Past Influences On Personal Identity

Past experiences and encounters help forge one’s identity and create an astute and sagacious individual. My background and culture have influenced my life and identity in many ways. Such aspects of my life have also fashioned my current interests and my outlook on my future. Without unique experiences everyone’s lives would be the identical.
Born and raised in Pakistan up to the age of four years, moving to the United States of America was a momentous change for me. My father had traveled across the globe from European countries like Italy and France to Middle Eastern countries such as Dubai and Iraq. Throughout his travels, he worked different professions and sought to find the best place for a family. He eventually settled in the US due …show more content…
When I moved to The Bronx, it was a very substantial change for me. Upon my arrival, I only knew three languages, which were all native to Pakistan and had no prior exposure to the English language. My first experiences in The Bronx taught me that there is no problem with being disparate. In The Bronx, I was surrounded by people that spoke many languages ranging from Albanian to Spanish and were often found speaking such languages in public. I learned that even though I was living in a foreign nation, I should try to assimilate, but also keep true to my own ideals and cultures because that is what makes all humans unique. Eventually, my family and I moved from our two room and kitchen apartment in The Bronx to our current home in Long Island. Once again, this was a drastic change for me. Long Island seemed calmer, safer and more welcoming than The Bronx, however I had to slightly assimilate once again. This time rather than learning a new language, teachers criticized my way of speaking. The vernacular of The Bronx was very discrete from the manner in which the people of Long Island spoke. Though I changed the way I talked, I never changed my personality. My experiences have helped