Rutgers Students Share Reflections for Hispanic Heritage Month–Camila Correa
Class of 2024
Rutgers-New Brunswick Honors College
School of Arts and Sciences
Rutgers-New Brunswick
My Latin culture has always been a strong part of my life. My parents grew up in Ecuador and chose to raise their family in the United States because of the opportunities it offered. Even so, they never truly left Ecuador behind. From the language to the customs, my parents made sure I kept their heritage alive by teaching me what they could.
As a college student, I now face a point in my life where I no longer can rely on my parents to remind me of my cultural customs. It is up to me to maintain my cultural identity. So, I had to ask myself...What do I appreciate about my heritage?
It did not take me long to realize the key part of my heritage that I loved celebrating: the cuisine. I would classify myself as a foodie or perhaps in other words, food-obsessed. However, my palette has a strong preference for Ecuadorian food. To me, Ecuadorian food is my comfort food. Once I recognized this, I began to make an effort to actually pay attention to my family’s cooking. Whenever my father would cook a traditional dish, I began asking him how he actually prepared them. And with much enthusiasm, my father began describing every detail of the dish, with me asking some questions here and there. Eventually, with my “interrogations” (not to mention the consultation of my grandmother), I was able to compose a small collection of recipes, which I now consider my very own Ecuadorian cookbook.
My small recipe book has grown quite a bit since I have started. I know that with each new dish, I am keeping a piece of my Ecuadorian heritage with me.
FULL SOURCE: Rutgers Today | Rutgers Students Share Reflections for Hispanic Heritage Month