Perspectives on Diversity and Culture


While Speaking with my friend  is from Egypt and has lived here in America and in Egypt.  we have been friends since 

college.  Since then she has moved between countries a few times.  In her home they speak Egyptian and are of Muslim 

religion.   While  she  dresses more American her mother dresses in more traditional modest  clothing including  

covering her face and hair.   While my friend has given that part of her culture up to dress more according and accepted 

by the dominant American Culture.  While she is in Egypt she dresses according to Egyptian culture.  Here is America 

her family is middle class family.  In Egypt her parents were the upper class  and on the top of the economic scale.  

 Still following her religious traditions was always hard when they cultures were not understood or accepted in the 

1990's   Praying at a particular time daily was something she was supposed to follow but felt she could not because  

people were not educated or accepting of her traditions she did omit this from her daily routine.  During Ramadan she 

would fast and  would sit alone outside the school cafeteria just to follow her tradition.  She finds it much easier to 

raise her children within the Muslim culture now.

As a young a naive uneducated person I had no conception of any other culture besides my own.  Not realizing how  

much  people give up to feel accepted in society.  The personal struggle for one to give up what they have in their 

upbringing and what is sacrificed to be part of the dominant culture.   As I grow and understanding both from maturity 

and from becoming educated  I find it is not people from other cultures that need to change but instead we need to be 

educated on others customs traditions and religions in order to have a peaceful society.  We are all different we need to 

remain open minded. 


Comments

  1. AnonymousNovember 18, 2017 at 1:15 PM

    Hi Stephanie. It's nice that you have had this nice relationship with your friend who is of a different culture than yourself. It is important to think how we would feel if we had to give up on our culture for the sake of the dominant culture so we can be more understanding of those who come to the U.S. and are made to feel unwanted and uncomfortable to be who they are. We have to work harder to be more tolerant and understanding. You are a good friend for showing respect and caring for what she had to say.

    Thank you for sharing your story.

    ReplyDelete

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