http://www.lifecoach-directory.org.uk/lifecoach-articles/culture-issues-the-challenges-of-growing-up-as-an-indian-woman-in-the-uk
I have read it like 3 or 4 times since our presentation. And I was wondering about something.
Is really possible to conciliate both cultures?
I mean, when we try to think about mixing two cultures is almost impossible to come out with a practical solution.
It is pretty obvious that this decision will bring a lot of trouble for the ones involved.
For example, an Indian woman just does not have any support from her family if she tries to do something "British". And what she is really doing is just imitate what her friends are doing, like looking for a boyfriend, go shopping and even (as we saw in the movie "Bend it like Beckam") trying to practice any sport.
If you were born in India, and grew up in the UK, which one is your "culture"?
I believe that your "culture" is the one in which you have grown up.
Not the one that your family choose for you.
Not the one that your family choose for you.
We are all affected by our environment and because of it we follow and do what the people around us is doing.
So, in my humble opinion I believe that one person, should be able to choose a "culture" in the meaning of choose a way of living. Live in two cultures at the same time is like try to fool yourself. But we have the right to choose, if we live in another country, to follow the traditions and join to the culture in the country that we are living. The idea of "mixing" is just not possible in the practical way because you will always have to make a choice between them, in terms of making an important decision in your life.
I completely agree that a person should be able to choose their own culture. But I think differently than you about the "mixing" of cultures.
ReplyDeleteI think that it may be impossible or complicated for the older generations but for the younger ones it could be easier.
I won't talk about other people, instead I'll use my own example. A child of Chilean parents but born and raised in the U.S.A. My Grandmother always spoke in Spanish, knew very little English, and was set in her ways. My mother, learned English, celebrated U.S. american customs but still had a tendency towards her Chilean culture. As for myself, I adapted aspects from both cultures and now hold a mixture of them. I never separate myself from one. Sure, if I'm in USA I tend to speak more English and if I'm in Chile I tend to speak more Spanish, but that is it. I don't change who I am, how I act, what I do, etc. when I'm in either country. I celebrate festivities from both countries, eat food from both, and many other things.
I think it just takes time, time for the family and you to adjust, time to see what you want to save from both cultures, time to figure out how to bring them together. Its complicated, but possible.
I was waiting for a comment like this one!
DeleteThank you very much for your comment.
I understand your point, and by the way that's why I said: "Is almos impossble", you're an example of two cultures mixed.
But let me ask you something.
Do you believe in marriage?
I mean, you have intentions of get married some day, right?
Where will you celebrate that important event in your life? In USA, or here in Chile?
Where will you live definitely? I mean, your house, with your husband, your kids and so on and so forth?
Maybe you will comeback to USA or maybe you will stay here in Chile for the rest of your life, I don't know...
But I'm thinking that you will have to make a choice in some point of your life. Now you're studying here in Chile, but maybe you will work and live in USA or in another country, who knows, but it's a choice to be made. You have both citizenships, right? From USA and here in Chile, so you will have to make a decision, and that's what I was trying to say at the end of my post:
"The idea of "mixing" is just not possible in the practical way because you will always have to make a choice between them, in terms of making an important decision in your life."
It is possible, but not practical, because you can't live in both countries at the same time, and live in both environments at same time.
Y esta parte te la hablaré en español, ya que estamos en Chile :B
La mezcla de culturas es totalmente posible, pero en nuestras cabezas. Puedes celebrar ambas fechas de independencia y recordar los días importantes de ambos países, pero a la hora de desenvolverte en un ambiente, siempre estarás escogiendo uno. Por ejemplo, recuerdo (según tus propias palabras) que al llegar a Chile "perdiste tu inocencia". Eso porque acá en Chile la cultura del garabato y de el doble sentido o la chabacanería o picardía se ve más comúnmente, según experiencias que he escuchado.
Eso hace que tu sentido de cultura haya cambiado en varios aspectos y ahora en Chile te desenvuelves de una manera distinta a de la que lo hacías en USA. :)
No niego para nada que se puede tomar un poco de cada cultura y crear algo nuevo, propio y que tenga sentido y de hecho hasta lo comparto y encuentro que es algo necesario a la hora de dejar tu país de nacimiento y llegar a otro, puesto que nunca se debe olvidar ni las raíces ni los lugares donde hemos sido criados.
Pero mi punto a defender finalmente, es el hecho de que siempre habrá una decisión importante que tomar y que se decidirá por medio de alguna de las 2 formas de vivir o de pensar llamada "cultura".
Gracias nuevamente por tu comentario y por tu aporte a mi post, al comentarme parte de tu historia :3