Reflection About Culture

The cultural assignment allowed me to gain a new perspective on the differences of others. I have grown up in a household of dissimilar belief systems. My mom is a dedicated Christian while my dad is unassociated with any religious beliefs. Though, he grew up as a Jehovah’s Witness. There differing belief systems have been the cause of various conflicts within their relationship. I often wondered if people with contradicting beliefs could effectively and peacefully discuss their belief systems. This cultural experience showed me that a peaceful discussion is possible between individuals of dissimilar beliefs.

The rush and bombardment of anticipation and the urge to rebirth and strengthen the colorful culture of the Philippines. Work, work. Please and appeal. Sit still and look pretty for me please. The fear of inaccuracy and miscalculation because disappointment and distaste does not fit the exquisite and alluring faces of my parents. This overwhelming entity should not be the catalyst to my desires, my parent’s expectations, and the world’s binding decree, but it was obligatory, unavoidable, to formulate and forge the almost perfect “me” that everyone wants to visualize and observe.

One of the Cultural Studies Course International Perspectives on Bilingual & Multicultural Education taught by Kelly Ann Witkowski. Our class met on Tuesdays we were exchanged, shared, embrace and analyze an experience of bilingual and multicultural education and create a community of learners responsible for understanding the world we are committed to changing.

This class has taught me many lessons. One of the most important things that I have learned throughout this course has been about my own culture. Many discussions in class and the initial essay we wrote opened my eyes to what culture actually is; there to help me find and understand my own. Along with finding my own identity, I have become far more open minded because of this class this. Some of my original preconceptions about language have been drastically altered and that is why I decided to choose, “Identification of linguistic and cultural norms and the exploration of how norms and assumptions support institutionalized discrimination.” as the purpose of this paper, along with, “Standard language versus varieties of a language” as my topic. These give me the perfect structure for this essay. I chose this theme and topic because it was something we talked about in depth during the class. Before coming into the class I had presumptions about these particular issues that ended up changing because of this class. I feel this is something important to write about because a lot of people probably had the same preconceptions as me and need to be given the opportunity to change their minds or at least form their opinion around all the available information about the topic. Throughout history there have been many stereotypes about the different types of english in america, including my personal preconceptions before this class. Over the course of the semester, my preconceptions on

Friends, family, and location have all shaped my culture. I am a Southern, white, Christian female from Simpsonville, South Carolina. My parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents are all from the South. Therefore, race and diversity have always been prevalent in my household. I have heard the good, bad, and ugly. Regardless, I have drawn the conclusion that no matter race or culture everyone is different and should be accepted for their differences.

It is hard to have a single definition of the term culture. Different people have their understanding of culture. According to my understanding, culture can be defined as people 's way of life. This includes their values, customs, beliefs, languages as well as traditions. In general, the concept of culture is well reflected in the history of people, their heritage and how they express their ideas as well as their creativity. The culture of a particular group of people can be used to assess the quality of their life, their vitality and the health of that society. Through culture, people can develop their sense of belonging, their personal and cognitive growth and their ability to empathize and relate to one another (Smith, P. 2001, 25).

Culture is a delicate word. If you spoke to a Sarah Buonauro exactly 12 months ago I would have told you a definition of culture that revolved around sameness. Coming from my background living in Northern California going to schools where students were so similar. I came to Southern California with no idea of the cultures in the area. Glendale seemed like a nice place to live and it is for a big city. The culture of the area and the culture of my school site were nothing like anything I had seen before.

Culture is a combination of many aspects of life that have been passed down for generation. Customs, beliefs, values and behaviors that become more specified to specific groups that tend to mimic themselves within a group are the broad range themes that come up when one discusses culture. Culture can exist on many different planes simultaneously. Culture is subjective and the way in which specific cultures are defined changes constantly. Researchers Kroeber and Kluckhohn state that “Culture consists of patterns, explicit and implicit, of and for behavior acquired and transmitted by symbols, constituting the distinctive achievement of human groups, including their embodiments in artefacts; the essential core of culture consists of traditional (i.e. historically derived and selected) ideas and especially their attached values; culture systems may, on the one hand, be considered as products of action, on the other as conditioning elements of further action.” (1952, p. 181) This description of culture largely aligns with generally accepted definitions of culture but briefly considers that culture can also be a product of action. I believe that culture is grounded in traditions of the past but suggest that it could not exist without the continued evolution of the key elements that define the concept. For the purpose of this paper I will describe culture as not only the experiences that came before but the enduring and modifiable traits that allow culture to be completely unique

Every country will have a background in religion and culture that the people are living in has always been followed under the threshold of this generation to another generation. What is a culture? Why everyone should live the same culture and that culture has one? What are people thinking about the culture in which they are under? However, culture is what can connect with people and over time it became a habit in person 's life.

“Culture is what presents us with the kinds of valuable things that can fill a life. And insofar as we can recognize the value in those things and make them part of our lives, our lives are meaningful.” Gideon Rosen, Stuart Professor of Philosophy and director of the Behrman Undergraduate Society of Fellows, Princeton University.

Living in the United States there so many different cultures. By living here I’m always curious about another one’s culture. Being that I’m a public health student I have to be expose and learn about other people cultures. It helps to keep an open mind about the community. I did an interview with a professor here at NCCU. His name is Marco Polo Hernandez Cuevas. He’s my Spanish professor. He has really opened my eyes about the Caribbean island and Latin American culture. We talked about how he was raised, how his culture come together as a family, and the negative side of his culture.

Where do we stand in comparison to the rest of the world? How do our values and customs align or differentiate from people across the globe? The only way to truly know the answers to these questions is to experience other cultures firsthand. It's not enough to just read about them in history books or even hear about them from a foreign resident. Cultures change constantly, so no recorded account of them will ever be perfectly accurate, and someone's description of their own nation will likely be laden with partial opinions that would cloud what their culture is actually like. During the summer of 2014, I represented the United States on the European Discovery trip sponsored by People to People International. I experienced the customs, and personalities of people living in Italy, Austria, France, and Switzerland; lived with an Austrian family for three days; and regarded the darker side of history as I toured the Mauthausen Concentration Camp. Experiencing all these things showed me the good and the bad in European society and history.

Everyone has their own distinct culture, and identity. As distinction is the conception that one projects to society, and culture is the part of which we resemble ourselves as, and without culture we wouldn't know who we are in this world. Your entire life you are brought up to learn many beliefs, and moral values including who you associate with throughout life is all connected to ones' culture. The way you were brought up to learn and your family's background is what resembles you as being 'different' because no one is raised the same. Our identity wouldn't exist if it wasn't for my own culture and the values we have carried from it along the years.

Culture is known as the ideas and way of life of a society. Culture can have a set of behavior and beliefs. Culture has different shared components that have to do with norms, symbols, material artifacts, values, and language. My culture has grown from the days of slavery. Within my culture we have grew from being called Negro, Colored, Black, and are now called African American. I place education as a very high value in my culture. I be believe that having and striving to accomplish getting an education is the way to build a brighter future. My family has values of working hard along with preparing for the future. My mother had twelve children. Out of the twelve siblings in my family two has already earned college degrees. I will be next in in. I shall earn an A.S. degree in Child Development along with an A.A. in Communication from Bakersfield College.

3. “Culture is what presents us with the kinds of valuable things that can fill a life. And insofar as we can recognize the value in those things and make them part of our lives, our lives are meaningful.” Gideon Rosen, Stuart Professor of Philosophy and director of the Behrman Undergraduate Society of Fellows, Princeton University. (250-650, target 500)