Reflective Essay: Ethnic Identity And Cultural Differences

Once a year, my whole family comes together to visit my grandfather’s grave at the cemetery. My aunt tidies up my grandfather’s grave and puts the flowers in the vases attached on the sides of the tombstone. Then, my other aunt lays down a blanket in front of his tomb and puts different kinds of Chinese dishes on top of it. My grandmother lights a handful of incense and begins distributing them to all of my family members including adults and children. Each person prays with the three to four incense sticks in between their hands and then pushes the incense into the dirt so it stands upright. My father gets a metal cylinder shaped container and begins setting fake Chinese money on fire inside of it. All of my aunts and other cousins gather around the flaming container to put in money and other offerings. Every year my grandmother tells me to ask my grandfather to bring me good fortune, good grades, and

In many parts of the world, there are ethnic neighborhoods that allow specific cultures to thrive in a community that competes with a dominant culture. Ethnic neighborhoods are formed through chain migration. Humans instinctually want to live in a community with others who share the same values and beliefs. However, for immigrants, the most important factor is a mutual language in order to communicate. If the ethnic neighborhoods did not exist, people would not have the ability to effectively communicate with each other - which could lead to misunderstandings, disputes, and fighting. Would anyone want to live in a community like that? Additionally, studies have shown that living in an ethnically homogeneous environment can be healthier for minority seniors because it less likely that they will have heart disease or cancer. (News) Allowing ethnic neighborhoods to prosper and express diverse cultures can increase the quality of living because people can communicate effectively and live more