Cultural Self-Assessment - Essay Example

Cultural Self-Assessment Cultural Self-Assessment Personality gets it the shape from both genetic and environmental influences. The most important one is the cultural influences that are transmitted through language and modeling of behavior. Cultural activities and believe are known to make the largest component of an individual’s life and am not an exceptional. Cultural practice should be faced with open-mindedness for one to get the best out of it. Having the chance to experience two different cultures first hand is a privilege that I got in life. Having lived in Kuwait for a longer part of my life, I adopted their culture and way of life too. We people from Kuwait are not any exception; we have our way of doing things. Showing affection is every human in expected though there is no particular formula for doing it, and the Kuwait culture has ways of expressing their different affections. A unique daily greeting is made up of a handshake and a kiss on the cheek, and then follows a series of questions on their health. This cultural practice made it easier for me to adopt when I moved to America the practice is the same. The difference only comes in when the opposite is in the picture. The American culture does not have a problem with different sexes being close a practice that is considered a taboo. In Kuwait, the female and male were not considered as equals, they are not to mix for any reason whatsoever. From birth, an individual’s life is arranged according to their gender. Living in big families makes the rules easier to enforce. Segregation according to sex is paramount in this culture. Duties are assigned according to gender; boys were expected to hang out with their fathers for them to learn the responsibilities that await them. Kuwait men also spend time in Diwaniah’s, which is a gathering place in a house. Given that families were large, each family had their own Diwaniah. These meetings toke place in the evening after the day’s work had been completed, though not daily but twice a week. Male friends could also join the party. Here men talked about politics, life, culture and sport. Girls, on the other hand, stayed at home with their mothers to learn how to care for the home and their families in the end. Having all these in mind made me a better person living away from home was not difficult. In school can make a sound moral decision and fight the pressure from the harsh college environment that makes a good number of students waste away. Family Diwaniah’s equipped me with the right answers for living as a man. The support that I was given by my family helped shape my inner personality and relationship with friends and asking for advice and assistance has been part of growing. The view of the society as a prominent family has made life easier. The need to match up to the societal expectations keeps acting as a driving force for me to pursue better grades while in school and at the time treat friends and associates with the respect they deserve. My duties as a product of family effort made me appreciate the presence of not only close friends but also friends and the extended family. Respect has always been a two-way traffic; my culture values the relationship between individuals of different age groups. The old receive respect for the vast experience they have acquired in their long lifetime. Collective bringing up that I passed through ensured that all aspects of life got inclusion in my training. Though Kuwait culture is strict on sexual matters and mixing of people of the same gender, I got equipped with the necessary knowledge that proved important in my adaptation to the American culture that has fewer restrictions on its citizens. Relating to colleges of the opposite gender became much easier for I knew what extent I could go when girls are in question. Feeling that one has a sense of belonging somewhere far away from home and with new people around determines how much you achieve your goals in relation to your intention. We tend to judge people based on how they present themselves and this includes how they dress. The dressing code of college students has always been a seen as isolative to those around them. The Kuwait culture on its part states clearly the boundary between acceptable and the unacceptable dress code for each gender, and these gave me best options that are as well acceptable to the society as a whole. Marriage is considered a lifetime commitment. It is a means of strengthening bonds between families. We are prone to making mistakes, and that applies to the choice of a wife or husband then realizes when the damage has occurred. The Kuwait culture takes the stress off our shoulders. Suitable partners are sort and thoroughly investigated before final preparations get underway. The marriage expenses are the taken care of by the parents of the yet to be married couple. This tradition made it easier for me to meet my wife and raise a happy family. The advice of the old people in the family was crucial in my later life, and they equipped me with the necessary knowledge to run a family effectively. At the same time, the gender education came handy in dealing with my shortcomings as a wife and a father International Conference on Human Assessment and Cultural Factors, Irvine & Berry, 1983). The matchmakers ensured that there were no ancestral relations before the marriage was fixed; the trust between the partners was therefore enhanced. All necessary information was disclosed before marriage thus decisions were made with information situations at hand. Though nepotism took the better part of Kuwaitis in all their dealings and they state the issue of trust as a reason. Staying away from home for a while has taught me the importance of giving a chance to those who have ability rather than my family alone. Building trust in others has also proved an important aspect of life. The American culture is more accommodative and flexible while the Kuwait culture on its part is demanding and strict. When these two cultures come together, the resultant personality comes one that understands so many things all put together. The coming together of several adult and young minds results in diverse opinions that when discussed produces desired results. The Kuwait extended family provides a platform for one to share their problems and get varied opinions on the matter. These aids individuals decision-making and thus making me led a fulfilled and satisfied life. Religion on its part plays an important role in a person’s life. The Middle East boasts of a rich religious culture that guides their lives. Kuwait inhabitants are not all Muslims as most people presume. The Islamic culture that also made a significant impact on how I view the world and relate to others is part of our rich culture. Religious tolerance is a principal that is taught to every Kuwait right from childhood while still holding their own beliefs as well. Hospitability is a virtue that am supposes to do as Kuwait young man. Cultural influence, therefore, receives the greatest percentage for making me the person is today. The responsibility of handing down all that I have been taught to the next generation weighs on my shoulder. My family has to play its role in making the future generation better by handing down all that Kuwait culture expects from adults of the extended family. References International Conference on Human Assessment and Cultural Factors, Irvine, S. H., & Berry, J. W. (1983). Human assessment and cultural factors. New York: Plenum Press. Read More