An Autoethnography about Americanism - Essay Example

An Autoethnography about Americanism and its connotations

I never knew how to answer the question, “Where are you from?” Of course, my first thought was always, New York. My mother immigrated to New York from Guyana at age 11, and my dad from Ethiopia at age 15. They assimilated into American culture relatively quickly, and both adopted the "New York Accent" by the time they met during their freshman year at NYU. They bought a house in Queens to raise my brother in and me and haven't moved since. We only spoke English at home, and the house lacked much cultural decor, so the exposure I got to my heritage was mainly through food, music, and family. Four blocks away from my home was the United Nations International School (UNIS), which I attended from kindergarten to twelfth grade.

Being the United Nations school, we were taught to celebrate our heritage more than our American nationality. UNIS's main selling point was its diverse student body, and our school was adorned to appear just as diverse. However, this translated into a stigma against being "American" amongst the students. We spoke of America as if we were somehow detached from it. As if it were a single quantifiable identity that we all connoted with the same images. I felt uncomfortable saying I was American like it invalidated by other cultural identities. I would always justify that statement by saying that both of my parents are immigrants. Neither of them was "American" so I began to assume that by relation I was not either. I wanted to be different from others, but the difference I wanted was in nationality. It was not until I stepped out of the bubble I built around the four-block radius of my house that I realized that Americanism is a complex and multifaceted phenomenon with multiple connotations.

Initially, I strained a lot, trying to associate myself with my parents' cultural beliefs. I felt that continuously speaking English at home deprived me of the opportunity to enjoy various aspects of the Guyana and Ethiopian ways of life. Even though I had not stayed in the two countries for more than fourteen consecutive days, I believed it was not right for one to overlook his or her culture in favor of the tenets of Americanism. During holidays, we travel back to both Guyana and Ethiopia and my experiences there make me to sometimes feel detached from the American way of life. For example, I miss the feast of the Epiphany, which is a way that Christians in Ethiopia use to commemorate Jesus’ meeting with the Gentiles.

Back in Guyana, I noted that the people to conform to various cultures such as African, Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, and British. I would say that my Guyana heritage has played a significant role in my adaptation to the expectations of American society. I now believe that have a unilateral line of thinking about cultural diversity is harmful. The central idea taught at UNIS about Americanism and the need to detest the American now appears to me as a misguided thought. America has more than just nationality to offer to its immigrant citizens.

Coping with the community and my parents were initially tricky. The language was a significant barrier because of the different approaches that my parents used to address me. As my mother keeps reminding me, I started talking fluently much later than other children of my age did. I later learned that this delay arose from the tendency of my parents to speak to me using different languages. Each of them wanted to win me over by making me speak their native languages. Furthermore, my interactions with friends and schoolmates were in English. However, my parents later agreed to talk to me in English strictly.

I have to admit that in most instances, I admire the American way of life, where the people aim at achieving a common national target. They are urged to respect the country's flag, language, and culture. In many learning institutions, one can see the American flag, which acts as a reminder for them to respect the shared beliefs of American society. Even though UNIS insists on our resentment of being American nationals, it does not avoid the directive of having the national flag flying high in the school.

While growing up, I read stories about the type of prejudice that immigrants and their children endured in the past as the natives denied them fundamental rights because of their heritage. For instance, I had that the immigrants and the blacks were subjected to manual labour, whereas their white counterparts were accorded prestigious jobs. However, my time in the United States has helped me overcome this stereotype. For example, almost half of my teachers in the schools that I have attended are immigrants of non-whites. It shows that American society now believes in the abilities that people from diverse heritages possess.

The population in most educational organizations has also played a significant role in making me believe in the intentions of the proponents of the idea of Americanism. For example, UNIS comprised of learners from diverse cultural backgrounds. Besides, the arrangement in the classroom does not signify any form of discrimination, depending on one's cultural heritage. It helped me to make friends from such backgrounds. Thus, the education system is a major unifying factor in the United States, and it helps the country to achieve Americanism. By giving all learners equal opportunities, the courses foster societal success based on one's effort in learning.

Various business entities in the US have embraced the idea of Americanism. Many hotels sell foods that emphasize American culture. I am fascinated by the amount of joy that people derive from American cuisine. I have learned over the years that this menu represents the type of foods that Americans love. Besides, it reflects the country’s history by including flavours from the many cultures from which its immigrants originate. Worth noting is the fact that American cuisine reflects indigenous tastes from Indian, Pacific, African, European, Spanish, and Latin cultures.

Furthermore, American cuisine illustrates American society's readiness to embrace people with diverse beliefs and thoughts. Even though most of them are fused, some of the cuisines prepared in various regions in the United States have a deep connection with the cultural heritage of the people living in that area. While travelling across the country, I have gotten an opportunity to taste such regional cuisines such as Tlingit, Soul Food, and Louisiana Creole. I have also learned that the settlement of immigrants from various parts of the world has enriched American cooking techniques.

I am a lover of entertainment and sports. Americanism entails virtues such as teamwork, fair play, and justice. Sporting activities promote these values as people work together to achieve team goals and objectives. I have watched the national teams participate in international tournaments in which they have they have excelled. For instance, various sprinters such as Justin Gatlin have made the country proud on the global stage. The American male soccer team has performed well in the 2010 World Cup and has continued to shine in the CONCACAF tournament. The female soccer team stunned the world by winning the World Cup in fashion. The overwhelming support that the group received showed that America is a united society. Besides, the composition of the teams shows that racial diversity is respected as blacks and whites were well-represented.

In conclusion, Americanism entails respect for the American culture and the national flag. Immigrants coming to the United States are assimilated into the nation’s culture. My life in the country has helped me to correct the wrong perceptions that the outside world has about us. I have witnessed inclusivity in areas such as schools, hotels, and sports. Even though I wanted to detach myself from the United States’ nationality, I have since learned the Americanization of all its people has helped in achieving the country’s dream. Therefore, my views about Americanism have changed in the positive.