Cultural Autobiography Analysis

I was born and raised in the small, rural town of Knox, Pennsylvania. I have lived in the same house, gone to the same school, and attended the same church since way before I could remember. Almost everyone in my community is Caucasian. In fact, I only have only one bi-racial friend and only know of two black families within our school district. I remember last year, at the beginning of the school year, a family from Panama move to our town. They had a son that started at my high school and did not speak English at all. He suddenly became one of the most popular, well known students at our school, purely because everyone was so interested in him and his story. His attendance bought an inkling of cultural diversity to our school and made the atmosphere slightly more interesting. As far as religions go, people in my hometown would most certainly claim to be either a Christian or a non-believer. No other churches or religious groups even exist in Knox, to my knowledge. To say the least, the town of Knox has taught me many things, but I can’t say it has provided me with the opportunity to learn and grow culturally in ways I may have hoped. Although it seems as though I would know little of different cultures outside of textbook definitions, I actually have travelled places that have absolutely broadened my views and
knowledge about other people of this world. For example, my family recently flew to Las Vegas to visit some of our family members. While on that trip, we made a point to insert as many ethnic cuisines as possible. We ended up eating food from over seven different cultures. My favorite meal was the homemade tamales we made with my aunt, who has a Mexican background. It was such an awesome experience and I loved learning more about the food. The city itself was nothing less than a culture shock to me. Sin City was like nothing I had ever seen before. Each casino offered a different glimpse into different world cultures, but the most unique aspect of the city, I thought, was the lifestyles that many of the people had chosen to live. Gambling, prostitution, strip clubs, and lots of other things consumed the lives of many. This was so different than what I was accustomed to here in Pennsylvania. I have, however, been to other cities that have shown me different views on the inner-city culture. In 2014, I went on a mission trip to Fort Wayne, Indiana, where I was given the opportunity to work with inner-city children. This was indeed an insightful experience and I learned more of what it is like to live in the heart of a big city and the unimaginable trials those kids had to deal with every day. In addition to that, I have explored the city of New York several times on a less personal level. This allowed me to observe how the different cultures intertwined with one another as people from all corners of the world were drawn to many of the same attractions. These were all fantastic trips and extraordinary learning opportunities, but there has been one experience in my life that has really opened my eyes to a whole new part of the world. I went on a mission trip to the Dominican Republic in 2014 and I have had a whole new appreciation for cultural diversity since then.
I saw the prestigious, resort-filled side of the country, as well as the impoverished, third world side of the country. It was incredible. For the first time ever, I was introduced to true poverty, witchcraft and witch doctors, authentic Latin American food, an incomprehensible language barrier, new clothing standards, vulnerable and wholehearted Christian worship, and Spanish music. The entire trip helped cultivate and foster my previous knowledge and I am so thankful for that opportunity that was made available for
me. I would most definitely love achieve a greater multi-cultural life by expanding my world to places it has never stretched before. I would absolutely love to make more trips like these ones to help broaden my perspective. I am also ecstatic that Penn State requires all students majoring in Architecture to study abroad at some point in their education. I find this field incredibly interesting, and I cannot wait to learn, explore, and grow both academically and culturally as I travel the world in the midst of my studies. If I remember correctly, all architecture students study in Rome, which I know would be phenomenal. Having never been beyond the borders of the United States and Latin America, I would enjoy seeing any other part of the world. I hope to someday tour places in Japan, Australia, Africa, and Europe. I have not begun researching specific places I would like to go, based on the fact that I am 18 and have never really had the option or money to do so thus far. While on these future explorations, I will strive to meet new people and continue embrace different cultures. Specifically, I would really love to meet someone of a completely different religion and possibly attend a new religious service. Whether it be a Hindu temple, Islamic mosque, or Jewish synagogue, I want to learn more about world religions by seeing their place of worship firsthand and conversing with people who my worship there. I know Penn State works hard to create multicultural campuses and provide everything for everyone. I can only imagine how this school will encourage and teach me to grow and develop in ways that may have otherwise be unlikely.