There are many factors that influences how we are raised whether it’s culture, tradition or in some cases, religion. My parents did they very best they could in providing my brother and I with everything we needed to be successful. For me, it was hard to find a balance between my family’s culture and the American way. In my culture, we weren’t allowed to have friends of the opposite gender or even do anything that would “dishonor” the family household.
What’s a significant other? In my household, being a girl means you have no say; everything is usually decided for you, which includes my romantic life. My parents had an arranged marriage and I know they would like the same for me. Me, I’m not a big fan of the idea. I believe in finding someone I connect with and that I’m comfortable spending my life with spending my life with.
Confession: I’ve never had a sleepover. It may be hard to believe but it’s true. It’s something every girl has had at least once in their childhood. Every girl has had the experience of inviting their friends their friends over to their house or going to their friends house for a sleepover where they can gossip, do makeovers, and just talk. For me, that childhood memory never even happened. I would go to a sleepover just to leave when we were ready to go to bed.
Being a little different often causes a child to get made fun of. I was no exception here. I was often bullied because I used to think the way of my culture. I was always studying, because my culture values this highly, and didn’t really socialize. This made me always left out when someone would talk about celebrities, TV shows and even award ceremonies.
Growing up in a house where the predominant culture was different from that of American culture definitely affected my mindset. Even though I have the values of my Indo-Caribbean culture engraved in my mind, I still have some American customs. I’d like to think I’m a mixture of my Indo-Caribbean and American culture, and I’m proud to be a part of them both.