Ashton Batey

CIS110-070
10/17/14
Oral Interview
Date: October 17, 2014
Location: Kirwan Tower 22nd floor
Length: [00:00:00]
Interviewee: Hector Aponte
Interviewer: Ashton Batey
Transcriber: Ashton Batey
[HA]: Hector Aponte
[AB]: Ashton Batey
[00:11:48]
[AB]: This is Ashton Batey conducting my cultural interview on Puerto Rico with
Hector Aponte. All right, lets get started. Alright Hector, so, what was it like growing
up in Puerto Rico?
[HE]: Growing up in Puerto Rico is very special to me, now that I live in the United
States. I see how different it is, because In Puerto Rico the families are, I think more
united in the US its more like by itself. Puerto Rico its very united and its not like
America. In Puerto Rico the whole family is a nucleus. Its not like America, like how
the father is the top authority, then the mom, then the kids. In Puerto Rico everyone
is one.
[AB]: So you think its more united as a culture?
[HA]: yea its more united. Its less people. Its more identity.
[AB]: So, just more of a, has more of a cultural aspect of Puerto Rico, As opposed to
the US. All right. What were your favorite traditions growing up in Puerto Rico?
[HA]: My favorite tradition, is called, La Fiestas de La Calle Sebastian. Thats an
annual party that Is held in Puerto Rico in January its on La Calle De Sebastian Street
in Old San Juan the capitol. And that just fills up with people and they have they sell
art, like old Puerto Rico stuff. Carvings of woods, of ceramics, Puerto Ricos rums and
alcohols. People just gather up and celebrate with music. After Christmas we have
festivities.
[AB]: what do you think makes PR different from other Spanish speaking
countries.
[HA]: (Restates the question in thought) thats a good question; I think the culture
is yet to be more discovered because you go to a place like Mexico, they would have

Ashton Batey
CIS110-070
10/17/14
Oral Interview
things like the virgin of Guadalupe, they have a very thick culture. But In Puerto Rico
but there are still a lot of people that have to be more prideful.
[AB]: when did you first define as connected to being Puerto Rican?
[HA]: Thats also a good question. To be honest, when back home, when I went to
college for my first two years, I didnt feel that much of Puerto Rican pride. I was
proud to be Puerto Rican every time I traveled I felt proud. But being here now in
Lexington, and being away form PR I feel so proud. Evert time someone asks me I
say Puerto Rico and they say oh thats cool! I feel so proud and I feel like thats my
identity and thats who I am.
[AB]: Connected to that question, define the connection you have with your
culture?
[HA]: My culture is important to me, every time someone asks me about Puerto
Rico I tell them. Every time someone tells me PR is beautiful. I tell them culture is
the most important thing. Thats why I am looking forward to going back home
during Christmas.
[AB]: All right, what connects you with your culture?
[HA]: My parents. My parents taught me my culture at a young age and always keep
me in tact with what my roots are, so every time I see them or call them or look at a
picture and speak Spanish with them is reminding me where Im from.
[AB]: (Agreeing tone) Significant cultural value. All right, what values do you have
as a result of your culture that are different than American cultures?
[HA]: The most important thing is God.
[AB]: God?
[HA]: The most important thing in my life is God.
[AB]: (Helpful statement) Religion.
[HA]: My basic priorities are God, my family, my studies. Here in America I see that
the religion views are not valued as much. Back home my parents brought me up to.
Its not only me in Puerto Rico. Ninety five percent of the population practice
catholic values. That is how I was brought up.

