AP/Dean Corner

Sharing Stories

Like most people who live in Los Angeles, I spend a good deal of time in my car. Between the commute to and from work, the "quick" trips to the grocery store, visiting family, and weekend excursions, I probably spend at least 10- 15 hours a week sitting in LA traffic. 

To fill the time, I love listening to podcasts and audio books. One of my favorites is the Moth Radio Hour. The Moth is a story telling series, where people get on stage and share their story with no notes and no prompts. Every week, there's a theme to which all the stories relate. Some weeks, I find myself cracking up in my car as I listen, while others I can barely control the tears.

Two weeks ago, the theme for the week was Immigration Nation. In the podcast, four stories were shared-- one of a Mexican immigrant who tried to learn English by watching television, another of an Indian immigrant who had her first experience in the ER, another of a doctor trying to help a critically ill patient, and finally an Iranian immigrant meeting her extended family back in Iran. Listening to their stories opened my eyes to experiences I had never imagined. It helped me better understand the challenges and the joys of immigration in new ways.  

Each story reminded me of how important it is to both share and listen to one another's stories. Our families and students all have stories to share--stories that define their experiences and who they are. If we found some time to share and to listen to one another's stories, what would we learn about them? What could we possibly learn about ourselves?

If you'd like to listen to the podcast, the link is below: https://themoth.org/radio-hour/immigration-nation