I am Margo Tannewitz, an avid reader with a boundless desire for better understanding the world that I live in. I am an aspiring writer who deeply cherishes education, and wants more than anything to better the world through the literature I craft. A large sense of my identity comes from the literature (in all of its forms) that I have interacted with and been shaped by. The books I have read, lessons I have attended, music I have listened to, and those I continue to discover, have and will shape my perspective of my experience. Throughout my time at UCSD specifically, I have read primary and secondary sources from Europe, Colonial America, and Latin America from anywhere between the 1600’s and present day. In both researching context and analyzing the meanings of such texts from a variety of cultural, temporal, and geographical perspectives. I believe that by looking at the literature of and about a concept, region, or group of people is an intimate and insightful means of gathering both knowledge and understanding.

I identify with creativity and living intuitively, which is why I love the intuitive nature of writing and reading to express ideas and emotions. I strive to analyze and reimagine my experiences in life, and translate this practice of thought into other mediums like original music, poems, and stories. I believe I represent myself as an open-minded and adventurous spirit, and that my passion for the art and academic work I create is evident through my emotional connections to them. I believe that expression is an art and identity, therefore I try to express my thoughts, sentiments, and interests as much as possible through my creative work, my style of dress, and the conversations I facilitate with others.

I am from the suburban city of Santa Clarita, California; a bit North of Los Angeles. I had a calm childhood in which I made lasting friendships within my close-knit community. I enjoyed the security of living in a quiet and safe community, but also yearned to expand my views by moving away for college. Moving to San Diego was a decision I do not regret, for I have had the opportunity to form new bonds with others, and be exposed to a wider array of other cultures, histories, and environments.

I am a soon-to-be third year in Sixth college, and I plan to graduate next Spring. I am greatly enjoying pursuing a degree in Literature/ Writing here, and I have learned more about many subjects that I never expected I would. I am currently learning Spanish, and am approaching my goal of fluency. I am also reading and writing about different countries and cultural practices that I have not previously been exposed to in my studies of language and history in Latin America.

Another one of the classes that is expanding my perspective is this class, CAT 124. Aside from my life spent living near the Pacific Ocean, I do not have a considerable amount of knowledge of The Pacific, however, I have read numerous literary works from Japan in previous literature classes on Techno-Orientalism. It is this lack of knowledge that led me to take this course, for I feel it is valuable and interesting to learn the histories and practices of other cultures and regions. Such research and increased understanding can help one detect the causes and continuing traces of present societal issues. I also have recently been reading a lot on indigenous cultures in Latin America, and have seen throughout my studies of Latin American and other indigenous cultures, the common themes of capitalization, appropriation, and conflict that has been brought upon them. This class will give me an opportunity to hone in on a specific indigenous group and understand the mechanics of their history and present.

I hope to learn about the many cultures that intermingled within Papua New Guinea, and to understand how Australia interacted with the population to create infrastructure and organizations. I am extremely excited to look at documents and draw my own conclusions from the research I conduct!