My great grandfather came to America from the Dominican Republic on a boat to provide a better life for the many generations of his family to come. My great-grandfather’s perseverance and courage always inspires me to always work hard. Although my first language was English, I am learning Spanish now so I can become more connected with my heritage. I never had much of a chance to learn about the Dominican Republic from my grandparents because of the language barrier between us. My Dominican background is important to me because of the rich culture.…
The Colombian flag identifies my heritage. While people eat their eggs and pancakes on sunday mornings, I’ll gladly take my Arrepa con Queso and proudly say I’m a Colombian American. My parents came to the United States in the year of 1978 and had me 10 years later. My parents always grew up on farms and strict family households, where they worked and learned to be independent at 6 years old. They brought their traditions from Colombia to Philadelphia and raised me with their tradition.…
I AM DOMINICAN! WAIT NO I AM AMERICAN! Wait no I’m neither. How can it be that I’m neither. I was born in Dominican Republic however I have lived in America since I was two years old.…
If you were to look in my room you’ll probably see a mess clothes all over the floor, papers on my bed, and tennis balls on my desk, you could say that I’m not the most organized person in the world. But upon looking at all that mess, there is a picture hanging on just one nail, collecting dust as if it was some kind of ancient artifact. As I look at it every morning before heading off to school I am instantly reminded of a trip that I now use to define who I am: commitment, compassion, and courage. This was the photo of my trip in Leon, Nicaragua.…
Two plump brown faces peered around the corner at me, their wide brown eyes taking in my pale complexion and straight brown hair. Hearing their giggles I turned and looked up at them before responding with one of the only phrases I knew of the spanish language, “hola” “¿cómo estás?” This caused a panic and they quickly disappeared, laughing to themselves and speaking in a language I had only begun to understand. A few seconds later I could feel their eyes staring down at me again, I quickly shot my head around to stare at them again, this caused them to dart away even quicker before being followed by a uproar of giggles. This experience was something I had grew quite accustomed to in my short time in Guatemala.…
I am not from here nor there, I am Mexican American. My life is involved in a constant conflict, in love with both cultures; both are a part of me. Yet defining my identity is hard to do. For me, my culture is everything. I am Hispanic and in love with Mexican food and any opportunity I get to speak in Spanish I do, because it helps me feel connected to my home.…
My Culture I am a mix of two cultures. I am half Mexican and half American. Even though I am half Mexican, my spanish isn’t good. I can’t speak spanish fluently and I tend to strudder a lot. My spelling is pretty bad too.…
Being born in a Cuban family is a privilege for me. A common phrase in Cuba is “el que no tiene de congo tiene de carabali” and that phrase comes from the fact that every Cuban is a derivation of different cultures. Back in time, Cuba was only populated by native Indians, but later on, Europeans took over the country. After make the natives slaves and take them to almost extermination, they brought slaves from Africa. As a result, we became a mix of different cultures.…
My Hispanic heritage and the challenges my family faced shaped my character. My grandparents, uncles, aunts, and father picked cotton in the fields in order to get by and have food on the table. My mother worked seven different jobs during high school and college to pay for her academic studies. Their experiences taught me that it is important to focus on academics in high school and be resilient in college. Being bilingual in Spanish and English is another skill I have and will benefit my future relationship with patients, especially in Texas.…
In the 19 years I have been alive, I have lived in three states, five towns, eight houses, and now, two countries. Right before I finished high school my parents decided to move to Guatemala. I welcomed the change because I had been visiting Guatemala every summer since I was 15, and my heart always seemed at peace there. The closest I perpetually felt at home was when I lived in Guatemala, though I resided there for a short time. Every day greeted me with words rolling off my tongue I previously did not know, the taste of delicious and unique foods, and a breathtaking landscape, complete with the view of an active volcano outside of my bedroom window.…
Going through small private schools in a little town since I was in kindergarten has set me up for very few cultural experiences but my parents never wanted my siblings and I to grow up like this. When my family goes on vacation my mom always tries to fully submerge us in the culture around us. For example, a few years ago, my family and I went on a vacation in Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico. We stayed in a nice resort and it was never necessary to leave the property if you didn’t want to. Most people never did.…
Being from two Hispanic families both Puerto Rican and Ecuadorian the Hispanic culture was imbedded in me at a very young age. All the celebrations, languages, and traditions were a huge part of me during the early stages of my childhood. My mother, being a single parent, wanted the best for me and wanted to see me grow and become something she never had the opportunity to be. Because of this she put me in private schooling in the small town of Hoboken. Being surrounded by mainly Hispanics…
I live in Brownsville Texas which is border with Mexico. Growing up in a mexican-american environment has been a wonderful experience. Both of my parents are Mexican and they both inculcated the mexican culture in my life. Since I live in the United States my mom has endowed me with both cultures. In Mexico they do not celebrate Halloween, instead they celebrate ¨El Día de los Muertos¨ (Day of the dead), in my advantage I get to celebrate both.…
Summer of 2016, my family and I made a trip to Puerto Peñasco, Mexico. The city of Puerto Peñasco, also known as Rocky Point is located on the Gulf of California. It's known for its beautiful scenery and dune-backed sandy beach. Tons of people around the world come to Rocky Point every year to unwind and have a good time. There are several reasons why Puerto Peñasco was such a memorable trip.…
Wow! It 's been a while hasn 't it? Well today marks exactly 2 days, 19 hours, and minutes until I depart from the airport on my third missions trip to Guatemala!! It 's another two week trip which means deciding what to pack becomes infinitely harder. So below, I 've decided to include my packing list!…