MY CULTURE
“ I will never reject my culture and the greatest of its moral values” (Ricardo Montalban, movie star in Hollywood). I strongly believe that preserving and transmitting your own culture to your love ones, it is one of the most important things that a human being can do. Jay Ford’s grandmother is trying to transmit the values and integrity of their culture to her grandson. At her age, she had realized the importance of keeping the Afro-American culture among them alive. For her and my self, culture is the only thing in this world that can make us better human beings. In fact, culture is the priceless legacy that our parents and society leaved us after they pass away.
As an immigrant in the United States, I really learned to appreciate the greatest and wonderful moral values of my culture. It also helped me to rediscover my pass. At the same time, I realized my present and gave me the brightness to focus in the future. Mexican culture is a very old culture. Lots of flavors and traditions, blend together to create a unique and outstanding culture that has a lot of influence around the world, especially here in the United States. Even though, Mexico is part of Latin America, we have a completely different culture. I can certainly say that the only thing that we have in common with the other countries of Latin America is the language. Other than that, we are very different. It is incredible to see how the fusion of Aztecs and Mayas with Europeans, mainly people from Spain, created an astonish culture with exotics food flavors, music and colors.
I fell so proud that my culture is spreading little by little. Unfortunately, in the year 2004,many ignorant people are still living in the past with awkward ideas. The Harvard professor Samuel Huntington thinks and foolish him self in believing in white supremacy by saying that we are doing and invasion to the Anglo-culture. People like him will never see that the Mexican culture enriches this country. Also, globalization is integrating and fusing different people and traditions all over the world. In the near future, racism will disappear. In fact, there wouldn’t be place for prejudice people who refuse to change their customs. I just fell sorry for a person when she or he says that there is nothing good out of Mexican culture. If it were as bad as they say, why is spreading around? Why Spanish is becoming the second language spoken? Why many Anglo-American people say that there are so many good things to learn from it. For instance, one of the greatest moral values that we focus on is the family. Family for us is the main factor of energy and happiness. It is the center and the base of our culture. For our family, we do everything. One of the reasons to immigrate to other country is to provide what our family need. We are extremely protective with it. Thus, it gives us strength to go forward in a very adverse situation.
Perhaps, another way to communicate with the rest of the world is with our holydays and celebrations. Through the year we have so many colorful and fun fiestas (parties). Some of them like the day of the death or cinco the Mayo last for some many days that we can hardly get back to our routine. The main reason to have so many holydays is to gather with the entire family. No mater if you come from a rich or poor family, the goal is the same, which is to spent time with your significant others.
Having a different culture had given me a lot of advantages toward other people and situations. For example, in most of my dates, American women love me when I write a song or I recite them a poem. Until now, I can believe when girls had told me that it was the first time in their lives that someone was doing such a sweet things for them. Flourishing and being a romantic guy with the woman that I like is something typical of my culture. That is why women have inspirited most of the Mexican songs. The love of a woman is the second most important thing in my life. Since the family is extremely important, women are the key and the secret of creating a perfect family.
Coming here at the age of 19, gave me the advantage to appreciate and respect the United States culture. Nowadays, I can say that I’m a bicultural person capable to get the best of both cultures and traditions. Still, so many challenges will come ahead. Those brave people who came here first many years ago will always amaze me. Every time that I have a difficult situation, I just remember that those people faced the problem two or three times harder than me. It is our duty to eliminate these obstacles and barriers with educating my self and hard work. School and education is the only weapon that I have. Education is the only way to succeed and to spread faster my culture and traditions to the ones that do not have any knowledge about it. Certainly, I’m trying to give my best shot.
I really think that culture is our journey in life generation after generation. It is the only legacy that I will leave after I die. My culture is the only thing that gives me the strength to fight every single day in the country of opportunities. In the land with a different culture and traditions that sometimes the price of being different could be so high. Furthermore, the blend and mixture of Mexican and Anglo-culture will transform the face of this wonderful land forever. Mexican and Latino culture in general are shattering the so famous melting pot in the United States. Even the English itself is changing every day by adopting new letters and words. Maybe one day, we will speak a new language call SPANGLISH, or maybe one day The United States will have two official languages like Canada. Certainly, it has been proven that the fusion of two or more cultures creates a better culture. For instance, countries and regions that speak many languages like Switzerland or the European community are countries better prepare for the future. It is time for The United States and its leaders to recognize the influence of my culture in their every day life. Weather or not with ridiculous Patriotic Acts, people have to accept the new face of America. They have to accept the Latino wave becuse America is not any longer pure White. Nowadays, the land of dreams is becoming brown.