Download - Dear Malcolm
Santarelli
Dear Malcolm,
My name is Joseph Carmine Santarelli. I was born in Chardon Ohio on
December 3rd, 1995. Chardon is a very small town right outside of Cleveland on the
east side. Many people say that this part of Ohio is “frozen in the 1940’s” I agree
with this statement but it perfectly coincided with my traditional ethnic upbringing.
I am a first generation American of Ecuadorian and Italian descent. People often ask
me why I don’t speak my ancestral tongues; there is a very simple answer to this.
When my family came here from Italy and Ecuador, America was a very different
place. They experienced the hatred and animosity against immigrants first hand.
They agreed to teach their children English and only English. They knew that if we
spoke our cultural languages in the home, then we would surely develop an accent,
and as a result already be different from the rest of Americans looking for a job.
America today is a somewhat more understanding place, as a result of this shift I
intend to learn both Italian and Spanish and teach them both, along side English, to
my children in the volatile state of infancy. But I digress; I have lived in North
Carolina for a large percentage of my life. I attended Bishop McGuiness Catholic
High School where I ran cross-country for two years. Although my family is big into
the Roman Catholic Church, I am very accepting of all religions and theories brought
about by the scientific community. I would say that the largest part of my life is
family; I suppose this is because I’m ethnic. I’m very excited to be back at UNCC, not
really happy with all of the work I’ll have to do but excited nonetheless. I am
currently a first year Architecture major on my way to a master’s degree in
Santarelli
Architecture, with the possibility of minoring in city planning. Architecture work
currently absorbs most of my free time, but I really enjoy the family dynamic of the
program. For example, yesterday we all went to studio and worked at the same
time then all went to dinner together, the restaurant had to push four tables
together to seat us all. There was a very rough period in my life, not too long ago,
dealing with my health. Although I will not speak about it at this time, it is
important to know its outcome. Those few years have changed my life forever. I
guess its true that pain is the best mentor. I was forced to mature at a relatively
young age, I’ve seen the face of hell and I can never come back from that. I have
logically deduced that I have a great purpose in this world, if only to produce my
lineage. There is no other reason I would still be alive unless I am destined for
greatness. That may be why I have gravitated so strongly to Architecture as a career
path. I’ve seen how fleeting yet important human life is. As a result I want to
physically create testaments to mankind’s intellect that will survive long past me.
Regardless of that, I know my simplified purpose is to be a good man. If I am a good
man and teach my children my legacy and they teach their children and the cycle
continues, I can single handedly shape the future for the better. I look forward to
this semester.
Joseph Santarelli