Personal Narrative: Experiencing A New Culture

One of the many impactful times was when the realization how happy the kids are with so little. Going into the trip you are told how they live in poverty, but the realization of how little they have does not seem real until it is experienced in person. It would have been normal if the kids walked in with glum faces and an ungrateful heart (it is what we are used to in America, after all- being ungrateful or sad about what you have/given), but instead the room lights up with the smiles of the children who are so grateful/proud of everything they have. One instance of how happy/proud they are of what they have is when we visited the homes of a student and teacher from Hope for Guatemala. When visiting Hadie’s home- one of the teachers at Hope for Guatemala- and meeting some of her family was an eye-opening experience. Hadie’s mom was 40 years old and has had 14 children and could not stop smiling, even though two of her children had died tragically just a couple years ago. Hadie’s mom ran her business- a tortilla shop- from the front of her house which was a considered nicer for that area. It had a 3 room house that was being renovated to have a bigger area than the hallway to sell tortillas and another room 2 rooms that 4 people could sleep/live in instead of 5 per room, and the renovations was affordable because of the donated money through the church and

One of the most common places to tour is Mexico. Many tourists are very attracted to Mexico due to the culture, history and main attractions. Although Mexico is a very poor country everyone whom inhabits Mexico works very hard every day to be able to live. I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to travel to Mexico. For me unlike many tourists it wasn’t just to see the attractions but mainly more about seeing my family and learning more about my culture. I am from Veracruz, Mexico, I don’t remember anything about Veracruz, Mexico, sadly because I moved to United States at a young age. Travelling and staying a few weeks in Mexico made me realize how much of my culture I am unware of. I experience the way it feels like to live in Mexico surrounded with culture, family and food. I can honestly say that this has been a memorable experience for me to have exigence, nothing can compare this experience that I had.

While going to college I got to have the experience of a lifetime. Myself, and a group of 15 others went on a mission trip to New Orleans, Louisiana. We all got to see many cultural differences and help people in need. Helping people in need just

Volunteering at a community health center in my hometown, Santiago de la Frontera in El Salvador changed my perspective on choices. Growing up, I thought that people chose to not brush their teeth. At the age of seven, I immigrated to the USA and didn't have a chance to understand that concept in El Salvador. I went back last summer and assisted an orthodontist. This opened my eyes to realize that some families have to choose between a tooth paste and food. In life, we are not given the same advantages and therefor, we can not make the same choices.

I was raised in what is now one of the most dangerous cities in all of Mexico. Before the violence started occurring, it was a great place. It still is. We had everything that people could think of. It is a very industrialized city that has moved away from traditional lifestyles in the past couple of decades. The outskirts of the city are not the nicest but they are filled with traditional lifestyles that the public has walked away from in the past years. You will find the tarahumaras, some of the natives in the area, living a very simple and traditional life. There you will find some of the most beautiful handmade crafts. You will find some of the best Mexican food. You will find dialects that are slowly starting to disappear from the Spanish

was I helped people find the food that they needed. There were a lot of people that were asking if they could get more of one item and it made me feel bad when I had to tell them no. Some of the people were caught trying to take more than they were supposed to take and it felt sad that these people had to take extras in order to be able to survive.

Going to Mexico for the first time at age 5 was one unforgettable experience. Visiting has made my life change so much. Good or bad you ask? Both is the real answer. There were many different feelings and emotions throughout this experience. It has had an impact in my life for many reasons.

I helped build a house for a needy family in Haiti. While there, I realized the impact one action could have on others. When I returned home from the trip, I carried out this realization through volunteer work in a nursing home- something I never thought I would be doing.

My first trip was to Laredo, TX to work with Habitat for Humanity. Future Habitat for Humanity homeowners have to dedicate a number of hours to building homes before they are given a place to call their own. Having the opportunity to work alongside these future homeowners was one of the most rewarding things I have done in my life. Hearing their stories and understanding how they connected with Habitat for Humanity was something I wish everyone could experience. Upon returning to

I volunteered at my EF's house where she helps her students for my Service Learning project. My duties were to help EL students who needed help with their work.and help her with her gardening. The EL students were all from the same country as me. It was interesting to help them because I remembered myself. I didn't know English like them when I first came here, so I saw my old self in them.

Finally, as my trip to Mexico came to an end I realized that I wasn’t going to be who I was before. This experience had changed me for the better. I learned so much from everything there; it truly was a learning experience I would never forget. One cannot simply be exposed to so much and remain the same. Sadly, being so naïve about where I was born and being influenced by the way other people looked at Mexico and its people made me ashamed at one point of who I was. I would try to change as much about myself as possible just to fit in. I dreaded the color of my skin and grew to despise the blood that ran through my veins. Where I grew up I was always the elephant in the room and I hated it. However; I learned to celebrate my differences and

As I got older I felt almost a guilt or responsibility to help these people. At a summer camp I attended in 6th grade, my campmates and I prepared hundred of backpacks which we later handed to the homeless people of San Diego. This experience helped me achieve greater

Traveling to Ecuador this year had a great impact on me because of the memories I created there with my family and even new friends I made. I wasn't bored at home all day, locked up and told: " You are too young you will stay home." like three years ago. It was two unforgetful months filled with trips and adventure with my family. I fell in love with the nature of the mountains as I traveled five hours to

Mexico is viewed as third world country with terrible currency, but Mexico contains a lot of happiness. When I was on vacation I went to visit my aunt who does not have a lot and struggles to put food on the table for her kids, but if you get to know her she is the happiest person always smiling. Also, some of the kids in Mexico usually have raggedy clothing, but are happy as can be running around in the street. Next, the one thing that will stick with me was the day after I arrived my aunt had a celebration, because my finally got to see her parents and brothers after 20 yrs. This was the first time I experienced true happiness which is family, as I finally got to experience an occasion that did not only include my parents, brothers, friends, and me this occasion included family for the first

Little children just my age were laying on the sides of the street, begging. Food, water, and shelter were absent in their lives. The basic essentials, that people in our country have access to were gone. At the time, I realized that in my home country, people take these things for granted, and they shouldn’t.