Cultural Immersion Essay

Culture has been characterized as the beliefs, arts, morals, customs and traditions exhibited by a group of individuals within a particular society (Langness 1987). It has long been believed that culture has been associated with ones ancestry. My trip to Jamaica has made it evident that this solely is not the case. There are a number of other factors that could cause dickens groups of individual from the uniform ethnical background exclusively living in different societies. My paper will be discussing my experiences and recognition during my short notwithstanding meaningful trip to the island of Jamaica.My Cultural Background In order to show that people who come from the aforementioned(prenominal) ethnical background do not necessarily have to have the same culture, I will first provide information regarding my own personal background to serve as the basis. Although I am an American living in California, my ethnical descent is African. The roots of my family are embed in M ississippi. It is for this reason why the food and delegacy of feel I have been brought up with resembles those that bang in the southern part of the country.In fact, even if I do come from a unity parent household, our traditions are very much Southern from the food we eat, the importance we give to our religion and disbursal time with the family. mean solar day One of My depend upon This trip was not just my first time to Jamaica, but my first trip outside of the United States. The moment I had gotten out of the plane, I could say that I was immediately shocked with what greeted me. When I left California for Jamaica, I went through an airport that was air-conditioned and my liberal of the latest security precaution devices and machines to pass through.I did not see anything of this sort when I arrived in the airport at Jamaica. No high-technology security equipment and no air-conditioner running in the airport. I was greeted by a man named Darwin move who was going to dri ve me to the house of Mr. and Mrs. James, my host family. Mr. Mills disposition was as warm as the weather. He was more than happy to drive me first around the Montego Bay res publica of the island to show me around. Although he was extremely enthusiastic roughly everything in Jamaica, I could not help but notice how different it was from my hometown in California.It was if I was in another world. For starters, the vehicle used by Mr. Mills to bring me to my destination was right-handed, which was why they were driving in the opposite lane than I would back in California. I also saw people walking on either side of what was supposedly their of import highway. When I meant that they were walking on either side of the highway, I am not talking about them walking on sidewalks on either side of the highway. They were literally walking on the side of the highway. What very caught my attention was how underdeveloped the area was.It was not anything like what you would see in tourist br ochures and magazines. The streets were filled with tin can holes. Houses were small and the fences were poorly made. There were no skyscrapers or large business establishments back home. It made me project just how fortunate I was living in a robust well-built house with a sturdy fence and driving on a well-paved road, despite the horrendous traffic. My first taste of authentic Jamaican cuisine was at lunch time when Mr. Mills brought me to the Rock House Hotel.I was blown remote on just how fresh the food was. It tasted deliciously different. After which, I was taken to Ricks Cafe, which is k right offn more for the daredevils jumping over the cliffs into the wide blue ocean. At the background was a leaf blade drum band playing Reggae music, which is one of the signatures of Jamaica. I was fascinated on how al aroundthing so simple could be able to develop wonderful, upbeat music. When Mr. Mills dropped me at Mr. and Mrs. James house, I nearly jumped at the sight of the dogs that Mr. James keeps loose at the front yard.He apologized for them and explained to me that their dogs were allowed to run loose for their own protection. Although their homes were equipped with two air-conditioners, he explained to me that this is rarely used since electricity is rather expensive in Jamaica. This is the reason why they all use electric fans. As I retired for the night, I kept reminding myself not to immediately judge my life back in California and what I have initially seen in Jamaica so that I would be able to fully understand more about living in Jamaica. Day Two of My TripThe highlight of the second day of my trip was when Mr. and Mrs. James introduced me to Mr. James uncle, Charles and his cousin, Brenda. It was through my conversation with them that I begun to soft say more about Jamaica. According to them, for a long time, Jamaica had been a colony of England. It lonesome(prenominal) gained its freedom in 1962. Majority of the inhabitants of the island were predominantly of African descent, like I was. Although they live far away from Africa, they suave hold dearly to their African traditions and customs.Celebrations of the various African festivals are held annually. contempt its booming tourism industry, Jamaica system to be a third world country. This conversation had answered a lot of my questions when I had first arrived in Jamaica and it had opened my eyes and my mind and developed an understanding and appreciation to the people living in Jamaica. Despite everything surrounding them, they remain to be warm and extremely accommodating to me and more than willing to help me learn as much as I can about Jamaica and Jamaicans way of life. Day Three of My TripMy last day in Jamaica happened to land on a Sunday. The day started with a day at the b from each oneside which Jamaica has long been known for. But I did not go there to swim, because I do not know how. Instead, I had been taken by Mr. James to the beach to do some sho pping. Unlike in California where everything is bought in the local grocery or seafood market, here in Jamaica, it only takes a matter of a few hours for the food to be caught, picked, cleaned, cooked and served. Speaking with meals, my last meal in Jamaica was something similar that one that I would usually have back home.We were served a feast of greens, jerk chicken, rice and peas. Just like back home, Sunday was a time when families get together and enjoy each others company over a wonderful spread of home-cooked favorites. Reflection Taking the road less travelled by American tourists in Jamaica, I was able to learn so much about their way of life. Back home, I have been fortunate to have access to a number of amenities and privileges that most Jamaicans would only dream about. Yet, their situation has not diminished their warm and sunny outlook towards life.Despite their confine resources, Jamaicans are able to make the most of what they have and keep a positive outlook. For instance, some African Americans to this day hold a grudge against Caucasian Americans for the prejudice, racism and oppression the older generations have experient since the time of the slave trade. While Jamaicans had also experienced the same oppressive treatment in the workforce of the English, they have placed the oppression behind them and instead celebrate on the fact that they are now free from the oppression. Reference Langness, L. L. (1987). The Study of Culture. Novato, CA Chandler & Sharp.