My Culture Definition

Culture is the customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits of a racial, religious, or social group; also : the characteristic features of everyday existence shared by people in a place or time (merriam-webster.com). Culture is something that makes us all unique. It separates us from others, and gives us our own identities. Ever since i was a kid, i identified myself as an Indian. This however is not as accurate as i once thought. I now identify myself as an Indian American. This is the main culture that i am a part of. This defines my identity, and has influenced my way of life. Different indian festivals is a part of my culture that has influenced me quite a bit. Often trips to India is another thing that has shaped who i am today. …show more content…
Ever since i can remember, my family and I have been traveling to India and seeing all of the family. Without these two months every few years, i would not be the person i am today. India was not just a vacation for me. It was the birthplace of my culture, and history. I was fortunate enough to experience the greatest of what the country has to offer. It 's not the places or the sights. It 's not even the food. The people are what make it great. I love seeing how kind everyone is, and the different interaction you will have. My family comes from polar opposites of the social spectrum. My dad was brought up dirt poor living in a village. My mom on the other hand grew up in a nice house in the city. I wouldn 't want it any other way. This allows me to experience what India really has to offer. Being born and raised in America, one would think i would naturally like the city more. However this is far from true. I have never felt as free as i do when i 'm in the village that my father grew up in.To my defence he did build a huge house there, but it 's still a village. There are more bugs than you can imagine. There is electricity about 5 hours in a day. There is no wifi. Nothing to watch on TV, and really cold showers. Surprisingly i wouldn 't have it any other way. It is truly amazing how free you feel there. The place is filled with family, and the nicest people. It is truly a huge part of my life. On …show more content…
His story is one that pushes me everyday to strive to be the best i can be. His story goes back to about 48 years ago when he was born in a small village. His family didn 't have much money, and not much saved up. My father did do the one thing that was free for everyone to do. That is study. He was a very smart kid and always at the top in his class. He eventually moved away to a city living with some distance relatives so that he could pursue his education. He left his family at the age of eight just to go to school. Over time he never slacked, or so i 'm told, and continued his education. He eventually took an engineering test equivalent to the MCAT in India. He scored the 2nd or 3rd highest score in the entire university. With his degree he moved to vizag where he worked in a steel plant. This is what he was doing when he married my mother. Throughout his whole time working at the steel plant, he was trying to get a job in America, so that he could get a work visa. Eventually he got a job and moved by himself to a new country with a language he is not amazing at. He went up and up, and is now comfortably living as an IT engineer, building a huge house in the very village he grew up in. I alway ask him, “Daddy, do you ever want to move back to India.” He always smiles and replies, “Anand, the second you and Anjani (my sister) are settled down, we are moving back to India.” This is a little sad, but i realize that