Arresis 1

Juan Arresis
Professor Ditch
English 113 B
8, May 2015
Adapting to New Environments
Each and every person in this world has a culture. We are not born having a culture, but
we learn it as we grow up from our family, school, by religion, at work and so forth. However,
the people influence us the most are our family, because we grow up being with them and
learning certain things that they as parents teach us. Same with our identity, I make my own
identity from my own character and from my own family roots. The culture that came from my
parents never changes, but my identity does change throughout every level of my life. As I
change my mentality of seeing things different, I also change my identity meaning that we can be
and do certain things or become someone different from what we used to be in the past. When I
was a child, I had a different identity than the one I have now. I had an innocent mind when I was
little, but as I grow up, that innocence starts fading away. Adapting from Guatemala to Southern
California is such a great way of learning how to take a huge challenge between learning English
as my second language, applying hard work along with responsibility and how to be able to
adapt to a whole different new environment expecting barriers such as discrimination which was
not that easy as it seems, but dedication and hard work were the keys to success; it has not been
an easy journey for me but it hasnt been impossible to overcome either.
Being multicultural allows people to increase their knowledge. In this country we have
so many different kind of people from different backgrounds that maybe people had never heard
of. I myself had never heard nor seen so many people from different backgrounds. In the article,

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Self-Identity and Culture, Jackson, Glenn, and Williams argues that, As you learn who you
are, you learn how to communicate effectively with others (117). People see you in different
ways. I might see myself as a student, but others might just see me as an immigrant who is here
not speaking fluent English as others who were born here do, but yet Im now here in college
succeeding when many people thought I wouldnt even graduate from high school. I will never
be liked by all the people, because there will always be someone who just wont accept me for
who I am as an immigrant in this country. Since the day I got to this country I was amazed
seeing how different kind of people with different skin colors and looks were walking out in the
streets. This cultural space was totally new for me, because from the place I come from, I never
seen nor heard people talking so many different languages. The cultural space here is completely
different from where I come from. The cultural space in this country is so wide with many
different things and people that I would never imagined I was going to be in. I was born and
raised in Guatemala, and the only language I heard and learned while being there was Spanish.
Therefore, when I got to this country everything was totally new for me. I didnt know a single
thing about English, anything at all. So, my first goal here in the United States was to learn
English no matter what. I remembered the first days here in the US, my tears came out, because
it was just so hard for me being here and not being able to have friends just for the fact that I
didnt speak English nor understand it at all. In the article, Developing Learners Second
Language Communicative Competence through Active Learning: Clickers or Communicative
Approach? It states that, Speaking skills was the potent contributor while gender did not make
a significant contribution to the prediction of pupils communicative competence in ESL
classrooms. In order for me to defend myself, and fight for what I think was wrong I had to
learn how to speak out. In High School, there were times where the teachers said something that

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I didnt quite agree with it, and I wanted to argue with them, but I just couldnt for the same that
my English wasnt good enough to argue and fight for the point I would make. I found myself
struggling to learn English, because I knew and recognized that I had to learn it in one way or
another in order for me to prosper and defend myself. It was not that easy as it seems, but
dedication and hard work were the keys to success.
The values and morals we all learn as we grow up have to go along with us no matter
where we go, because those values and morals define us who we are and can take us far. When I
was little, my parents left me in Guatemala because they came to this country to give me the
things I needed there because at that time neither of my parents could find a stable job.
Sometimes they had work and sometimes they didnt at all. I grew up with my grandma who
sees me as her son, because all my childhood I was around her. She took the role of a mother for
me, because she took care of me since my parents left me. She taught me the morals and values
who defines who I am today. She taught me how to be responsible and how to find my own
ways to get things done no matter what. There were times where I had homework and didnt
understand it at all and needed help, but I couldnt ask my grandma to help me because she
doesnt know how to write nor read. I remembered there were times where I asked her about my
homework and she used to said, Mijo, I wish I could read and write so I can help you, but I just
cant. It was always me and her in the apartment, and I didnt have people at all to help me, so I
had to look for myself and get my homework done. Since I was little, I started to learn how to be
independent. It was hard not growing having my parents around, but that makes part of who I
am, because between all the time I build my responsibility and hard work. Hence, when I came
to this country that part didnt affect me as much, because I came with a mentality that I came
here to succeed and since day one in this country I started applying my responsibility and hard

