My First Interview With Diamond Charles

I really did not think there was anything extraordinary about my culture and heritage because I have lived in a Crystal City, Texas my whole life. Being Mexican American was really the usually thing so I did not consider anything special of it, but my history has shown me otherwise. Living in a small town has shown me that I can leave a legacy, keep the heritage of my family alive, and still strive to have an education.

In most situations involving moving, whether it be to a different town, state, or even country, there are pros and cons. This student shared with me some of the things he enjoys most about his country. He said that when he came to the United States, he noticed something different about our greetings towards one another. “In Peru, we greet close friends and family members with hugs” he said, “boys and girls kiss each other on the cheek and friends shake hands or fist bump.” However, here in the United States, he noticed that some males are not comfortable with that kind of interaction and physical contact with others of the same gender. This he says, is one reason he feels more comfortable living at home. Food is another reason this student prefers home to the United States. Latin America is known around the world for having delicious food. The food there is full of flavor and spices, along with being colorful. This student is not a particular fan of American food. He made comments joking about his poor cooking skills but that he still prefers his cooking over American food. Using some ingredients from

Living in two different countries can be a great experience that can change someone's way of thinking. We live in a world with many countries and different types of people, making us compare each other and ask ourselves how is this different or similar. For example, in Brazil, they speak Portuguese, but in Colombia they speak Spanish. That's one difference. Yet, Brazil and Colombia are in the same continent. Now, that's one similarity. In my case, I have lived in Venezuela and in the United States and sometimes I start comparing many things like economy, government, culture, topography, weather, traditions, etc. Many people don't notice how many difference and similarities two countries can have.

Half the people I see on a daily basis are from a different ethnicity, culture, or even country, and I feel that the population here is much more diverse than a normal

Cultural identity is what defines someone. I feel that I am apart of the football “Jock” culture when I am anywhere near my teammates I am cocky and mean. I am a whole nother person when I am on my dirtbike, I feel like the people in the south who ride everyday and dont care what people think.

The privilege to move to California has exposed me to many different cultures. This has allowed me to grow in many ways. The opportunity to listen and learn was there for the taking and I indulged. I now live in a neighborhood filled with people much different from myself My children's classrooms are filled with people from around the globe.  I also have a diverse group of friends that I very much enjoy and spend time with.

Growing up in America you get introduced and exposed to new ideas and cultures everyday. Especially living in Los Angeles which is a melting pot of many different cultures and beliefs. It’s difficult to think of a time I’ve had a problem or struggle with a new experience. However, I have had a minor struggle with the feeling acceptance in different cultures. Facing new experiences can be amazing and a way of learning new ideology and beliefs. Different cultures have many different ways of thinking and have different belief systems and it can be difficult to fit in properly. With the experiences I have faced I try to enjoy and respect them as much as possible but, there is still a small feeling of not truly fitting in. I’ve learned to overcome

The career I choose to do my Career Story Interview, which I’m interested in doing, was Web Developer. Technically, the person that I interview, Jordan Scheller, is officially a Software Developer, but he creates/maintains websites which is what Web Developers do. So to be completely clear, the career I will be investigating is Web Developer.

The professional I selected to interview was Victoria Sanders. I chose to interview this professional because I admire the work she does. I am still not sure what I want to do with my MFC when I obtain it, but for now I would like to work with children victims of abuse and families. I want to help children with their trauma and help them grow in a positive manner. Children are the future generation therefore they need all the support and understanding they can get. I gain a sense of happiness and fulfillment when I work with children. I have previous experience working with children and I enjoyed every opportunity. Children are fun, happy and love to play. I wouldn’t mind having a career where all I do is play. In the beginning I want to focus on that population and then explore out. One of my overall goals is to own my own practice and give back to the community.

When people grow up in different countries or cities, they might think another part of the world is different or weird. It is clear when reading Two Ways Two Belong in America, Everyday Use and When Worlds Collide that where you grow up does affect how you view others and the world.

Some types of people are very similar to each other and others are completely opposite. In the book I read, called Moon Chosen, there are many scenarios that I believe are bizarre; however, the different people that I read about, think it’s totally normal. There are also parts in the book showing how the characters have different cultures, and how they think about each of the differences. Some examples of the differences between the character’s and my own culture are: laws, sports and games, ceremonies, religion, food, music, art, dance, gender roles, and also clothing.

I have been fortunate enough to live on both coasts of the United States and interact with people of various cultural and religious backgrounds. I grew up in Southern California in a town just north of Los Angeles and the majority of my family lives on the West Coast. However, when I graduated from middle school, my family moved to Rhode Island, where I went to high school. My family has since moved back to California and I now live in Portland, but my closest friends still live on the East Coast and I miss it very much. Living in Rhode Island, it was so easy to travel to the other states nearby, and that led to countless day trips in New England and a few fun weekends in New York City. Although I have always lived in white suburban areas,

Truthfully, while I’ve interacted with many different people from many different cultures I haven’t yet had the opportunity to dive deep enough to truly call them experiences. Though I’ve had small exchanges of culture with others, such as making authentic dumplings in cooking club and meeting people from all over the world at Michigan, I’m excited by the possibility of going to a new country and completely immersing myself in their way of life.

I never had the chance to experience other cultures in my younger years. I did not have much of a choice but to think of other cultures as they were portrayed in society, whether that be of a false image or that of a good one. Being a student at Saint Cloud State has given me the chance to experience the fascinating and, somewhat, bizarre world of other cultures. I have learned vast amounts of information about Japan and the Japanese people not just through my experiences with others in class, such as Thean or David, but through my studying and my interview with Itsuko, as well.

When I first moved to the big city of Jacksonville, I was cultured shocked. Being born and raised in a small town where everyone knew everyone, elderly people made up the majority of the population, and being a liberal could get a brawl going, the new diversity astounded me. Growing up in my southern town, I was not forced to have specific ideals, but the culture certainly affected them. My town has made me who I am today and I question if being raised so conservative has held me back and if the culture in my hometown needs to be more modernized. Not being adjusted to individuality, the culture of the town, and the towns traditional views, are all experiences that have impacted me to understanding where I came from has affected my social identity.