Ashton Batey
CIS110-070
10/17/14
Oral Interview
[AB]: So, as opposed to the rest of Puerto Rico and the rest of your family, how did
your family bring you up? How did that influence you and you arriving here at the
University of Kentucky?
[HA]: Well, my parents brought me up to be independent; I depend on my family
because they are who I love. They brought me up to be able to take care of myself.
And now that I am here at Kentucky by myself I can do things like laundry or
cleaning my room, I can do the simple things because my parents brought me up like
that.
[AB]: (Aside) Independence, a cultural value.
What makes you prideful within your culture.
[HA]: The people.
[AB]: The people
[HA]: And the sports. Every time I see a big name in sports like jawline Moreno. A
catcher for the St. Louis cardinals Every time I see someone on TV (oh its Puerto
Rican) or If I read something (oh its Puerto Rican) like thats how I identify myself
because I know how they came up. How they had to go through a struggle to be
where they are.
[AB]: Alright, if you were to educate of the values of PR what would you tell your
audience?
[HA]: I would definitely start smooth, like something about the food. The food its
very different, how the places are how they are very different. Geographically from
the states. The mountains, the rivers, the oceans. I would also go back to religious.
For me the most important value is being religious. I would go back to the teachings
of the Bible. Simple Gospels, simple songs, you know simple stuff.
[AB]: Can you put emphasis on one of the examples that you gave me? Like food?
[HA]: Oh, PR is very big on rice, beans, and porks. We have special beans called
gandules. Arroz, which arroz means rice. Arroz con gandules e lechon, that means a
rice with beans and pork thats the PR dish. It cant any more Puerto Rican than that.
[AB]: So basically thats the traditional dish that you all have at family things?
[HA]: Yea. Any time of the year, youre going to find that dish.

Ashton Batey
CIS110-070
10/17/14
Oral Interview
[AB]: What are geographical differences that affect your experiences here in
America?
[HA]: Here in America, since I live in Lexington KY its a very flat place . PR since
its an island its 100 by 35 miles. Everywhere you go you will see mountains. But
here in KY you have to go at least a couple miles out to the mountains. And coming
from a place where everywhere is a mountain river and ocean every day. Coming
here in Kentucky not seeing the ocean at all is very different since Kentucky is land
locked. Its hitting me a lot. Like, before in Puerto Rico if you have a stressed day,
you go out to the beach you go feel the sand warm water for a day and it will calm
you. Here in Kentucky you have to find other ways. Because it is no ocean for miles.
[AB]: What would you say is another way that can relieve you of your stress? Or
another escape that you have, as opposed to going to the beach and going to feel the
sand?
[HA]: Well today I got a bad grade on my test, and said I have to let this go. So I sat
down and put some music on from back home. And I feel the music, like the
maracas, Puerto Rican guitar. And I like Christmas.
[AB]: (Agreeing statement) So basically, when you are stressed and you want an
escape, you can just refer back to your culture.
How was religious life back in Puerto Rico?
[HA]: Everyone is religious. But my family is over the top. And thats not a bad thing,
dont get me wrong. I like that I love that because having a Christ centric. Having
Christ in your center is perfect. And my grandma brought up my dad to be like that.
My other grandma brought up my Mom to be like that. And they brought me up to
be like that.
[AB]: So your grandma has a very big role in your family.
[HA]: Yes, my grandma, she is in her last days. But before, every holiday, every
meeting we had it was at grandmas house and she would lead it.
[AB]: A central place.
[HA]: Yes a central place where all my family met.
[AB]: All right, how did values within your generation affect you today?

Ashton Batey
CIS110-070
10/17/14
Oral Interview
[HA]: Well, my generation in Puerto Rico is growing up, we call it generation x.
thats what our generation is called. Its very tough, because Puerto Rico is dealing
with a lot of drug lords and drug gangs. And a lot of bad peer pressure, and at one
point of my life, I fell into that peer pressure. It took a lot of myself and a lot of my
values that I had of my parents of my culture to get out. To be more drugs and
alcohol and it was hard but here I am.
[AB]: What values do you have today, that you didnt have in the past, as a result
from your experiences within your generation?
[HA]: Well I learned, first of all, to value myself. Because if someone uses drugs and
is with many women with one time, they do not have value. Because you have to
respect yourself you know? If you have to respect someone else, you first have to
respect yourself. You have to love yourself. Thats what I learned. I also learned to
respect my parents and love them. And always, what mom says is right. They always
say mom is right. But that is really right. Your mother is always right.
[AB]: Has a person or group of people treated you a certain way as a result of your
culture?
[HA]: Its funny you ask because my parents were here last weekend for family
weekend. We went to a restaurant and the server comes up and he is really nice, but
once he hears us speaking Spanish, everything changed. His service downgraded. It
has happened before, In France we spoke Spanish and they knew we were from the
Caribbean and they treated us different. Because believe it or not there are still
people that have prejudice with different cultures. They dont understand.
[AB]: Do you have anything else that you would like to share with me?
[HA]: I hope you visit one day, visit my house take you around and show you.
[AB]: Good interviewing you.