Cultural Differences
Naturally, parents who have immigrated to a foreign country want only the best for their child. There is the desire to have that child succeed in ways they did not. However at which point does the desire for success begin to impose on an individual's happiness? Look at some of the compromises your friends and peers have made.A South Asian friend of mine (who doesn't want to be named) studied sciences as much as she possibly could, and despite her best efforts, was unable to complete her studies. She complained frequently throughout the first two or three years of university that she actually wanted to run her own business. George advises those in such a dilemma to undergo "an analysis where you're deciding if this is your strength and/or weakness and if you want to do it."Do we not have the right to expect that success should also include happiness?That contentment can often be lost. Our attempts to please our parents often contribute to the image of the family, the same image that is projected into the South Asian community. Indeed, the image of a family whose child has become a doctor, lawyer, or accountant is seen as extremely favorable. A certain value is then placed on that particular family, and the family now ha
"Veronica Mohan studies law at the University of Alberta in Edmonton. How many times have you heard the phrase 'white people'? Conversations with that particular phrase are usually centered on a comparison between the differing perspectives of minorities and Anglo-Saxon North Americans, in contexts such as the acknowledgment that 'white' people are somehow different than brown people; or that 'white' people are not quite in tune with the perspectives that brown people have. The mall was full of 'white' stores and restaurants. We've also inherited the characteristic of difference. "Mohan has had more than one negative experience with her peer group on this issue. "She says it was not until the implementation of a multicultural policy in Canada that cultural entities, and public observances and displays of culture were more forthcoming. Affirming our identity as 'brown' can be viewed as almost rebellious. We don't view ourselves as immigrants. The criticism, she says, is that for brown people, customer service should be irrelevant. "Yet, enjoying a Smirnoff with a group of brown friends on a Saturday night is completely acceptable. We look to each other to determine what our behaviour and image should be. Each individual member, as a result, is a reflection of the group. For some of us who were born here, school was full of white children and the English language. Their own group, and discussions, and all that, is reaffirming.
Common topics in this essay:
South Asians,
South Asian,
North Americans,
George Identity,
Usha George,
Sundays Mohan,
North American,
,
Alberta Edmonton,
Smirnoff Dad,
south asian,
south asians,
brown people,
we've grown,
north american,
can't escape,
behaviour image,
according usha george,
discrimination racism,
according usha,
brown friends,
generation south asians,
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Acceptance Essays
