I'm Like a Peanut Butter, Marshmallow Sandwich

We all have a culture, whether it be an American Culture, African American, Asian, Hispanic, etc, and I think that they all have some value and hidden treasures that we can learn from them. 

The culture that I was raised in was very different, and the more I think about it the more interested I become in it.  I am half Mexican, and half American.  My dad was raised in Tuchipila, Zacatecas Mexico, and moved to the United States when he was about 8-10 years of age.  My mom is from California, and met my dad when she moved to Oregon at 17.  They got married.  My dad was 17, and my mom was 18, and two years later had my oldest brother Jonathon. 

As we were talking about culture my teacher had the class write down things that defined our social class growing up.  Social class is slightly different than culture, in that social class is more where a family fits economically such as social status, and money earned per year.  Culture is the beliefs and values of a family and society.  I realized that my social class growing up was....meager.  I should say poor, because that's what we were.   However, I did get everything that I needed: food, clothing, education.  I didn't get top brand things, or many things that I wanted, and beans and tortillas showed up way too much on the menu for my liking, but I was taken care of. 

My dad is a hard worker, and would work all day to support his family of 8,  so that's what he did when we were growing up.  In an article I read, it mentioned that Mexicans are most likely to drop out of high school.  In my dad's family this would be an accurate statement.  His family consists of 12 kids and a mom and a dad, and of his siblings only two graduated from high school.  Unfortunately my dad wasn't one of those two.  He did go on to find a steady job to support his family, and wanted the best for us kids. 

Since my dad is Mexican and my mom is American, they faced some challenges because of the cultures they were each raised in.  Hispanic culture emphasizes family loyalty, and respect, and love; putting family before yourself, and always helping when financial crisis arises.  My mom's perspective was a little bit different.  She was raised in an independent, get an education and support yourself type of view.  Although she didn't graduate high school herself, she studied hard and obtained her GED later in life when she was 30. 

Being able to see two cultures come together and work things out to make one crazy family was a blessing that I got to experience growing up.  It was hard, and hectic at times, and fighting about when I got to cut my hair (I did so rebelliously at 15) is all a part of a great plan that was put in my path.  Culture is an amazing thing that Heavenly Father has blessed us with, and I think that we should respect each and everyone of them.  They are important to him, so let's make them important to us.