Currently, Isabel is working on her bachelor of science degree in accountancy at California State University, at Fullerton. Her goal is to become a certified public accountant. She has eight years experience working as an office manager for an optical office. Isabel supervises a staff of two. One day she hopes to own her own optical business. Her contribution to her community is just that, providing quality service to her Latino patients with all optical needs. Her realization is to give positive attentive service to her community which she has not seen. Isabel has increased her business skills through supervising two employees.
Personally, Isabel admires museum exhibits because of their diversity. She enjoys an art piece and plays detective in trying to unfold the true feeling or message the art piece conveys.
Isabel's quinceañera took place on September 30, 1983.
At the celebration, the priest gave a sermon thanking God for her turning fifteen. The speciality of the quinceañera is that it presents you as a "señorita" a stage between an adolescent and a woman. Isabel remembers feeling speciel at the altar face to face with the priest. She recalls the priest talking to her about growing up a righteous girl and allowing God to lead her way to health, prosperity, and to live a life free of temptation.
Being at the altar, she would listen to the priest's beautiful sermon. Isabel, being a church goer, knew what would happen after her special sermon, and she daydreamed as she gazed out an open window. She began to think to herself "What's to come next after the mass?" The rest of the ceremony was known and her attention momentarily drifted away from the mass.
Isabel remembers her birthday as a happy family gathering. Feeling "unidad," unity among family and friends filled her with much joy. Sharing such an emotional and spiritual day with family was the ultimate for her.
Among her accessories, she had her dress, a simple crown, a Virgin Mary necklace, a pillow to kneel on at the altar, and a fresh flower bouquet that she offered to the Virgin Mary in petition of health and righteousness.
As godparents, she had her aunt and uncle Rosario and Alfredo Vega serving as such. They provided her ceremony, necklace and cake. It was Isabel who was given the opportunity to choose her godparents. She has very considerate parents who asked her what she would want on her special birthday.
After her celebrated mass, everyone met at the reception. The air was filled with happiness. Isabel's face was glowing like an angel. Her parents and loved ones also emotional and enjoying every minute of the reunion.
Isabel stated that everyone participated in the preparation for this special day. Family and friends participated on a weekly basis for a month practicing the "vals" (waltz) with her other 14 couples. Even these gatherings were enlightening for her since she knew she was "growing" to a mature young lady. Learning to organize 28 persons was quite a challenge for her.
At the dance hall, Isabel danced the first waltz with her "chambelán" (escort) and group. They performed a choreographic dance. The second waltz Isabel danced it alone with her father. This was special for it was a song played by the famous Mexican trio "Los Dandys" song titled "Linda Quinceañera" (Beautiful Fifteen year old). Isabel remembers nonstop crying during this dance because she was extremely emotional, feeling the fear of growing up and leaving "daddy." To this day, she is still living at home with her parents at age 27.
It was assumed that the godparents provided the "pastel" (cake) and she enjoyed her cake since she did not see it until her birthday. It had a girl figurine who wore a dress like hers, with white and pink flower decorations.
Regarding her gifts, Isabel remembers this being the birthday where she would receive many more gifts than ever before. "At age fourteen you look forward to receiving gifts, yet turning fifteen was different." The day after the party, family gathered at her house for gift opening. Early in the day, someone would read the card while she would open her gifts. Sharing with family who gave her gifts was again, a special treat. What followed was a buffet which she would be reliving the past 24 hours of her life. Gifts she received were mainly personal. Jewelry, stuffed animals, photo albums and ceramic figurines of quinceañeras.
When asked what she remembered from the priest, the mass or special part of that day, Isabel stated that she felt strongly happy. "I was feeling really happy because everything went well just as planned. People complimented my parents and everything was nice."
Later on, Isabel felt that after she had her quinceañera, this special presentation to the community, she was approached by many more young men than she ever met before. This made her realize that eventhough she was not allowed to date and have a "novio," (boyfriend) she began to view men differently as perspective boyfriends. She knew that her immediate goal was to complete her schooling to prepare herself for her future and then to decide if and when she would feel comfortable beginning the dating process after age 18. Her duties included to more seriously learn to become a homemaker and obtain a formal education.
Recalling her quinceañera after twelve years was a happy experience. She realized that even after these years there were things that she still remembered happily.
In conclusion, growing up in a traditional mexican family where quinceañeras are a great bond with family but living in the United States, the Chicano experience is trying to hold on to cultural traditions for strength and guidance. At the same time, these bicultural girls are also taking the best of both worlds, the American culture and the Mexican culture, to enrich themselves.
Cultural celebrations, such as quinceañeras, are excellent means for preserving the family bond of traditional Mexican families in the United States. These cultural traditions are seen by Latinos in the United States as a source of strength and guidance while at the same time trying to adopt the best of the American culture.