Gabriel Beltran

GL: I am Gabriela Linares and I am here with Gabriel Beltran to talk about his experiences during the coronavirus pandemic for our oral history class project, Bridging the Distance. Thank you Gabriel for being here with us. Could you please state your whole name and your age?

GB: My name is Gabrielle Beltran and I'm 43 years old.

GL: Thank you. Today's April 5th 2020. Let's begin with some questions about your early life. Could you please tell me a little bit about your family and where you grew up.

GB: I grew up in Bayamón, Puerto Rico and have lived my whole life. I have two older siblings. I am the youngest one in my house. I was raised by my father and my mother. I went through several schools, and it was just because of me.

GL: Could you talk a little bit more about that?

GB: It was back in the 80s.I was hyperactive and it was difficult for me to 00:01:00concentrate. They did not do like they do now with kids nowadays. I mean they give them some kind of pill to get them to stop being themselves. In the 80s they didn't give you anything. They gave you a good spank and it didn't work for my mother. That's why I I was in five different different schools. I think six of them. Then I graduated from high school and I went to New York to go to college. There it was it was a different experience. I didn't know that much English back then. I don't know that much English now, but I can defend myself. It was a good experience, and I learned a lot. The reason why I went to New York is because I couldn't concentrate in Puerto Rico. You have to be isolated (I 00:02:00guess), to actually hit the books.

GL: Was there a big difference between Puerto Rico and then transitioning into New York?

GB: Oh yeah...Oh yeah-- You have a kid that was born and raised in Puerto Rico, and then you take them to New York City-- It is completely different, no beaches, no friends, and the people itself are very different. It was just an adjustment for me. It took four years for me to get adjusted and then get out of there.

GL: How was the experience of finding a community in New York after being raised in Puerto Rico and having all of your life there?

GB: Actually went to Brooklyn and there wasn't a big Hispanic community there. I actually learned my English because my friends were Irish and basically Caucasian. I could speak Spanish at home with my mother but that's about it. I 00:03:00was forced to learn and it was fast for me. I made plenty of mistakes learning but that's about it. I think I speak English. Some people ask, "what are you saying?" Then I'm like okay, let me translate a little bit more.

GL: Was there any remarkable song or music that you used to listen through your childhood?

GB: Yeah, a bunch. I like salsa and I don't know why. My father wasn't really into salsa and my mother... We laughed about this. We say that she kind of abused us with music, because kids nowadays, they listen to the radio in their 00:04:00parents' cars. We weren't allowed. It was her car. It was her music. I know all the all the songs from when she was growing up like: the trio's, baladas and all the danzas that nobody else does. I do. I wasn't allowed until I had my car when I was 16. When I was 16, it was funny because I ended up listening to the same radio stations that she was listening to. It was my own car but I was so used to it. I think it was good for me because I had a different way to listen to music than all my friends. It wasn't pride. She gave me something different and I like it.

GL: Was this music present in New York as well? How and in which ways did you find a vehicle towards connecting with these musics?

GB: Well when I got to New York it was 1994. Hip hop was really in, you know? New York is a hip hop state. Biggie was alive and he was from Brooklyn so everything was different. I was learning the language so I couldn't really understand what he was saying or what any other rapper was saying cause it was just too fast. I appreciate the music, the beats and everything. I mean, beats 00:06:00are beats. I liked it.

GL: Thank you so much. I was wondering that like music it's a vehicle towards learning, getting used to the language, and adjusting your ear to a language.

GB: It is. With music you can really relate to other cultures. I remember the first time I heard a salsa that was in English. There was a song back then when they made a movie called "I like it like that" back in 95 if I'm not mistaken. Tito Nieves sang that song and it was in English. "I like it like that" I was like, "Oh that's in English." Back in the seventies there were songs. Tito Puente made a few of them. In New York there's different salsa than in Puerto 00:07:00Rico. They made a few of them, but I wasn't really into it. I didn't know the language back in Puerto Rico. It was a different ballpark for me.

GL: Now transitioning to you know what we're living right now and the experiences that we're having-- Can you tell me a little bit about the first time that you heard about this pandemic, COVID-19. Can you recall that moment?

GB: I think I heard it here. We were actually here in St. cloud. When was it that we went to Spain? Was it February?

GL: Yes I think it was February?

GB: You didn't go (laughs) So we went to Spain and we heard about this because I 00:08:00believe that this was going on since December if I am not mistaken. So we heard that there was this virus that was hitting China. We were kind of afraid to go on this trip in February. We wouldn't have even consent to the idea that we were living these times right now. It was so far for us or for any American to think that we were living in these circumstances, but we went to Spain. We weren't touching anything. Spain at that time didn't even have these cases. They had a few but they did not have cases like now.

GL: The numbers grew dramatically.

GB: Exactly! When we got back, none of us got sick or anything. That was the 00:09:00first time I heard about that. We were kind of afraid of going on the trip but we ended up going anyways.We had a good time and when we got back. Then we really start hearing the news and we were grateful that nothing happened to us over there.

GL: How were the news in Spain? Were people talking about the pandemic?

