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On Reyna Grande’s first day at UC Santa Cruz, a fellow student asks, “‘Where are you from?’” Grande writes, “It was an innocent question, but it was a question that made me think about my foreignness, a question that made me raise my guard.” Discuss how the concept of “the other” permeates her life as an immigrant. To be "othered" is to feel marginalized. Grande was longing to belong.

on the book a dream called home

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Answer:Reyna Grande's memoir, "The Distance Between Us," tells the story of her experiences as an immigrant from Mexico to the United States. Throughout her life, she has felt the weight of "the other" - the feeling of being an outsider, of not quite belonging.

Grande's experience of being "othered" starts with that simple question asked by her fellow student. It is a question that is often asked innocently enough, but it carries with it the assumption that Grande is not from here. Her response is to raise her guard, to be cautious. She is aware of how her foreignness makes her different, and she is aware that being different can be a liability.

Throughout her life, Grande is reminded of her foreignness. She grows up in poverty in Mexico, and her family's economic struggles are compounded by the fact that they are undocumented immigrants in the United States. Grande's parents work long hours in difficult jobs, and they are always at risk of being deported. Grande's experience of "the other" is not just a feeling of being different; it is also a reality that shapes every aspect of her life.

As she grows older, Grande becomes aware of the ways in which "the other" affects her opportunities and her sense of self-worth. She dreams of going to college, but she knows that as an undocumented immigrant, her options are limited. When she finally does go to college, she feels out of place, and she struggles to find her footing. She is constantly aware of how different she is from her peers, and she is always trying to bridge the gap.

Overall, Grande's experience of "the other" is one of feeling marginalized and longing to belong. She is aware that her foreignness sets her apart, and she is constantly trying to find ways to fit in. But she also knows that no matter how hard she tries, she will always be different. For Grande, the challenge is to find a way to embrace her difference and to use it to forge a new identity that is both Mexican and American.

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