CNDV 5320 Week 5 Final Project Cultural Immersion Project 13

Meghin M. Huerta Lamar University L20320511 CNDV 5320 C10 AP1Final Project Cultural Immersion: Asian American CNDV 5320 Week 5 Final Project Cultural Immersion Project 21. Identification and Description of Population: The cultural that I wish to gain a further understanding of is Indian. The populations I will be studying are from India, United Arab Emerits, and Dubai. The differences they have from my own home life is vast, grandparents, children (who are parents) and grandchildren reside in the same residence, they arrive on a work visa and work for many years to attain citizenship (which I have witnessed the process), their dress can be different, but has become Americanized (obviously to fit in more), they system of religion is Buddhist/ Hindu, and have always been a warm and welcoming which is the same as our neighborhood presence. My perceptions of this group are that they work very hard to live here, and in careers that I worry would not be their first choice, but have expressed the work visa is only given in instances of high need/ lack of qualified American workers. I have observed them to be very giving in nature, trusting, honest, caring, loving and down to earth. I have attended several events they have put on for Americans, as well as several events that they put on for the tightknit group of Indian friends they have which are more like family. When the word culture is being used, they come to mind first, they are to me the definition of a culture that is not my own, but is rich and very alluring, I haven’t taken the time to learn specifically about it and I want to know more. This will be challenging because I know my neighbor lost her mother a few years ago, she was a main fixture of the cultural basis for their household. I want to honor her mother and learn more about what they live for, what makes them tick. Another thing that interest me about them as a people (is quite specific but,) I know when a family member is wanting to come to the US, they give all CNDV 5320 Week 5 Final Project Cultural Immersion Project 3 the money they can, mortgage their house, do whatever it takes to assist them, rent an apartment, furnish it, so much for someone they may have only met 2-4 times. This is not something my family could say they do. Growing up I had no knowledge, nor did I know anyone from this culture. Something I just learned a month or so ago is they define themselves as black. Not African American, but black, which I found surprising. This culture of people really do not seem to be difficult to immerse myself into, I don’t really know of a people that I would find this challenge to daunting. In New Mexico we really have a few things we do right, and understanding the cultural mixing pot and being learned of other cultures really seems to be a benefit. We have a large majority of Hispanic peoples, Native Americans, African Americans, and multigenerational European Americans. I am directly related to African Americans and feel closely kindred to all the other cultures I grew up with in New Mexico. The only cultures I feel I know the least about are Muslim/ Islamic Americans and Asians, which we did not have many in the community where I grew up. My selection of this population was based on the fact that I do know some about the culture, but overall I was least knowledgeable this one in comparison to others. I have immensely enjoyed 2 previous years where I have had several Islamic American siblings in my class and have learned a great deal about that culture, leaving the most obvious deficiency in Indian Asians. 2. Reflection on your Immersion Observations: Observational Activities have been extensive, observing 3 parties thrown exclusively forIndian family. These parties are where me and mine were the only white in CNDV 5320 Week 5 Final Project Cultural Immersion Project 4 attendance, mostly holiday related and a birthday party, also life celebration for 1 year old. Also witness to process, day of US naturalization and after celebration.  Impressions of this cultureThis culture is very different that my own, they have a “family” of people which actually is not only their immediate family in the community, it is friends they have met at work and church that they share similar culture with. These all enjoy the company of the other in attendance almost purely because of the same religion and culture. Main difference, I have witnessed this type of kinship with Christian church groups, however these were many different sects of Buddhism and Hinduism, it is as if just being in the same race gave them a kinship. The friends they keep closest to them seem to be of the same culture/ race.  My cultural background influenced what I sawMy understanding of what was happening took several visits to really sink in, that made me grateful I was able to attend several. My background of being raised in a Anglo American home, gatherings for holidays were only my immediate family, seldom were any extended family members in attendance, and I can’t say one holiday/ event where both my mother and father’s parents attended. Really attending this type of gathering more made me feel like I lacked culture and was somewhat envious of all the love and kinship that was in the house. Another interesting thing about this culture that really took several visits to get a handle on was everyone’s role in raising children. When I visit family of my own, I retain all responsibility to be primary caretaker and at no moment will one of my family members volunteer to “parent” or “reprimand” one of my children. Once I walked into one of these parties, my son Jude was immediately relocated to a room with the children and CNDV 5320 Week 5 Final Project Cultural Immersion Project 5 grandparents where they conversed while spending time with the grandchildren. Even more interesting and at first almost hard for me do was the need for everyone to hold my daughter Lucy. And forget about setting her on the ground to explore, they do not allow babies under 1 to touch to floor!  