GB: We barely watch TV over there. So in the street, no one was really saying anything. People were just walking like normal people. Madrid is just a crowded city. Everyone was on top of each other, and no one was really paying attention over there to anything. I think that was the issue over there. It was too late.

GL: The tourists

GB: Yeah. It is bad.

GL: When did you realize that it would become a problem for you and your family?

GB: Well as soon as we started hearing the news from Italy. We started hearing the news from Spain and a few cases that we have been in North America. I told my wife, "listen this is getting out of hand." There is no way that you can tell a person, you can't flight from Spain to Florida to California or to New York. Back then there was nothing. So I talked to my wife and said, "Listen, we have to take care of each other." You were in Ohio. We were kind of worried until the 00:11:00university made the decision which I think was very responsible for them to do.

GL: What did you think about the timing?

GB: do you think it was too late?

GL: In my opinion I thought it was a little bit too late, because other schools were already closing prior to that. I just wonder, have you heard things in St Cloud about schools closing or or did it happen all at once.

GB:'m really concerned about the community here in Florida. Puerto Rico has made a better job than them. People in Puerto Rico have been enclosed in their houses for two weeks now. They're not allowed to go out unless you're going to get some groceries. They'll stop you on the street and ask you, what are you doing out. They'll find you if you don't have a great excuse to be out. Over here nothing's 00:12:00happened .

GL: how's your experience?

GB: Well I work every day. Except for my family that stays home. My wife is working from home and my kids are here. You are here. I'm a truck driver so I'm not that exposed. You go out, you're gonna be exposed. You know. I take care of keeping a social distance and cleaning my hands every time that I can. By every time that I can, I mean that if I see a sink ,I will clean my hands even though I haven't touched anything. I think that's the only way that we can prevent this. By not touching my face and just praying for the rest. That's about it but 00:13:00not right now. That's the only thing. We can be responsible. If you have to go out just just be responsible.

GL: Have you seen any changes at work? How has your work been responding?

GB: Well at the beginning my work person really paid that much attention to it. I talked to my bosses and said, "What are you guys going to do about this?" They said, "well the president said this is just the flu." This was a month ago. I guess when he said this then it was a different story. Two weeks from then, they want us to be on social distance. Now I have wipes in my truck regardless. If you are out, you're gonna be endangered. I go to construction sites. I still 00:14:00have to sign a manifest. You know it's a hassle to go out there and then come back to the house that your family is living in. At this time I'm still working. I don't know what's gonna happen next week. I don't know what's gonna happen two weeks from now. Let's see. I still have to go to work and provide for my family. That's the big issue here. It's just it's just having those two...

GL: Yeah,definitely! It is about priorities. It is taking care of yourself and then also thinking about--

GB: If I said, "I'm not going to work", I would have no benefits then. I would be quitting. At this time I still have to go to work. Even though there's nobody right next to me in the truck, it's just me, you're out.

GL: What do you mean by benefits?

GB: if I said, "I'm not going to work. I feel like I'm getting endangered and might get infected by this virus." The company expects me to be there. If they don't send me home they expect me to be at work. If I quit I would be abandoning my job. I just have to wait for them to make the decision. "Hey, we're not working any more." I don't want them to do that. I want to still work. I want to stay working but it's just a difficult situation. It's the time that we live in now. I don't think my father has lived this. He wasn't a military guy so I don't think he lived this. I don't think my grandparents did either. It's just new to 00:16:00all of us. I don't even know... These times are really difficult.

GL: We already talked a little bit like the late response of St. Cloud...

GB: Not even st. cloud. I think it's the whole state of Florida. The county here is Osceola County. If the governor of Florida doesn't it doesn't say anything-- Before the governor said anything, Orange County decided that there's going to be a curfew, and the governor of Florida didn't say that. A week passed and then 00:17:00he did say that. Supposedly we have a curfew. Supposedly nobody has to go out. I went out this morning with my wife to buy some groceries and everyone was out. I don't think this is good. In Puerto Rico the police are out in every corner. They ask, "What are you doing out? Are you going to the supermarket? Where do you live?" Over here... I don't see anything. They say it on TV, just be responsible. I am a responsible person. I don't know what my neighbor is. In this case, I don't know where he's been. I don't know if he's hooking up with 00:18:00their friends and hanging out. I don't do that anymore. I haven't done it since this started. In that case I have to be responsible and keep the social distance. That's about it.

GL: Have you seen any specific reaction from society and the community around you? How do you think people are managing these curfews? Are people respecting social distancing?

GB: Two weeks ago, they were like, "Oh this is just a simple virus. Why are they doing this?" Now I see that people are really getting worried about it because we still haven't hit the peek of the virus. There's been a lot of deaths. To me, 00:19:00ten deaths is a lot, because it is human life. You shouldn't play with it. I think that people now are really getting to a point that they're getting worried. If they're not, then they will never do. They're just not responsible.

GL: Thank you so much. That's all amazing information. Do you see this as a historic or defining event for humanity?

