The Importance Of A Quinceañera

Quinceaneras in Dominican Republic are more traditional than other countries. The celebration starts with a mass in a Catholic Church. This is important in their tradition, because the girl is receiving her blessing from the Lord. After the mass the rest of the Quinceanera is more enjoyable. The celebrant is accompanied by fourteen pairs of people and has her own escort. In total there are fifteen couples one for everyone year she has lived. The dance is also a waltz, but there are other dances, such as the salsa and merengue. Guests are expected to wear colorful clothing and maintain the celebrant as the center of the party.

In 2009, the U.S. Census gathered that there were over thirty-three million second-generation immigrants living in America. America is a melting pot, and in this melting pot, it isn’t uncommon for these children, myself included, to lose sight of what our lives could be–and the struggles that our parents faced to ensure that we have more opportunities than they had. As I write this essay, I’m stressing over the things any other American high school sophomore faces– grades, social drama and statuses, and my follower count on Twitter and Instagram. These “problems,” if even that, are minute to what others our age face around the world. Young adults in Sudan are starving, and young adults in Syria live in the middle of a war zone. As far away They raised two kids: my 19-year-old brother, who is currently a freshman at the University of Georgia, and myself. Thanks to their hard work, I’m able to worry about the things I do. Never have I worried about not having food on my plate, about being denied my education, or being forced to leave everything I know and abandon my dreams. It’s easy to forget what my parents have done for me, for the opportunities and doors they have opened for me. There’s no way to understand your life–the privileges you hold–without understanding the past. You must be thankful for all the things your loved ones have done for you, and I’m sure that I am. I can’t imagine my life if I were in my parents’ shoes, if I faced the struggles and hardships they did, and I know I wouldn’t have the courage to be as decisive as they were and are. Their perseverance and determination make me content with my life now, knowing that it could be much worse. Their experiences motivate me to capitalize on what they gave me–to become something. I want to be sure that my parents know I’m thankful and know that I will work hard to become what they didn’t have the opportunity to. 11th Grade Columbus High School Anjali Patel 5th

My parents moved from Colombia to the United States before I was born. I am apart of the first generation in my family that was born here. My parents moved with the single hope of giving me a better life with more opportunities. Having this background has definitely impacted my life in both trivial and meaningful ways. For instance, my father not being able to break through the language barrier has been an integral part of my lifestyle. He has been living in this country for a while now, but has never picked up English fluently. This led me to become his translator for as long as I can remember. Even today I accompany him to his workplace to help close deals and talk to contractors. This was but one of many examples of how my Hispanic background

My family has always been the center of my universe. They’ve taught me the importance of being united and taking care of one another—because in the end, all we truly have is each other. My parents have raised me to be a good daughter, sister, and citizen. They’ve shaped me to be respectful, responsible, and virtuous, knowing these values will last a lifetime. But above all, my parents have instilled in me an appreciation and eagerness for education.

Coming to America with my parents when I was about 11 years old was a new adventure for me. There were a lot of changes that needed to be made and experiencing new things. I would have to make some adjustment and getting used to the American culture and learning the language they speak. My parents had made a big sacrifice coming to America. Living their home country just so my siblings and I could get a better education and better life. As we all know, life in America is not that easy when you are newbies. As an 11 years old kid, I wouldn't know what to do or how to help my parents when they are going through a tough time. All I do was go to school, come home, and do some reading. Besides, school wasn't that easy for me because I didn't know English and I couldn't communicate with the people around me nor the teachers. I was the only kid who looks different in my class and has no ideas what the teacher is talking about. It was uncomfortable for me to be around my classmates, but everyone in the class seems to be nice to me because I was the new kid. They didn’t have problems with me and I didn’t have problems with them. As time goes on, I began to feel

Many immigrants came to this land of prosperity and the land of freedom to give their kids a better life and education. “ I brought you to this country now, do something with it.” (from the article The American Dream Lives On by Yasmina Shaush). I understood this quote because my parents also brought my siblings and myself to get a better education and I plan to do so, to make them proud.

As a child I was very fortunate to have a family like my own; my parents were truly happy and wholly in love. I was incredibly close with my siblings and still am today despite our little fights. Along with being close to my siblings my father and I had a great relationship; most people who knew me would have considered me a “daddy’s girl”. Growing up my father was remarkably proud of my grades and who I was becoming as a person. Oftentimes he would brag about me to anyone who listened. Like most children I dreamed how happy he would be to see me go to college, start a career and have a family of my own. All of that changed on September 9th, 2011 when I found out my dad had been diagnosed with Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis also known as ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease.

It is difficult to calculate how greatly the status of being undocumented has impacted my life. I was ten years old when my family and I immigrated to the United States. My parents have worked multiple jobs so my siblings and I could have a chance at a better future than they did. Even after thirteen years in the U.S. – I still overhear my parents’ conversations about deportations. Like many other undocumented immigrants, I was living in the shadows and living in constant fear of deportation. I was afraid, but thought that if I studied hard enough, I could become an exception. As a result, my strong work ethic became a personal quality that is important to me.