Observed types of social rolesSocial Roles were vast, all interactions began with greeting elders, and being unaware of this social ritual, I was always told to bid them hello upon arrival. Mostly single young people were able to speak to anyone, but the interactions were much more open between the youth, only interactions with married women such as me were stringent at first. Once they realized that I was open to speaking without my husband present, did they become warm to the idea. Children were allowed to be children, and embraced for their actions and much more embraced for their behavior in any form.  Surprises about this person/people group and about yourselfThe experience really was enjoyable; it made me excited to raise my children with these people. They are so giving and caring. The group was so ready to invite us in, the experience made me feel warm. I learned that I desired to have more family and friends; I really want a tightknit group of people like this in my life. 3. Reflection on your Immersion Dialogue: How did you feel during the dialogue (nervous, comfortable, etc.)? During the questioning dialogue I mostly felt comfortable, but some questions my first CNDV 5320 Week 5 Final Project Cultural Immersion Project 6 inclination was to skip or not ask it, but then I forced myself to, to confront the issue, and she answered very honestly and appropriately. How did the preconceived notions you identified in your proposal impact your interactions with this person?It was surprising how she responded to several of the questions, she has not felt discriminated against at all, but she wondered if it was because she was so Americanized. Other things that were shocking were the issues her culture not had with bi-racial marriages, but with Muslim and Hindu intermarriage. She said for that to be accepted you must really make the family understand that it will be a priority to always work on that as an issue. It was something that she thought would be really challenging, even though she is a somewhat practicing Hindu and her husband is a Christian. Many of my conceptions of the culture were accurate, all except I viewed her child to be like a prince and she more viewed her prioritization of his education and it less as though he was treated specially. How did this dialogue impact or influence your future interactions with people from this group?I will be very prepared for dealing with this culture both through this project and my constant immersion of myself and my family into their culture. We both enjoy what the other brings culturally to our interactions and find it important for mine to experience hers and vice versa. CNDV 5320 Week 5 Final Project Cultural Immersion Project 7 How did this experience change or contribute to your growth?Understanding this culture more completely in completing this exercise contributed to the growth my making me ask questions that it would have taken years to outright ask and/ or understand. It changed my understanding of how hard it is for a person in a 3rd world country to get ahead, how they work very hard to pay for educations for their children, and how their children feel a responsibility to care for their elders, but also to make them proud. IT is something they strive to do, and as an American I feel like when my father is proud it is a happy by product, but I did not intentionally set out for something to make him proud. It is not a motivator for me, but it is apparently one of the only motivators for her. How were you similar or different from this person?We have many similarities, we both are educators, mothers, wives, and care for our parents. Her father lives with her, whereas my sick mother only stayed with me for several months for a couple of periods. She lives to make her father proud and feels it is very important to put her father ahead of all things, even her marriage, second in priority to her is her child, then her marriage. Whereas I do not feel I will be responsible to care for my parents ultimately, I live to please myself and make my own choices, my parents pride is only a byproduct, and I put my marriage above my parents and my children. The first priority in my life is my relationship with my husband and ensuring he is happy, then my children, then my family. CNDV 5320 Week 5 Final Project Cultural Immersion Project 8 How was what you observed different from what you experienced during your dialogue with the person from the population you are studying?She views herself as Americanized, where all I see is her driving and achieving a career. Most other traits she displays are culturally she surrounds herself with others from the Indian culture, her father lives with her and she cares for him, her son is very important and his education is a high priority to her, she puts these above her marriage with I think is cultural, she just may not be admitting it. She also confirmed as the text did that they never like to be in the spotlight, attention and being doted on is not their preference, however she says there is much drama in the tight families and the culture has a love/ hate relationship with the idea of family drama. Everyone is always over, family and neighbors, inquiring into the privacy of all. People visit and frequent each other’s homes and she thinks this leads to Americans being lonely, however she did admit to having fallen into this and thus feels lonelier often. She thinks the way keeping it all in the family and counseling each other may work for Indians, but welcomes the idea of counseling and mental health maintenance. Confirmed that there is a stigma that talking about one’s issues with a counselor in her culture would be viewed as airing laundry and not preferential to the families’ image, priority would be to deal with it in the family. 