GB: For the whole world... I think it is for the whole world. It's a defining moment. I was telling my wife this morning that I read something about how we 00:20:00have a pandemic every 100 years. Of course it is. We have never seen this. This generation has never seen anything like this. It is something that we are going to remember. We hope... Our prayers are that we survive this, we learn from it, we remember it, we remember those who passed, we remember that we have to be responsible, and that we become humans again. We will go out and we will keep our distance, we go to groceries, and then we go home and stay with our families... I'm pretty sure that you will remember this.

GL: Yeah, I will. How are you maintaining connection with your community, people 00:21:00who are important, your loved ones? Is there a specific way? GB: Just calling them. Thank God that we have FaceTime right now. That we can see them. In the 90's when I was growing up we did not have that. It is amazing to have that technology. I call my friends from when I went to school in New York. I've called them in Brooklyn. I called mark. I called Danny. They are worried because they are in a state that this has really hit hard. They still work. Danny's wife is a nurse and she's pregnant so it has been difficult for them. You see how 00:22:00they live, and you see how we are living right now, and I'm thankful. I don't have to be as exposed as they are, even though I can be infected... I don't think I am as close to being affected as they are. I can't really trust that because nothing is certain.

GL: Is there an experience that you have lived before, that happened during your lifetime, or even maybe in your family's lifetime-- You mentioned that you don't think that your grandparents or father have lived something similar.

GB: In Puerto Rico we have the dengue which is a mosquito that will bite and you will have a stronger flu than the regular flu. I remember when I was growing up that they had the dengue hemorragico which is a different kind of dengue. It is 00:23:00a stronger mosquito mosquito bite or flu that we had that they did not have in the past. I remember that they hit the media so much that I was crying, "I don't want that mosquito." I mean, it is an island, you will get bit by mosquitos anywhere. I remember that. Looking at my kids right now because I have a 14 year old and she is really afraid of everything. I was remembering when I was ten, and how she probably thinks that this is similar. I think it is way worse because she can see in the news that people are dying, hundreds-- In an island, 00:24:00in a matter of two months you won't have five hundred deaths. It's really different. I think it is worse

GL: I'm just curious as to how you experienced the dengue when you were ten and how you experience this now as a grown man.

GB: It's not the same. By comparing those two, I meant the age that we have, which is so similar than when I had the situation with the dengue. This is a pandemic. This is way worse.

GL: Now being a father of a fourteen year old, and having to bring positivity 00:25:00into the house while being realistic--

GB: I'm a father of about 21 year olds a 14 year old in a five year old with the same wife. It is worrisome. Thank God that I have spiritual beliefs and that we have faith that God is going to cover us.That will sustain you in your beliefs and in what you have faith on. Other than that it's just being out there in the limb. I don't know what people that don't have God in their heart will think in 00:26:00this particular time. It's difficult. I don't want to put it out there like I'm a fanatic or something, but it is just having a ground. I think it's difficult if you are just out there. "Okay, I woke up", no, I am grateful if I wake up. I'm grateful if I come back in with my family and that they are okay. They're not sick. It's just different. Probably two weeks from now you ask me the same 00:27:00questions and I'll probably have a different answer because everything changes by day. That answer to what you just asked me won't change because it's my is my it's my faith. That won't change, but the other questions that you just asked me might because everything changes by the day. GL: On the positive side, is there anything that's keeping you-- other than your faith-- We talked about the media and how there's a lot of humor in the media trying to balance it out. What do you think about that? Do you see it as something positive?

GB: Well it's something that is needed. People need to hear other things because otherwise the media will just succumb you into all these horror stories which 00:28:00are really happening. You are in your house. What are you gonna do? You're gonna be paranoid. It's gonna create anxiety in your heart and you don't want that. You want to have a cold head and to make the best decisions for you and your family. I think that's the only way

GL: Reflecting on everything that we have talked about-- Overall, how do you think you have been personally transformed with all of these upcoming events?

GB: The thing is that you gotta be grateful. I'm grateful that you were here. I haven't had you here. It has been three years and a half years that I have not been living with you, with my whole family, the five of us. That's something that the American people should understand. You are in your house. Stay with 00:29:00your family. Talk to them. Enjoy this moment. It is very difficult to enjoy when something like this is happening but you have to. You have to enjoy these moments. Otherwise you-- Do you remember the movie "The Croods"? They are cavemen and they are afraid of everything... We have to be inside our house, not afraid but responsible.

GL: Is there anything that you would like to revisit or talk about before that 00:30:00is important to say before we close this meeting?

GB: This is all new. That's the thing. These are situations that we need to take a positive approach too. Otherwise you'll live your life without really seeing what you have in front of you, which is your family. Make the best out of it otherwise you will just be afraid of living. We are all humans and life goes on. It is difficult for us to say that life goes on. It's kind of unfair to say life goes when there are hundreds dying every day because of this virus but it really does. It will go on for you, for your sister, for your brother. One day I won't 00:31:00be and your mother won't be here, not just because of the virus but because it is life. We have to be proactive, be positive, and make the best out of every situation. We don't know if next year we'll have something else. That is why you have to stay positive and look for a solution in everything. That is about it.