My culture diverges into two strong beliefs that I can understand just as easily as the languages. I can alter my mentality from me driving with my grandmother to me going on a night hike with a group of friends. I donвЂ™t feel strongly about either one of these points of views because I can acknowledge them both equally this is the power of translation. What I find interesting above all things is that I can truly perceive the owl in these two ways depending on the culture I chose to embrace at that moment. The Mexican culture reflects itself partly through stories that demonstrate the counties superstition and spirituality. In search of revenge, her ghost returned to haunt those townspeople and she took the shape of a bird that Mexico and Texas now identify the owl with. The hispanic folklore claims that a woman who practiced вЂњwhite magicвЂќ was killed by the townspeople when she was revealed as a witch. She claimed to have seen an owl perched on the fence as we drove by and that she watched it shape-shift into the witch highly feared in Mexico: вЂњLa LechuzaвЂќ. I recall my grandmother pointing out a вЂњlechuzaвЂќ in tremor on our way home one night. This country views the owl with fear not praise. Mexico is highly passionate and protective. Innovation and thirst for knowledge are what run this country which establishes the appropriate praise the owl receives. The animal is beautiful in spirit and science because it is part of the American culture. In the United States I can observe the majestic creature with intrigue and perhaps not only appreciate it for its wise beauty, but biological inquiry as well. The American symbol for wisdom and intuitive knowledge is simply not that in Mexico as I have come to know it. The common owl in America is completely different creature in Mexico. I have never been so perplexed about my feelings toward a harmless and probably ordinary animal: the owl. We make these association not only with words, but objects, religion, songs and other crucial parts of our culture that define who we are as individuals. It is not some snide comment it is simply meaningless. вЂњTodo eso y una bolsa de papasвЂќ is simply gibberish in Spanish and does not have the same effect as вЂњAll that and a bag of chipsвЂќ. In spanish I can mock somebodyвЂ™s stuck-up qualities by calling them вЂњfresaвЂќ but it simply would not make sense to call them вЂњstrawberryвЂќ and expect the same reaction as the word вЂњpreppyвЂќ might produce. I was always curious about the power of connotations and how they relate between two different languages. SInce I first acquired a well-developed understanding of the english language I have been fascinated with translation: having the power to introduce somebody to a new language, a new understanding of the spoken word. ItвЂ™s funny how the definition of something can change so drastically not based solely on language but cultural beliefs.

Lechuza witch owl