Self Reflection #2
This continuance of the first Self Reflection paper will explore how I came to understand, in my own ways and experiences, why I believe what I do about the foreign population of the United States. In the last fifteen years I have been fortunate enough to meet and get to know a large amount of permanent and temporary immigrant citizens. Furthermore, I will try to explain what I feel would be the best course of action when working with these different ethnic groups.
Over the last thirty years, I have moved and changed residences about ten times. Of those times, only a few times I have stayed in the same neighborhood/area. I have lived in four different neighborhoods in the city and a few different suburbs. When I was about ten years old I moved for the first time out of Logan Square and into the Jefferson Park neighborhood, where I first started meeting people that weren’t just Caucasian or Hispanic. Without going into detail I only lived there a short period of time due to issues with the school l was attending before I moved to a more predominately Caucasian neighborhood and continued attending a private elementary school. It wasn’t until moving out to Skokie and attending high school that I really started experiencing different cultures on a more intimate level. Becoming friends with people that immigrated (or who’s families recently immigrated) to America was a culture shock to me. What I learned about family life, respect, values, and beliefs while growing up were sometimes very different from what others lived by, and it was interesting. For example, it was taught and encouraged that college comes after high school and you move out on your own to attend, or you move out to work. The key was turning 18 to claim your independence and going off on your own. However my Asian friends were encouraged to remain at home, and even to bring their new families back with them, in order to help support the household. The same went with some...