Personal Narrative: Understanding Other Cultures

My Cultural Biography I come from a small rural farm where I was born and raised all my life and where I grew up with two loving parents and one sister. Ever since I was a young girl, religion has always been a big part of my life because I was born and raised Catholic. My mothers’ side of the family is German Catholic decent and my fathers’ race is German and Cherokee Indian. Even though they are mainly German combined I have always found it interesting that I have Native American blood running through my veins. It is obvious that my parents are both Caucasian and were middle class individuals when I was growing up. I would now classify my parents to be in the higher class because they are worth more now then twenty-five years ago. Even though my parents have more money now than what they did when growing up on the farm, a strong work ethic was important to my parents. I am thankful they instilled this within me because I have always worked hard for everything in my life and I know that this will payoff for me one day. My parents also told me that education will get me further in life and it has. I am the first of my family to graduate from college let alone getting my masters as well. So when looking

My cultural Identity “Culture is evolving, and I'm along for the ride”Bryan Lee O'Malley. Culture changes so much throughout our lifetime, from music to fashion trends. The more i look into my culture the more i notice it isn’t very unique.

My Early cultural influences from when I was a kid was always say thank when you receive something, have good table manners when we are eating dinner, no elbows on the table because that disrespectful, don’t talk back when you been called on, respect your elders, eat whatever being served to you because that food isn’t cheap, whenever grandpa and grandma are here they get the front seats and so on. My Ideological influences would be school and be getting an education is important because schooling can lead you to great things in life, it can lead you to get a nice job that pays well, a nice home for your family, nice material things that you would enjoy. Education has a lot to offer, especially helps kids who are on the low; it helps them get

My bucket filled with images represents my surface and deep culture unique to me. I found out where I got my passions and which people influenced my culture, and what I need to do to continue to keep my culture and faith to be something I’m proud of.

The cultural background that I have come from is a rural agricultural farm. Farming is an industry that is not very easy and through working on my family farm I have come in contact with many struggles and hardships. I have also had hardships through the loss of loved ones. Having to deal with many of these trials in my life has helped me to become a stronger woman. I have also been able to show more dedication, hard work, commitment, and enthusiasm towards my leadership roles and the interactions that I have with others within my involvement of my job, clubs, and volunteer work.

When I hear the words ¨cultural identity¨ the first thing I think of is my religion, my ethnicity, and my family history. I never really looked back at my cultural identity, or (background) some might say. If I were to look back at my cultural identity I would say it’s like a stop light because It constantly changes. When my cultural identity changes it lowers my chances of doing what love which is running.

Finding a Cultural Identity Who has a cultural identity? Only people who lead big lives or do crazy things have things that are interesting to them, right? As it turns out, this is not true at all. Everyone has a cultural identity, and it is made of many things that might fly over our heads and seem normal to us, but completely foreign to others. Only recently have I started to delve into my identity and really started to appreciate how different I am to others, my specialties and experiences and even how I view basic life and others around me. There are thousands of factors that contribute into making you into you and me into me, and as you could go on for a very long time venturing into them, I only needed to reflect on a few to find out

“It doesn’t matter where you’re from; it matters only where you want to go.” Life isn’t worth living if you are not willing to accept the challenges thrown your way. How I grew up wasn’t precisely easy, but instead rousing. From getting adopted out of China, learning a new culture, and facing some hindrance. Nevertheless I couldn’t have done this own my own, but with the help of God all things are possible.

“Focus on your education, it’s going to be the only thing you are going to have in the long run” Its the first thing my mom tells me every time I start complaining about school. I have grown up in a bicultural lifestyle where I have managed both of worlds.I grew up in a typical mexican household, where we are not allowed to go anywhere without our parents, were we have thousands of second, third, and fourth cousins. My parents were born and raised in a rural area in mexico. My dad stopped going to school when he was in elementary school, because he had to help my grandpa with the harvest and with feeding and taking care of the animals. My mom stop going to school when she was in middle school, because her parents couldn't pay for her education

Experiencing a new culture is usually life changing. I first started going to Tijuana, Mexico three years ago because my dad was deported. The only places I had ever been to were here in California. When going to a new place I never thought there would be a drastic change in the environment, or people. It’s amazing how a border can separate two worlds and make them so different.

I am an African American female that learned my culture from my family. It was taught early on about slavery and what my ancestors went through. Majority of my family was born and raised in Georgia. My grandmother and my grandfather was from Americas, Georgia. My grandmother would tell me stories of how she had to take care of her siblings, cook and care for the farm. She was the true example of what a resilient woman looked like and she raised her children to be the same and it was passed down to their children and so on. My grandmother believe in family and supporting one another. She felt like a good home cooked meal should bring a family together and celebrate one another. That helps with building a strong bond within the family. We were

"If you find something really great, don't screw it up, don't mess it up, but hang onto it. You never know how and when it ends." This quote of Stana Katic's is so simple and so clear that the deeper meaning slips by people. I; however, have spent so long contemplating its meaning and how it applies to my life.

One way in which I have built relationships with people from other etnic backgrounds was growing up in the projects in grade school. The famalies living there were primarily of african american, haitian, dominican, and puerto rican decent. While living there I saw first hand how my peers were percieved by others but more importantly who they truly were my caring, loving, and misinterpretated brothers and sisters. I also have had the pleasure of building relationships with people from across the world by living in a housing building with international students and through my position as an orientation leader in college. Through family style dinners, culutural events, church services, and study groups I was able to both learn and share with people

I have lived in two regions of the country that have their own sub-cultures. I. Even though I lived in Michigan for most of my life and have lived in Florida in the years that mold who you are. As a Spartan I believe I will bring a person that

I am marked by two disparate cultures. Although being of mixed heritage from Spain and Turkey is an unwavering truth, living in the United States at a physical distance from these countries gives me the privilege to freely curate who I am. I shape my sense of self with the