Entering a new foreign environment is a struggle one cannot relate to unless they are put in a similar position. Although I have experienced moving to a different American city and switching schools, but leaving your home country to find suffrage in a new territory is very different. New language, new food, new clothes, different social norms; your life in a way restarts. I have always wondered how my parents (both Ghanaian immigrants) were able to adjust to such different environments; it is not a quick and easy task, it takes work. Immigrants do not blindly absorb new cultural norms, they construct new self-identities as they “negotiate the intersection between their culture of origin and their host culture “(Zajacova 2002), in other words,
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follows numerous Mexican-native families in the state of Pennsylvania and their quest to improve their status in America. Amador Bernal, a farm worker starring in the documentary, came from Mexico at the age of 21, an age which played a crucial role in his ability to assimilate into his new surroundings. Bernal works at the Kaolin Mushroom Farms at Kennett Square, Pennsylvania; although the job does not pay much, it is the only position he could obtain, despite his higher work status in Mexico. According to statistics provided by the documentary ¾ of Americans in the 1980s at the bottom of the income pool, were still there after a decade. Not do immigrants have a harder time seeking employment, but they are given little chances to work their way up in perspective employment rankings. I believe that how financially stable you are, contributes to your overall health. Think about it, if a family is left with a slim amount of money after paying rent, you can only buy food of the lowest prices. Why buy a $6.00 salad or spent money on countless ingredients, when you can buy a cheeseburger from a fast food joint for less than …show more content…
Both of my parents and my older sister, are all immigrants from Ghana. On top of that, I go to a Ghanaian church full of Ghanaian immigrants. It is interesting when I read about the American Dream, because I do not feel as though my parents have experienced this ideology, based on the daily stresses they endure. What should also be acknowledged is the currency differences between Ghana and the U.S.A. One U.S dollar equals 3.9 Ghanaian Cedi, meaning my parents economic statues lowered as soon as they arrived. The general cultural differences proved to be hard for my family as well, especially the clothes. I remember dressing up in a full-fledge suit for picture day in elementary, while my classmates wore trendy attire. I am guessing in Ghana, it is very important to dress your best in events that wouldn’t take as seriously here.
I even I get embarrassed when I am with my mother while at a drive thru window. On top of the thick accent which tends to mispronounce phrases, my mom asks a lot of questions at the microphone, like “What is your favorite entry” or “What would you pick.” The overall friendly nature is foreign to American
follows numerous Mexican-native families in the state of Pennsylvania and their quest to improve their status in America. Amador Bernal, a farm worker starring in the documentary, came from Mexico at the age of 21, an age which played a crucial role in his ability to assimilate into his new surroundings. Bernal works at the Kaolin Mushroom Farms at Kennett Square, Pennsylvania; although the job does not pay much, it is the only position he could obtain, despite his higher work status in Mexico. According to statistics provided by the documentary ¾ of Americans in the 1980s at the bottom of the income pool, were still there after a decade. Not do immigrants have a harder time seeking employment, but they are given little chances to work their way up in perspective employment rankings. I believe that how financially stable you are, contributes to your overall health. Think about it, if a family is left with a slim amount of money after paying rent, you can only buy food of the lowest prices. Why buy a $6.00 salad or spent money on countless ingredients, when you can buy a cheeseburger from a fast food joint for less than …show more content…
Both of my parents and my older sister, are all immigrants from Ghana. On top of that, I go to a Ghanaian church full of Ghanaian immigrants. It is interesting when I read about the American Dream, because I do not feel as though my parents have experienced this ideology, based on the daily stresses they endure. What should also be acknowledged is the currency differences between Ghana and the U.S.A. One U.S dollar equals 3.9 Ghanaian Cedi, meaning my parents economic statues lowered as soon as they arrived. The general cultural differences proved to be hard for my family as well, especially the clothes. I remember dressing up in a full-fledge suit for picture day in elementary, while my classmates wore trendy attire. I am guessing in Ghana, it is very important to dress your best in events that wouldn’t take as seriously here.
I even I get embarrassed when I am with my mother while at a drive thru window. On top of the thick accent which tends to mispronounce phrases, my mom asks a lot of questions at the microphone, like “What is your favorite entry” or “What would you pick.” The overall friendly nature is foreign to American