4. Reaction and Critical Analysis of your experience: While counseling this particular group, with the understandings I have realized through my research are as follows. As far as stigmas the culture has that I read about and can confirm with the majority of my Asian American students, and also confirmed in the interview is CNDV 5320 Week 5 Final Project Cultural Immersion Project 9 “parents who are unwilling to accept contemporary Western viewpoints,” (Baruth & Manning, P. 179) not only on child’s family roles, but also largely on western career paths and career role in family life. The cultural group of people define themselves as successful first and foremost in “having a job,” (S. Sritherean, Interview, 2/9/2014). Other observations that have been confirmed in interview and professional educator role are: students moving toward peer centered reality and away from parent centered one, academic and socialization is lowered or non-existent because of communication issues, inability to please both Asian and majority culture in United States, lastly the perception that the group excel at mathematics, are highly intellectual or superior, and the theory that they are all “hardworking and academically successful,” (Baruth & Manning, P. 179) can really hinder their education.Description of the groupThe group as a whole varies so much, they have such a mixed heritage. A very interesting and sad thing I learned about Indian Asian Americans is they come from all over the world, when the British conquered their country they distributed them as slaves to all the British colonies, which spanned the whole world. The group has so many characteristics it can vary dramatically; my interviewee informed me that just as it is a stigma to have a “bi-racial” marriage in the United States, it is also heavily frowned upon for Hindu, Buddhist, or Muslim to marry outside of their faith, as well as Muslim sub-sects such as Sunni and Shite to marry outside of their sub-sect. To me that is the equivalent of a Baptist marrying an Episcopal. She described a lot of things about those who come from India to the United states and how the culture shock alone is very large because as she put it “it is a third world county,” and other CNDV 5320 Week 5 Final Project Cultural Immersion Project 10 than adjusting to life here, in addition to maintain tight familial bond family must visit and that is very difficult. When the family visits they attempt to recreate what life is like in India, where the family lives together 100% of the time, so family says for extended periods (2-6 months) at a time, where the visiting family is unable to do much with out the host family transporting them. In India there are so many modes of transportation and much of the city is consolidated, transportation is so much more of an issue here. Values/Belief OrientationsCulturally they are one of the largest concentrations of Muslims (in the top 5), the other majority is Hinduism as well as Buddhism, and Christianity is a minority faith. Main beliefs is family is first and very close second is career, it is the means you provide for your family. Other general beliefs are that children take care of their parents, in addition to being responsible for all their pride. When an Indian does something, the first goal is to make his/ her parent proud with actions and choices. Roles and ExpectationsThe role of children is probably the most important. The first thing, even before your husband and wife is to ensure your parents are cared for as well as proud. Education is a huge priority; any quality education in India is paid for, and private. Other expectations are to always embody fidelity to you family and stand by them, supporting them through anything and everything. CNDV 5320 Week 5 Final Project Cultural Immersion Project 11 How this culture is similar and/or dissimilar to your ownThis culture is superficially similar to my own through core value that family is first. I also define my career and education as a priority, but not to the extent the Asian Indian culture does. Their culture and family unit has a strong basis in religion, but their religious ceremonies are much different. They are more of a public affair and are more loosely tied to the religion, has almost become more ritual/ tradition, with a foundation in the religion. Whether you take stock in the core beliefs of the religion or not, all are welcome to these affairs, and this is not completely different with Christian occasions, I find they are more “preachy” I guess with the reason for the event. What you learned about yourself through this processInterestingly enough, I have learned that I have a similar desire to care for my parents which is more abnormal for an American. Other things that I never considered were based on the fact that I have no interest in achieving things for my parents to be proud, and apparently that is the only reason Indians want and strive, is to make their parents proud. Overall I learned a great deal about motivators and why various cultures achieve and work differently.5. Glogster Poster Glogster project link: http://mhuerta1.edu.glogster.com/indian-cultureCreating the Glogster poster was fun but hard. The desire to get everything I had learned in was so strong, but I had to prioritize and include what elements were most important to the CNDV 5320 Week 5 Final Project Cultural Immersion Project 12 understanding of the culture and the counseling of that culture. Once I find my career in school counseling I will drive to ensure each year I immerse myself in a new culture, especially underrepresented or misunderstood ones. I really enjoyed this as a final project. CNDV 5320 Week 5 Final Project Cultural Immersion Project 13 ReferencesStoll, J. (Director) M. Hasse, S. Sisterhen, T. Barrientes, R. Burwell, A. Kennell, K. Walkmom, S. Douglas (2014, February 4). Cultural Proficiency: Discussing the Undiscussables. Leander ISD February Conference. Lecture conducted from Leander ISD, Cedar Park. Baruth, L. G. & Manning, M. L. T. (2012). Multicultural counseling and psychotherapy (5th ed). Boston, MA: Pearson.

CNDV 5320 Week 5 Final Project Cultural Immersion Project 13

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