Hispanic Influence
Growing up as a Hispanic community member is a challenging way to live in society. The way I grew up shaped me into the person I became as an adult in society. Sometimes different influences such as my parents and grandparents’ different mindsets can and did affect me in ways that some can’t imagine. This could either help or make things more challenging to create specific goals. Many influences surround this community, and many struggles to live through it because there can be a lot of peer pressure and influential mindsets. Hispanics usually encounter many obstacles and expectations from their peers, which could mean setting high goals and more extraordinary accomplishments to satisfy them. I was always a straight A student in school and I did it to make my parents proud because I believed getting anything less was a disappointment in my family’s eyes.
Culture and lifestyle play a significant role in my life because they can be very influential. There is a lot of history in the family, which can be an essential aspect following in my past generations steps and could have a big part in the way I was raised. Generation’s past can be brought up to the present day that could lead to being forced to follow the same paths, which is seen a lot in the hispanic community because of how parents were raised.
Still, many seem to oversee the change in society and how different ways of living in certain age groups have changed drastically. A challenging factor in the Hispanic community is comparing accomplishments with other family members or other individuals in the community. This can affect someone’s mental health and confidence. I always strived to be the very best in school and I kept pushing myself to find validation from my parents and in the end hear that they’re proud of me. Those words didn’t come and I now believe that everything I do and will do will be for myself and no one else. Comparing myself to another person is unreliable and almost impossible because everyone is different and chooses different options to get where they want to be. Some people may get there sooner than others, but that doesn’t mean that one puts in more effort because, ultimately, goals and accomplishments shouldn’t be a competition with others, especially family members. I was always being compared to my cousins and friends such as sport achievements, school accomplishments, and many other things but in my eyes I was doing everything I could to be at the top.
I believe that religion played a vital role in my life growing up. Still, my thoughts about it have changed, and I see things differently than my family views our religion. I had a Quincenera, and the big part was mass because you thank God for helping you reach this age and become a “woman.” It was something extraordinary, but I believe it was used to satisfy my family members. Before we were allowed to do my mass at church, I had to finish four years of catholic school to receive permission from the church. It was a lot of work, and there were moments when I thought it just wasn’t for me. Still, at the end of the day, I was obligated by a family member to finish classes and receive my “confirmation,” which is a way to accept my faith and place in the church. I am expected to follow this religion but lately I’ve been leaning more to the spiritual side and i’ve started to become curious about the universe aspect in the world but I could never say this to my parents because I would be seen as ungrateful and selfish.
Being a woman in a Hispanic household can be very challenging since there is a lot of pressure to have a nurturing value in you. I learned how to cook and care for others very well because I was told by my grandmother that they are fundamental skills for when I have a family and husband. I still seem confused about the fact that we women are obligated to take care of a man’s needs. I don’t mind doing so, but I don’t like that there is an obligation to do it. This all wraps up the view of growing up and living in a Mexican and hispanic family. It can be very hard and challenging but at the end of the day I have to learn to accept my roots and what is expected of me. What I continue to do will be up to me and not for anyone else. I will continue to strive for the top and stop doing stuff for others’ validation or satisfaction. I love my culture and lifestyle but I have to learn to balance it out with my goals and my mindset of the world.