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work just as I was taught while being with my grandmother. The reason I came to this country is
to become someone prosper us and help my grandma in Guatemala, because I love her as my
mother, she built all my values and morals such as being honest, respectful, a hard worker and
responsible, and I wont give up those values, because those values will help me throughout my
life and can take me to places where I cant even imagine.
Even though many people think their cultures might have a better population than others,
people should not give up their culture just because that culture is not that known as others. The
place from where I had my childhood, Guatemala, doesnt not have that fame and fortune as this
country has it. The U.S. is well known throughout the world for its great opportunities that it
offers. The importance of this cultural space is about how my life has changed from living in a
place where sometimes I had only the little things I needed to live, and how coming to this new
place, U.S., gave me the opportunity to have a lot more than I didnt have before. I came to this
country because in my country I couldnt have the same opportunities I have in this country. I
have to recognize that I am much better here; Im stable, and I dont live like I used to live there
where sometimes there was little to eat, but yet I still see Guatemala as my main home. In the
article, Coming Home to Van Nuys, Sandra Tsing Loh mentions, Theres no place like home
(121). I can go visit friends, go out all around the world, but no matter where I go, my home will
always be the best. I realize and recognize how valuable my home is and thats one of the
reasons why Im always aware of the things occurring over there, because my grandma is there
and thats why Im constantly aware of Guatemala. I live with my parents here, but I wish my
grandma was here, and maybe then I will feel like I have my home again. I came here to be
prosper and to achieve my goals in order for me to help my family and love ones in Guatemala.
In the article, Adaptation Problems among Adolescent Immigrants from Korea, Mexico and

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Poland, it states, Adolescent commented on their peer relationships that hindered their
adaptation, including discrimination by the mainstream youth and divisions within ethnic groups
based on the teens acculturation level. I have been here for almost five years and it hasnt been
that easy adapting to new environments, because Ive been through discrimination just for the
way I look, speak and because of where I come from. People here have humiliated me, telling
stuff like, Go back to your country, you do not belong here, and that is not something cute to
hear. Thankfully, I have learned how to not give them my attention at all and just focus on my
goals. Ive been through tough moments while being here that have been challenging, but I
havent given up and I will never give up because at the end great benefits will come and thats
what keeps me looking forward. I havent given up my culture just because this country has
better stuff than my country does. There are a lot of freedom here, and many people do what
they want to do which is common here. I have been influenced to do certain things that wont
bring anything good at all to my life, but I have rejected this influences and focus every time
more on why I came here. I am not ashamed to say I come from Guatemala, because thats my
place. I am proud to be Guatemalan and I will never give up my culture nor my identity no
matter how much fortune or wealthy there are here, my culture its my culture and no one can
change that.
It is challenging when coming from one country to new spaces where there is a huge
transition to adapt between two completely different environments, but only the brave people
take it and others leave it. It is easy to say things, but to achieve them is the hard part. I always
keep in mind what I want to achieve and what are my purposes. Life is not easy, but yet we as
humans need to learn how to deal with life and accept it the way it is. All the hard work and
dedication I put in a variety of things will eventually pay off. I dont know how long it will take

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but what Im sure is that I will come when I less expect it. We all go through obstacles in our
daily life, but we have nothing else to do, but to give our best in all we do in order to triumph
over. I fall, but I rise again, and thats what matters. I always keep in mind that all I do will
bring me benefits and will make me someone in life, someone prosper. Responsibility,
dedication, and hard work are my keys to success. All is possible when we put forth our best.

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Works Cited
Stodoiska, Monika. "Adaptation Problems Among Adolescent Immigrants From Korea, Mexico
And Poland." Journal Of Immigrant & Refugee Studies 6.2 (2008): 197-229. Academic
Search Premier. Web. 19 Feb. 2015.
Agbatogun, Alaba Olaoluwakotansibe. "Developing Learners' Second Language Communicative
Competence Through Active Learning: Clickers Or Communicative Approach?." Journal
Of Educational Technology & Society 17.2 (2014): 257-269. Academic Search Premier.
Web. 19 Feb. 2015.
Tsing Loh, Sandra. Coming Home to Van Nuys. Depth Takes a Holyday: Essays from Lesser
Los Angeles. 1996.
Ronald, Jackson. Cerise, Glenn. Kesha, Morant. Self-Identity and Culture. University of
Illinois at Urbana Champaign. 2013.