Charlotte Dunn
Understanding Literature
iExamen 2
March 14, 2013
Over
spring break I went to Miami with my family to celebrate my cousin Elena’s
christening. Elena’s father is my cousin Liam, his wife Maria is from Colombia.
Christenings are very special in Colombian culture and especially in Maria’s
family. Like my family, Maria’s family also flew to Miami to celebrate this
wonderful occasion. The day of the christening I chose to fulfill the iExamen
assignment because my family, whose only job in life is to tease, would be at
the celebration. Needless to say, I thought this assignment would be extremely
interesting, especially since I could not come back with any teasing of my own.
Being
away at school I have missed my family, but not so much the teasing. Whenever
there is a chance someone on my mother’s side whether it be my older cousins,
or uncles, and sometimes even my aunts, slip in what they think is a harmless
joke. I call my mother’s side of the family the teasing Tracy’s because it
seems that only the true Tracy’s can pull off a lighthearted tease or funny
joke. My family members who are in-laws quickly realized this and leave most of
the teasing to the Tracy’s.
On the
day of the christening my Aunt Carolyn, Liam’s mother, told us all to be on our
best behavior and make sure to especially behave in front of Maria’s family.
Well I thought to myself, “this is going to be hard.” Throughout the morning I
tried to lay low and avoid my cousins or my uncles that I know would be on
their game, because family parties are primetime for teasing, tricks, and
jokes. I played with my baby cousins and ran around outside with some of
Maria’s little cousins also. I wanted to observe the jokes and tricks for the
day.
Not even
five minutes into the party and I could hear my three cousins joking around
with each other and insulting one. Liam, Brendan, and David are brothers and
they pick on each other all the time. They hadn’t been together for six months
so there were lots of jokes and tricks to be played make up for lost time.
Brendan’s new favorite trick is having his two-year-old daughter insult his
brothers or play a trick on his mother. This is a great strategy because who
wouldn’t find a two year old adorable, even if she was being put up to some
mischief.
When I
talked to my cousins, they did not try to pick on me. We talked about school
and all the great things about Loyola, life on campus, and the Jesuit ideals.
We had a great conversation together. They gave me insight to what they wished
they could go back and do over or do again. They all agreed studying abroad
junior year is a must. They wished that they had taken advantage of that
opportunity when they had the chance. I was so happy that I was not a target or
a victim of my family’s jokes or tricks. Unfortunately I can’t say I was off
the hook for the rest of the week.
Overall
I found this activity very interesting and very rewarding. I was able to
observe my family and how they interact and communicate with one another. It
was a great test to myself to try and not go along with the teasing. I liked
being apart from the jokes for once and seeing how people reacted to it. Most
of my family takes it, but by the end of the vacation, every one was ready for
it to be over. I love my family very much but sometimes kind, true, and useful
words are not in their vocabulary, after all, they are the teasing Tracy’s.
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