Personal culture

My culture has been largely shaped by upbringing and education.  My mother has always been a strong role model for me, someone who is passionate and loving and compassionate and willing to speak her mind and fight for what she cares about. When I was younger this sometimes embarrassed me. Whether it was asserting herself to my teachers when she thought there was the slightest issue at school, arguing her politics with family and friends, or rolling down the car window to tell kid in the car next to us to think twice about throwing trash out the window  because, “we all share this community,” her voice was heard. As I have gotten older, however, I’ve realized that this has largely influenced me, in what I believe is a positive way. Not only am I more likely to speak my mind and strive for what I want, but I think her strong influence is part of the reason I am a feminist.  A lot of people today immediately reject the term, or when I say I’m interested in gender inequality are relieved to hear me also mention the term ‘global’ because that’s something they can support—fixing other people’s problems. While I am interested in gender inequality on a global scale, and do believe there are more extreme measures of it in other areas of the world, I believe recognizing it in our own society is also important. Any kind of inequality is not going to go away if we pretend it doesn’t exist.  The global aspect of my feminism brings me to another thing that defines my culture, an interest in learning about the world, and different cultures and peoples.  I attended an elementary school that I now refer to as “the hippie school” where we learned more about environmentalist issues than math, but also there was a strong emphasis on learning about other cultures. I got to participate in Global Elementary Model United Nations and still remember not only drawing pictures of the Guatemalan flag, but reading about the human rights violations that were a commonality in the country. Though learning about these things can make you feel distant and helpless, it can also challenge you to get involved, and support something with meaning. I’m not quite sure how to label it, but another part of my culture is caring about these issues, and wanting to be involved in change.  Lastly, family and food are a large part of my culture, and for me the two are largely intertwined. I have a tight-knit Greek-American family and for us “family gathering” and “meal” are almost always synonymous. My family has a strong presence in my life and having their constant love and support bolsters me in developing the other areas of my culture.

All of these things influenced my decision to apply for the Ghana Maymester. I am looking forward to learn about the geography, culture, and people of an area of the world I know little about. I am also eager to learn about non-profits, how they work, and their influence on a community. And of course, to actually be involved in a project for social change and development in the area of women’s empowerment, where I hope to continue to be involved in the future.