Venezuelan teacher shares stories of transition

By Rosio Lopez and Ana Karina Victoria

We went to down to ask math teacher Xiomara Gunderson some questions about Venezuela. We know that she was born in Venezuela, and this is what we found when we visited with her.

Me: Where did you come from?
Mrs. Gunderson: I lived in Puerto La Cruz, by the Caribbean Sea.
Me: So why did you decide to come to Oregon?
Mrs. Gunderson: Actually, I got a scholarship for engineering and they decided the place. So I really had no say in it.
Me: Do you miss the weather?
Mrs. Gunderson: Yes, very much. It is warm all the time and I went to the beach a lot. It was not cold.
Me: Do you miss Venezuela? How often do you go visit?
Mrs. Gunderson: I miss it very much. Most of my family lives there, including my parents. I go every year during the summer.
Me: What is your favorite food in Venezuela? What is your favorite food here?
Mrs. Gunderson: I have to say that beef empanadas are my favorite in Venezuela. My favorite food here is, let’s see, I think its Thanksgiving Dinner.
Me: What is the culture like in Venezuela?
Mrs. Gunderson: We have very big parties for everything, and we have lots of holidays.

This is what we found out about Mrs. Gunderson and her background. It was interesting learning about her homeland, and it makes us want to visit someday!