Rare Life Experiences: A Cultural Analysis

One way that my family helped to socialize me to my culture’s norms and values was by making me hang out with other kids. Both my parents urged me to interact with others so that I could learn different things. I learned that everybody has a different view on culture and that opinions can differ.

I am the product of a military upbringing, which allowed me to live in different parts of the world. This allowed me and my family to explore what other cultures are like as well as realize that Americans and our way of life is not the only culture that exists on the entire planet. I realized that the negative perceptions that other Americans had of people of German and Asian descent was directly related to lack of exposure and an unwillingness to educate ourselves about other cultures.

I have come to find out that sometimes a first encounter with another very different culture can seem negative, but can turn out to be a blessing in disguise. Being the only one of all my friends and family to move away from New York was difficult for my family and me because we had no one that could relate to our situation. In order to overcome this emotional conflict, I had to keep an open mind about living in a new, and totally different place. We were willing to learn, but we still kept some influences in our speech and personalities that were common in New York. Since we stood-out among local

Being born and raised in San Antonio, Texas, I was exposed to many different cultures. A few of which were Hispanics and German. They both had different languages and customs. My mom would take us to a festival in San Antonio yearly that was called the “Texas Folklife Festival”. There, our family would experience many different cultures with singing, dancing, food, art, and language. Our family enjoyed learning about the different places others came from and how they celebrated their heritage. Learning to appreciate where others came from and their back ground, gave me a better appreciation for differences.

Individuals coming in the U.S. have experienced a graduate deculturalization process as the country's majority assimilated them. Even with the fact that many communities struggle in order to preserve their cultural values, it is extremely difficult for them to do so in environments where they are being bombarded with cultural values belonging to other groups. While the U.S. has recently appeared to have adopted a more positive attitude with regard to other cultures, the matter is still problematic. The fact that many cultures have been gradually assimilated by the majority practically means that many traditions have been abandoned in order for people to develop interest in other concepts.

As a second-generation immigrant, I grew up with two distinct perspectives of the world. While I identify as an American, I spent nearly every summer in Pakistan, my family’s home country. While in Pakistan, I developed respect for the distinct traditions and beliefs, even those with which I did not agree. I came to appreciate my unique ability to traverse between two cultures, and grew more culturally sensitive. As a medical volunteer in Peru, I noticed many of the other volunteers struggled to acclimate to the foreign environment. The food was different, our rooms were drafty, and we were lucky if there was enough water to shower. My trips to Pakistan taught me to adapt to culturally diverse environments. While Peruvian culture is vastly

Growing up in the suburbs of Cleveland, Ohio, I was unaware of other cultures. My parents were white middle-class, Anglo-Saxon, American’s. The world I was brought up in

All cultures are different and influence how we develop as adults. In my Mexican American culture many virtues of strength, courage, and hope has been passed on. Growing up in an environment where financial hardship prevailed I was still able to observe how my parents had hopeful attitudes, loved, had patience, and kindness toward others. Our strong family unity brought me comfort and confidence in knowing I had their support and guidance. The qualities my family passed on to me are hope, love, patience, kindness, respect, caring, and most significant being helpful. Culture and family engraved in my thoughts that hard work pays off and to uncover meaning in life one must persevere in education and thrive to support those struggling. Life has given me the opportunities to practice many qualities and I’ve learned they are to cherish. They have molded my character somewhat in that, as the years passed, I adapted and applied them. My intent is to keep the principles imparted to me and with a positive attitude, carry myself with might and bravery as I travel forward in life.

Lately, I‘ve been thinking a lot about the- for lack of a better term- “culture shock” in which I live. I am a black, non-religious, uber-liberal, female; a lot of my beliefs have formed through information that I have sought out through various mediums. I come from a super-religious family that lives in the suburbs and the inner city. They have beliefs that are “democratic”, while being rooted in religious extremes. I live in a community of people who are mostly Caucasian, and have for over 4 years. A lot of them are religious, and there are varying political beliefs. I get a lot of weird vibes from both communities and sometimes I feel like I exist in a weird gray area that inhibits my ability to fit in with my surroundings.

Our day to day lives can typically involve umpteen interactions with individuals from across the life span whose identity comprises multiple layers. Culture can often be a significant element of identity; thus practicing cultural safety, which can be viewed as an environment where individuals’ cultural identities, rights, and experiences are not challenged or denied, rather they are respected and understood (Williams, 1999), within interactions is essential. Cultural awareness, sensitivity, and competence are intertwined in cultural safety, and a principle step in developing and understanding these concepts is examining our own cultural identities and how they shape our worldviews and attitudes. In this paper, I will reflect on my own cultural

Culture plays a significant role in defining our identity and worldview. For newcomers, culture is the primary frame that shapes their interaction with other newcomers and with established residents in their new community. This interaction can occur anywhere and

Caleb Rosado, has developed a list of seven adoptable behaviors which can help all groups of people to become more culturally diverse, it is as follows: “Recognition of the abundant diversity of cultures; Respect for the differences; Acknowledging the validity of different cultural expressions and contributions; Valuing what other cultures offer; Encouraging the contribution of diverse groups; Empowering people to strengthen themselves and others to achieve their maximum potential by being critical of their own biases; and Celebrating rather than just tolerating the differences in order to bring about unity through diversity.” In addition, it’s worth noting that in discovering and appreciating our differences, we are likely to find common elements to be enjoyed and even celebrated.

New York City is renowned for its diverse cultural makeup, exemplified by the various ethnic neighborhoods scattered within its interior. As a result, it has consistently been deemed America’s immigrant capital. Similarly, I grew up in a country with over 50 different ethnicities, each with a unique culture and set of customs. I attended a Muslim elementary school and a majority Christian high school, all while growing up in a Hindu neighborhood. Between friends and family I celebrated Christmas, Eid and Diwali. I took my experiences from navigating different Arab, Indian and African cultures and used them to further broaden my horizons while living in the U.S. By traveling and living various parts of the world, I have developed life skills

Having the opportunity to have worked with diverse students has opened my eyes to the importance of learning about different cultures, their beliefs and practices. Being aware and learning about the different cultures my students came from helped me from misinterpreting certain behavior displayed by the students. In order to do this the first thing a teacher should learn is that everyone has different ways of culturally adapting to a new country, while some are able to fully assimilate, others undergo the process of selective acculturation or embrace enculturation (Coleman, 2013).

It is very important to practice intercultural competence on a day to day basis, even outside of friendships because it benefits the world in so many ways. It allow successful conflict resolution, if individuals are able to think outside the problems of a single culture and broadens the horizon to all individuals, many issues can be resolved (McKinnon). It also allows communities to be strengthened through the development of focusing on relationships between behavior and cultures known Socio-Cultural perspective (Ciccarelli & White, 547-548). Each cultural groups has unique strengths and perspectives that brings a wide range of ideas, customs, and wisdom to solve problems and enrich lives of those within communities