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Mitzia Arreola
Professor Corri Ditch
English 113B
19, February 2015
Inter/Cultural Struggles
Intercultural refers to an individual who is involved or represents different cultures. In my
case I was born in Mexico City but raised in America making me a part of the Mexican and
American communities. I was raised by my parents in a very traditional way but as I grew up I
learned how to adapt to the American culture. One main struggle between the two cultures has
been the value of education and how they have both influenced my goals for the future. In my
own family I am a first generation college student and throughout my years in school I was never
taught that attending a four year university was mandatory in other words, it wasnt expected of
me. In the American culture all throughout grade school I was influenced to choose a career,
apply to numerous amounts of colleges, and taught that education was the key to a brighter
future. Through my influences from both cultures I have been able to break free from the
traditional norms in my household culture and embrace my American culture while at the same
time becoming a role model for the Hispanic community.
In my Hispanic culture I was taught to obtain an education up until high school because
my family believes that a high school diploma can get you a decent paying job. Income to my
family is very important because they all learned to support themselves and their families at such
a young age. The women in my family are all single hardworking women who settle for a
minimum wage job because they are unaware of their opportunities to better themselves. This
idea was passed down to me as my high school graduation date approached when, my family

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expected me to get a job to become more independent to be able to able to support myself and
my future family. They never thought that I would want to attend CSUN and was thinking of
pursuing a career in nutrition. The idea of me not being born in the US to my family meant that I
did not have an opportunity to attend a four year university. Through my time in school I
discovered programs like the Dream Act that have given students who were born outside of the
US the opportunity to continue their education and pursue careers. In the article Estimating the
Impact of the Dream Act research shows that,, 90 percent (1.038 million) of the 1.154 million
high school graduates will enroll in public institutions (state universities and community
colleges (Camaratoa1). The program has opened the door to many opportunities for immigrant
students who are breaking though cultural norms seeking opportunities that are given in other
cultures and taking advantage of them.
In the American culture where the majority of my education happened it is constantly
enforced that an individual continue their education past high school. Obtaining degree that can
get a high paying job in a career desired. The academic community is extremely competitive
which has made me a self-motivate individual. The thought of not having the same opportunities
as others taught from my family always made me work harder to prove them wrong. Through the
American culture I was able to find individuals who helped guide me and experienced situations
that influenced me to further my education. For example, when making decisions to attend a
university I faced the struggle of not having someone in my own family who I trusted to guide
me through the application process because no one had the experience. On the other hand, the
academic community was full of individuals who were there to provide the information about my
several options.

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In my culture I am a non-conformist who broke through the traditional cultural roles, I
accomplished something that no one in my family had ever done and I will continue to work
hard to achieve my goals. As a first generation college student in my culture meant having no
role model, having to go through very tough situations and wasnt given the easy way out.
Through my American culture I was able to find individuals who helped guide me and
experienced situations that influenced me to further my education. In the article Self-Identity and
Culture it states that People learn to adjust their notions of self-based on the new social roles
they take on as they grow older and interact with new people. A persons relationship with
certain groups determines which part of that persons self will be used in specific encounters
(126 Williams). This shows how my identity changed when attempting to get accepted into a
four year university. I could not talk to my family about the problems and misunderstandings I
had because they had no experience. Rather when being around my education community I felt
more comfortable talking about all sorts of struggles and confusions because I knew I would
receive answers and obtain the help needed.
The academic community is made up of many different cultures who all share the same
value of education. Within the academic setting every culture has generalizations about one
another which define the person they are. Through our journal entries I was able to view some of
the generalizations within my culture. When I mentioned to a friend that I was interested in
double majoring next semester he laughed and made fun of me. I asked him why and he said that
it would take me several years to finish school and didnt think I was capable of doing that
because I was Hispanic and Hispanics whose parents didnt go to college usually dont make it
past their first year. In the reading Culture and Communication it states how, Generalizations
can be problematic because they can affect your ability to develop personal and professional

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relationships (Kurylo7). Being part of the Hispanic means sharing the same traditions,
language, and customs but outside of that identity I am unique and different because my parents
lacked that opportunity doesnt man I will follow their footsteps. Through my influences from
both cultures I have developed my own goals and values that are different from what I thought
from other cultures.
Finding a balance between my both cultures was definitely a struggle. One important
thing I constantly reminded myself was to never change my personality and what I believed in to
feel accepted. Rather take the both influences and apply them to something that would benefit
me in this case the value of my education. The American culture pushed me to get an education
while my Hispanic culture encouraged me to become independent at such a young age becoming
a role model for my community and younger generations. Research done Tamara Olive shows
how, Successful experiences in high school, a desire for improved socioeconomic status a need
to contribute to the well-being of others, a break with tradition and the influence of respected
role models in facilitating a desire for higher education in these individuals.(Olive107). This
research shows that the influences I the academic communities have served as encouragement
for first generation Hispanic college students.
Breaking through th traditional norms within my culture has made me a non-conformist.
While many may think that I am no longer a part of the Hispanic community I would argue that
to this day I respect and follow many traditions but I find things that are restrictive to my
identity. Being an individual who was not born in America should not limit my abilities to obtain
a higher education. It should be encouraged for our future generations to better themselves and
not just settle for a minimum wage job. Careers should be encouraged all throughout childhood
and not just in one culture. As for me I have found two cultural spaces which I am a part of and
share a way of living with both. The balance I have found allows me to act accordingly and be

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respected by the American and Mexican communities. In conclusion attending a four year
university has made my parents extremely proud and I am encouraged by them and the rest of
my community to follow my dreams therefore making me intercultural and a unique individual
who is proud to be a Mexican American.

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Works Cited
Camarota, Steven A. Estimating the impact of the DREAM Act. Center for Immigration
Studies.Nov.2010. Web. 13 Feb. 2015
Kurylo, Anastacia. Culture and Communication. Inter/cultural Communication:
Representation and Construction of Culture, Los Angeles, 2013. 1-20. Print
Olive, Tamara. Desire for Higher Education in First-Generation Hispanic College
Students Enrolled in an Academic Support Program: A Phenomenological Analysis.
Brill Online 2008. Web. 18 Feb. 2015.
Ronald Jackson, Cerise Glenn, ad Kesha Williams. elf-Identity and Culture. 1-20. Print