My Big Fat Greek Wedding: Overcoming Ethnic Differences

I come from a multiracial family of eleven. I have three biological brothers, three siblings from China, and two older sisters from Haiti. Before you ask, yes, my mom shops at Costco twice a week and drives an old beat up twelve-passenger van christened “Big Blue”. Growing up in a unique family has had a significant impact on who I am today and how I treat people. Perhaps one of the most important life lessons I learned from my somewhat unconventional family is that when it comes to succeeding in whatever you do, resilience and perseverance matter more than physical perfection and innate

Studying in the U.S. and being a student of Portland State University is my most outstanding accomplishment to date. I always had a dream to study abroad and it became true when I moved to the U.S. three years ago. I enrolled at Portland Community College in Fall term 2013. Although it was difficult to adapt to a different culture and school system, I have been successful in my studies. Out of the seven terms at Portland Community College, I have earned a place on the Presidents' List four times in a row, twice on the Deans' List and once on the Honors' List. I transferred to PSU in Fall 2016 and continue to be a good student. While at PSU, I was accepted to an internship which will start in Spring 2017. The main strengths that help me be successful

Diversity is something that I have always valued; it gives one the opportunity to get to know an individual with a different perspective. After conducting my interviews I had the opportunity to get to learn more about my family and I in terms of culture. Kenneth V. Hardy and Tracey A. Laszloffy (1995), explained that one does not become conscious of actions, thoughts, or biases until they are processed intellectually, which is what this assignment allowed for. With that said, I will discuss and identify personal assumptions and biases I held of my interviewees, my ethnic and cultural heritage and the positive/negative influences it has had on myself, and lastly, the way I view my family and myself today.

Occidental College separates itself from other colleges with its diverse student body, liberal arts curriculum, and its global awareness. Personally, I enjoy discussing various topics and Occidental offers a small class size, typical of a liberal arts school, which allows for critical and thought provoking discussion. Also, I can trust that my classes will stimulate my mind, knowing that I can more readily access professors as a resource and collaborate with fellow classmates on numerous notions. A diverse group further allows for greater discussion for unique ideas will be frequently introduced based on the student's experience. Additionally, I firmly believe that the study abroad option offered at Occidental College can help me gain the international experience that is important in becoming a complete world citizen. Asides from its diverse student body and incredible academic options, Occidental College also provides student with access to the culturally vast city of Los Angeles. Occidental College's immediate surroundings are comfortable and when combined with tremendous academic options and student

While numerous cultural values are displayed in “My Big Fat Greek Wedding,” two stand out as ones that may be universal. Namely, the values of love and family here may pervade across cultural boundaries. These values may take different forms or possess varying degrees of importance, but they most likely speak to people no matter their culture.

Going into college, I expect many challenges. The biggest challenge I expect is all of the environmental changes. For eight years now, I’ve been attending Julia R. Masterman School. For eight years, I’ve seen the same people, at the same place, every single day. Every day, I’ve woken up to the same daily routine. I wake up, go to school, come home, eat, sleep, and then repeat. Usually, there’s someone to wake me or feed me, but in college, there won’t be. Ultimately, I’ll be responsible for myself and everything single thing that involves me.

With excellent academic performance and outstanding English proficiency, I was admitted by Michigan State University (MSU), whose accounting program is often ranked as top 20 in the United States. Although excited about the fact that I am part of the amazing business school, I was totally aware of the challenges ahead of me. To quickly adapt myself to the new environment, I forced myself to step out of my comfort zone. For example, I made an effort to make as many local friends as I possibly can. Also, I spent lots of time on learning more about American culture by watching American TV shows, listening American music, frequenting local museums among others. Meanwhile, I was actively involved in various extracurricular activities. For instance, I was a mentor at the Mentorship Program of MSU English Learning Center. In addition, I was also the orientation group leader for MSU Office of International Students and Scholars. During the summer of 2014, I interned at China Construction Bank, one of the largest banks in China, as a Personal Loan Client Manager Assistant. This work experience not only allowed me to apply the knowledge I learnt at school to the real world but also taught me how to communicate with different people effectively.

Personally, my experiences have positively impacted my perception towards diversity as I learned that many commonalities and attitudes amongst ethnic groups can create happy and successful families and emphasis on family involvement. However, other commonalities may be at odds with the laws and attitudes of society in regard to diversity. Prejudiced and lack of cultural understanding on the part of any individual, may increase

The time has finally arrived, college. It’s been a whirl of emotions attending college from intimidation of not knowing exactly how college works or where my classes would be to an exciting anticipation to explore the city of Miami up close. I’m the first in my family to go to college and it is an honor. I’ve always imagined what college would be like and now that I’m here it’s has exceeded all my expectations. The reasons why I’m attending college are for my parents because I want them to see that their hard work was not in vain. Also, for my future family who I hope to provide for one day and lastly for myself because I want to pursue a higher education.

Coming from a third-world country, it is quite overwhelming to enter college in a first-world country. My whole perception in life has been redefined due to the great opportunities being offered to me. However, it gives me the feeling of uncertainty on how life will turn out after

Coming from a small town where there is a total of five restaurants and one stop light, college wasn’t an expectation but instead a privilege. I am beyond blessed with the opportunity of attending such a prestigious college, considering I am a first-generation college student. I know for a fact I wouldn’t be the person I am today without the love and support of my parents and professors.

My family and I resettled in the U.S when I was 16. Although the migration to U.S ended my childhood memories, it was an opportunity for me to shine and develop the potentials, credibility and expertise to succeed in life. My past life has always been an inspiration to me to excel in any discipline so that, I can surpass the generational dogma and extreme vulnerability my family has experienced back in Vietnam. I am among the first generation in my family to attend university. As a student from an immigrant family with limited education and awareness, things were extremely hard for me at the beginning however, as time passed by, everything started to fall into place and I am enjoying my junior year at college pleasantly so to speak.

I grew up in a multicultural household, my father came from Peru and my mother came from Colombia. Both of my parents are proud of their respective countries and heritage. They both embrace each other’s cultures by celebrating traditions and preparing food native to both countries. Having open-minded parents has taught me to experiment with new foods, music, and hobbies without judgment. I have been surrounded by so many

Fast forward 10 years, and I see myself sitting around a table with people from nay countries and endeavoring to reach a resolution. Although this career in international is important, I hope to balance my life between my career and other meaningful life experiences like developing deep companionships, travel, culture and giving back to the community. Because preparing for a meaningful life will result in preparing for a more focused and successful career. I enjoy being able to challenge new circumstances and therefore, it is my hope that my undergraduate education will offer me the opportunity to enhance my academic knowledge and qualifications and a variety of experiences both with the confines of the university and outside of the university.

My family’s Portuguese customs and my experiences living in the United States profoundly influenced the person I am today. The assimilation between Portuguese beliefs and living the American dream reshaped my self-concept and ignited my curiosity about diversity. The concept of acculturation summarizes my experience with integrating more than one culture and crafting my values. J. W. Berry states, “Acculturation comprehends those phenomena which result when groups of individuals having different cultures come into continuous, first-hand contact, with subsequent changes in the original culture patterns of either or both groups” (as cited in Morrison & James, 2009). Appreciating my cultural background allowed me to develop my racial identity which brought awareness to my own privileges and biases. As I am furthering my education to become a counselor, I hope learning about myself will help me guide and empower clients to do the same.