I also learn by attending a quinceanera that it starts off with a religious ceremony then it continue on with a reception. The girl choose special friends of her to participate in what is called Court of Honor which is for people that she considers special in her life. I found out that the girl can receive a tiara, rosary, a bible a scepter and a medal r a cross specifically for her quinceanera. The attire for a quinceanera is formal the boys are to wear a tuxedo and the girls are to wear dress and the special girl has to wear a ball gown. I learn about the changing of the shoes which says that the girl is now becoming a young

In the fall 2014, was the first i went to Santa Maria Virgen which is the church I currently go to. At first it was just going to classes for my confirmation which I had to take in order to have a quinceanera . A quinceanera is a tradition made for a mexican teen who is becoming of age and show the transition into adulthood. At first I thought it was just this once but then after my fifteenth birthday we’ve been coming to church every Sunday. We didn't know anyone there everyone was like a stranger to us but not for long. Weeks went by and we made friends at our new church it was great. It was nice meeting new people and getting to know them. In order to be a member of youth group you must be willing to sacrifice your space and time for the benefits of others whether it is having weekly meetings, giving up weekends for volunteering or keeping track of fundraisers and money.

My father is a man of discipline and order. He likes to follow a routine and expect everyone to be the same. He likes to excel in every field he steps in. I was more of a creative personal who like to follow his dreams and explore the world, but I always kept it deep within myself. I was afraid what he will do if her become aware of what my ambitions are. In this fear, I always tried to do make him proud. I always took part in quizzes and debates, just to see a glimpse of smile on his face. “Very well, but could have done better” that was his words every time it tries to do something for him. I was uncertain will I ever be able to make him proud and receive that love that I always dream about. Nov 22nd 2010, it was Dad’s birthday we had very sophisticated dinner that night, but it suddenly changed. Dad called me in his room and asked me about a paper lying on his desk. It was my drawing that I did in graffiti class at school. My heart was beating fast. I could hear the thumping of it. “I never knew you did such good drawing.” It was drawing of a boy holding one hand with his family and bleeding from the other hand. At first I was confused of what he just said. I saw a drop of water dripping down his cheeks. It was not water, it was tears. I asked him “Did I do something wrong pa.” He replied “why are you becoming like me? Son I always wanted you to be different than what I am. I always wished that my son would become a different person. Today I can proudly say my son is walking in my dream shoes.” He then told me to go to sleep. Whole night I cried. I was not sad, but filled with joy that my father was proud of me. I think the uncertainty that was clouding my mind that my father would never be proud of me of who I am was finally fading away. He appreciates my passion and proud of whom I am. The bond between us became quite stronger than ever. Now every Tuesday we sit

When I was born in this auspicious earth the first face I saw was my parents face. I used to cry a lot and mom usually thinks I’m hungry and feeds me every time when I do so. So I got to know my mom a lot and I used to play with my dad and these two were familiar faces to me in the initial stages and I developed a trust on them, The important thing I felt in this stage was feeding and my parent’s care. As we were in a joint family I always stayed with my parents and never allowed my uncle or aunt to lift me, when they tried to do so I used to switch on my alarm that is my cry, it forced my mom to run all the way from the kitchen to take care of me.

My favorite story so far would be The Parent Lottery on chapter four. This story had a big impact on me because it made me realize how much I appreciate my parents. Randy Pausch clearly elucidated how his parents were always there for him with support and as role models. Pausch explained how his family was never a materialistic family and only spent money when needed to, and he still had a very magical childhood. Randy explained how both of his parents had a major impact on his life, especially his father. For instance, Randy would quote his father everyday because of all of the wisdom that his father had shared with him. Randy’s father would tell him to make decisions at the time that it was necessary. He also taught Randy that he would always

If someone was to ask me what anthropology was, prior to this assignment, I would have probably taken an educated guess such as “the study of life”. In a sense that is correct but not entirely accurate. Anthropology is defined as, “The study of human kind in all times and places” (Haviland, Prins, McBride, & Walrath, 2017). After an extensive analyzation of my experiences, I concluded that I don’t practice anthropology in my life enough. In addition, I discovered that my life doesn’t have much diversity in it. With that said, I am moving forward with an open mind towards new cultures and am eager to learn more about the people that make up this planet.

Man has always sought after what he deemed a “good life”. A good life is being able to achieve one’s goals, pursuit of happiness, or when life’s blessings outweigh the burdens. Virtues help guide one to become morally excellent and live a fulfilling life. A virtue can be a behavior, personality trait, or habit that affects one’s emotions, perceptions and choice in life. Three virtues that are essential for living a good life are patience, courage and perseverance.