I love the way you defined culture Lizeth Rodriguez(:, "Culture
the cumulative deposit of knowledge, experience, beliefs, values, attitudes, meanings, hierarchies, religion, notions of time, roles, spatial relations, concepts of the universe, and material objects and possessions acquired by a group of people in the course of generations through individual and group striving." Touche!
As many of you know, I was born in Zambia, Africa, I resided there until the age of 10. As you can imagine or maybe not, the culture in Zambia greatly differs from the American culture! Thus, when my family and I migrated from the United States, I experienced culture shock! Zambia and America are on opposite ends of the spectrum, they differ in values, beliefs, and attitudes.. In Zambia whenever you refer to a person older than you, you have to to add "BWA" at the beginning of their name, so it would be like, "BWA Melissa," and that's a sign of respect..Hence, I was in utter shock when I first moved here, [there was a white American family who helped us get settled] when Lynn and Sherry Bray wanted me to call them by their first name, in fact, I was extremely hesitant!
And then another instance is, I can recall when my Grandmother came to visit, the culture shock was even more for her because she's older and is set on traditions..So, I remember one day, it was a hot summer day and there's was a girl across from our house in her tiny bikini watching her car and my Grandmother screamed out, "ALICE! ALE NA CHINTANKO WANA KAZI!" Which translates as, "ALICE! THERE"S A NAKED GIRL!" I can recall trying to explain to my Grandmother that she wasn't naked, of course my Grandma just shook her head and looked at me angrily because to her it seemed like I was defending this naked girl who didn't have values, so I was just as bad as the naked girl...That was like a dagger to my heart of course.. The reason being, to my Grandmother it seemed like I was a sell out, as if I didn't have my Zambian values.. Yet, it is so much more complex than that..
The criticism I often receive from family members who say that I've become Americanized can at times be very painful..To them, "Americanized" is bad, Americanized means I am not respectful nor do I have any values, that I am an erratic soul..My parents, [I love them to death, they have a huge peace of my heart!] are guilty of this.. Whenever I mess up, they vehemently blame it on America, "We shouldn't have come to America, you guys wouldn't have turned out like this.." I've attempted to explain the struggle that I've had to endure and will have to endure for the rest of my life, yet, they do not understand..They do not understand because they came to America as adults with their culture already defined..But I was 10 when I came here, I was raised both in Zambia and in America..My parents expect me to only embrace my Zambian culture because that's what I am...Yet, I was raised here as well...I've always struggled to find the equilibrium between the two cultures, I feel that I cannot just abandon one for the other, because I wouldn't be complete. The struggle for equilibrium is frustrating at times, yet I wouldn't trade it for all the gold in the world, this is because, my two cultures have formed my identity! I feel grateful because my Zambian culture tells me to be hard-working, diligent, "to respect strength and not power," to be empathetic, and that happiness is truly free..Those values were imbued in me, each value was taught to me by the experiences of my Grandparents and parents..My American culture offers me myriads of opportunities that are not offered by Zambia.. It's not to say that, because you are American you are not hard working or diligent.. I am just saying that that's how it worked out for me! As I am struggling to find equilibrium, my Zambian and American culture are working together to make up my identity..I often wonder whether I will find equilibrium.. Or if there is such a thing..
So, I've got a question for those of you who are Hispanic or whatever, do you struggle to find the balance between your Hispanic culture and your American culture? Do you think you've achieved equilibrium? Do you think is exists at all?
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Could you elaborate on your chosen title?
ReplyDeleteThere is definitely a struggle to find the balance between American and Hispanic culture as well.
ReplyDeleteIn my case my parents actually adapted to the "american culture as well. They were both raised in vary traditional hispanic cultures with stong religious belives. However, my parents have been living here for a while now and they somewhat understand the difficulty between balancing out the two cultures.
My dad found it easier to adapt to an american way of life and in my opinion I think its due to all of the interaction between him and caucasian friends. Whereas my mother is still holding on to her traditions. Me and my sisters were not allowed to dress ourselves or to even do something as simple as putting our hair down because according to my mother that was not how a yound lady should look. This went on until about the end of my middle school years.
My mother has loosened up all of her restrictions but my grandmother does not approve of the way that she raised us.
Even though the "american" culture is full of materialistic beliefs theres still a part of everyone who holds their on cultural ideal. If there is equilibrium it is a difficult thing to achieve when faced by the influence of parents versus our own acquirement of what we believe our culture could evolve into.
Lol! If you read what I wrote, you'll understand why I chose the title :p
ReplyDeleteI believe that equilibrium is established in the heart. When you can combine 2, 3, or even more cultural lives together and have created your own identity that person will be happy in the end because of the experience that they have and many other people don't have. Of course people will think that the person is wiered because of different views in all but thats becasue they are not used to change and it is hard or them to accept people who have invoved because of their knowledge and thier experience.
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