringulis”, this play does not emphasize on the storyline but on the morals which the play centers. As a performance, “Asuncion” is more effective than “Intringulis” in that it gives the audiences more “space” on thinking about the moral behind the play. Yet, “Intringulis” definitely has higher artistic values, because Carol’s words are very successful in moving the audiences’ emotions, and leading them to explore his inner world.

“A View from the Bridge” is a more enjoyable reading than “Yellow Face” because the story is very convincing. Although immigration is not a major theme of the play, it shows the struggles and prejudices that immigrants are facing everyday. Just see how Eddie judges Rodolpho simply because he comes from Italy and wants to become an American. This play also incorporates the theme of the “American dream”. As the play suggests, the “American dream” may not always be a good dream. In Macro’s case, it was a nightmare, and in Rodolpho’s case, who knows. (Just a little digression, I truly think that Eddie was right about Rodolpho and Catherine; otherwise, it’s not a tragedy.)

“Do the Right Thing” is a  movie which portrays the cultural misunderstandings and racial discrimination in New York City very realistically. Although I don’t think this movie is very artistic, it shows people a hidden aspect of the city that actually impacts people daily, especially the minorities.

Because I am an immigrant, my opinions on the artworks might be overly subjective because I am very aware of the immigration issues and how immigrants feel. As I mentioned before, all six pieces of works combine into one piece of work that makes the view of arts and immigration in New York City more complete. No one particular piece affects me the most, because all of them affect me in different aspects, and without any of them, I would not be enlightened on this topic, because my view would be very narrow.