Cultural Background Summary
Cultural Background Summary
Culture is defined as the system of shared beliefs, values, customs, behaviors, and artifacts that the members of society use to cope with their world and with one another, and that are transmitted from generation to generation through learning. Culture helps to understand how things are created, developed, managed and changed. Each culture is unique, People will not find any culture that is exactly like another culture but they can find many similarities. Some similarities are their dedication to their families, religion and their own native cultures as well as fitting into the culture in which they live. Differences between cultures seem to almost outweigh the similarities. Some differences, other than language barriers, are personal and family values, what is considered polite, how hygiene is regarded and what food they eat.
My culture has shaped the way that I have lived my life. Within my community there were major Catholic influences. My parents were devout Catholics and many of their friends were as well. Our community was not diversified, but was mostly Catholic, so where friends, authority figures, social gatherings and public hangouts. It was not until high school when the diversity emerged.
My parents grew up with Catholic teachings, considering they grew up in a small town in Portugal just outside the city. My mother’s family had a farm. The men’s role would be to work the farm from sunrise to sunset. My mother and grandmother were charged with cleaning the house and cooking for the men when they ended their workday. Today I continue to live my life with the same family structure. I would like to pass them down to my son the same way my mother did to me. As I approach the experiences of assimilation, acculturation, and a climate of pluralism; my identity has been molded.
Assimilation is the process of becoming part of or more like a group that someone was not previously part of. Assimilating...
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