Trying to fit in with a different culture other than your own can be a difficult experience. Especially when you don’t have a choice. Minorities in the United States have difficulties assimilating because most minorities who assimilate tend to forget about their native culture. They’re so busy trying to keep up with a language that’s not their own, their simply forgetting about their dominant language. Most minorities tend to forget about their native language when they’re settling in a place where their native language is rarely spoken. It's hard for minorities because they didn’t choose to come but everyone wants them to fit in or they’ll be considered outsiders. By learning the language of that country and fitting in with the culture,
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Villanueva grew up speaking Spanish just like Rodriguez, but he didn’t have to give up his native language just to assimilate. Villanueva seemed more open minded and determined to learn English; whereas Rodriguez put it off for months and didn’t try. Villanueva grew up in a Puerto Rican family who believed in assimilation. He had a different experience and a different approach than Rodriguez. Rather than being spoken to in only one language, his parents spoke both English and Spanish to him just so he could catch on. “My mother believed in the traditional idea of assimilation. She and my father would listen to radio shows in English and try to read the American newspapers. They spoke to me in two languages from the start.” (Villanueva 178). By his parents doing that, he latched onto the English language quick, and he still had his native culture with him. Villanueva makes a strong point in saying you don’t need to give up your culture just to fit in with everybody else or what makes you feel more American. You don’t need to give up a part of you just to blend in with everyone else. Villanueva’s family assimilated the right way because they didn’t get rid of their native culture when they moved to the United States. They simply assimilated to a new culture all while keeping their native culture with them. Most minorities leave behind their native culture to assimilate to a new one because they’re in a country …show more content…
Living in a country other than your own that has different customs can be hard to adapt to. No one wants to feel like an outsider, but everyone wants to be themselves. But unfortunately it does happen. As we try and fit in with another culture, we’re slowly losing our own culture right before our eyes. Being bilingual myself, I grew up speaking mostly English, but also picking up on the Arabic my parents spoke around the house. My dad moved to the United States by himself at nineteen years old and assimilated quickly but is now completely white washed. When assimilating to the culture around him, he kept his native culture with him because it represented who he was. I could never give up my culture just to blend in with everyone else. My culture and language is a part of me, which makes me who I am. We can try and assimilate to a new culture, but that shouldn’t mean you need to drop your old one to fit in. It was a different case with Rodriguez when he abandoned his culture. Rodriguez lost a part of himself when he wasn’t able to speak Spanish anymore as he grew more fluent in English. Villanueva’s approach seemed better because he still got to hold onto his culture while assimilating to a new
Villanueva grew up speaking Spanish just like Rodriguez, but he didn’t have to give up his native language just to assimilate. Villanueva seemed more open minded and determined to learn English; whereas Rodriguez put it off for months and didn’t try. Villanueva grew up in a Puerto Rican family who believed in assimilation. He had a different experience and a different approach than Rodriguez. Rather than being spoken to in only one language, his parents spoke both English and Spanish to him just so he could catch on. “My mother believed in the traditional idea of assimilation. She and my father would listen to radio shows in English and try to read the American newspapers. They spoke to me in two languages from the start.” (Villanueva 178). By his parents doing that, he latched onto the English language quick, and he still had his native culture with him. Villanueva makes a strong point in saying you don’t need to give up your culture just to fit in with everybody else or what makes you feel more American. You don’t need to give up a part of you just to blend in with everyone else. Villanueva’s family assimilated the right way because they didn’t get rid of their native culture when they moved to the United States. They simply assimilated to a new culture all while keeping their native culture with them. Most minorities leave behind their native culture to assimilate to a new one because they’re in a country …show more content…
Living in a country other than your own that has different customs can be hard to adapt to. No one wants to feel like an outsider, but everyone wants to be themselves. But unfortunately it does happen. As we try and fit in with another culture, we’re slowly losing our own culture right before our eyes. Being bilingual myself, I grew up speaking mostly English, but also picking up on the Arabic my parents spoke around the house. My dad moved to the United States by himself at nineteen years old and assimilated quickly but is now completely white washed. When assimilating to the culture around him, he kept his native culture with him because it represented who he was. I could never give up my culture just to blend in with everyone else. My culture and language is a part of me, which makes me who I am. We can try and assimilate to a new culture, but that shouldn’t mean you need to drop your old one to fit in. It was a different case with Rodriguez when he abandoned his culture. Rodriguez lost a part of himself when he wasn’t able to speak Spanish anymore as he grew more fluent in English. Villanueva’s approach seemed better because he still got to hold onto his culture while assimilating to a new