Culture Shock

I am of West Indian culture, the West Indies or the Caribbean as it is sometimes called is a group of islands consisting of the Caribbean sea. It is situated to the east of Central America and North of South America. The beautiful beaches their create a culture that is extremly warm and welcoming.

In the West Indies the most significant holiday is The New Year, celebrated on January 1st of each year. The holiday is not just a day but rather its a season starting from early December to late January. This time off the year its a totally different atmosphere, it is a time to parang (folk music where parrenderos visit house to house in the village singing merry songs that goes along with this time with any type of instrument at hand). This holiday is a time to create ones local dishes like Sorrel and Black cake to share with friends and family. However the very same New Year is celebrated in a different light in the Chinese culture. Celebrated on the first day of the first month according to the Chinese Lunar Calendar, which tends to be anytime between January and Feburary. At this trime the married couples distribute new money in red envelopes to umarried familes and friends it is believed that this will bring luck and prosperity to unmarried family and friends for red represent luck in the Chineese culture. Also their are dragons that visit house to house with the same concept as bringing happiness and proseprity to the visited home.

Despite the difference between these two cultures celebrating the same holiday what remains constant is the importance of the festival it is a time to be with friends and family to celebrate ones norms and custom and to bring happiness, health aand strenght to everyone.

The American culture is very individualist where everyone is to themselve, most families consist of parents and children ( Nuclear Family) when the children reach of age they marry and move out to form their own Nuclear family. On the other hand in West Indian culture the old proverb, "It takes a village to raise a child" is eminent. Our villages are an epitome of what a community should be, we are a very united people and everyone in the village knows each other. Most familes comprise of parents, children, grandparents, aunts and uncles (Extended Family).

Our culture may set a boundary between us and define us but we are all Human Beings.

The Virtual World

I feel like the world is always at my finger tips. I can chat with anyone from any little corner in the world, I can retrieve information at my dispense, I can engage in games as if am really in the game. Today the internet has made what was an idea a reality, our lives has changed drastically by the touch of a button. If man had the internet centuries ago I think that there would be a cure to diseases like aids and cancer and there would be a solution to global warming.