Culture Shock

In this episode of Harrisonburg360, our group discusses the experiences of two women as they immigrated to the United States in 2001. Paloma Saucedo immigrated to the U.S. from Mexico with her then-partner, while Jinky Knox immigrated by herself from the Philippines in order to continue a relationship with an American man she had met. Although Jinky and Paloma first arrived in different areas of the country, eventually they both settled in Harrisonburg, VA. This episode analyzes Jinky and Paloma’s initial perceptions of the United States and how those perceptions were challenged and changed by their experiences. Throughout this podcast, we compared and contrasted the immigration narratives from these two women in order to highlight the intensity of being exposed to an unfamiliar culture from another country. In conclusion, we highlight how the theme of community transcends both Paloma and Jinky’s stories, highlighting how cultural differences do not hold individuals back from seeking out and forming new connections.

Notes continued for those interested:

A reference to Valley Aids Network, as mentioned by Paloma: http://www.valleyaidsinfo.org/

A reference to the changing immigration laws for the year Paloma and Jinky migrated to the United States: https://www.migrationpolicy.org/article/post-911-policies-dramatically-alter-us-immigration-landscape

“Culture Shock” Show Notes by Corinne Landrum, Kevin Hennessey, Olivia Comer, and Caroline FitzGerald

This episode was made possible by Dr. Fagan of the JMU English Department, Paloma Saucedo, Jinky Knox, and Hannah Moses. Special thanks to JMU’s Special Collections, especially Kirsten Mlodynia.