For most of us, our culture or heritage is a source of pride. This is true for me. Although I’ve lived in the U.S. for half my life, I still identify strongly with my Ecuadorian roots. After all, Ecuador was the place I was raised and Spanish is my first language. I’ve come to embrace my ethnic identity and celebrate the diversity of those I know. The world would be a pretty boring place if we all looked the same, spoke the same language, and ate the same food.
My life as an American started after I married Leon and moved to California. Quite suddenly, I had to assimilate into a new culture and make new friendships. I realized in those first years that marriage is a lot like the process of assimilation. When you marry another person, you must become a member of their family and they with yours. You get to try new foods and participate in different activities, but there is another type of blending that happens when you marry and start a new family. Two people create an atmosphere when they live together and that changes again when they have children. I think of this…show more content… Leon fell in love with me, my family, and my culture. He loved the warmness, the love and affection that they had towards him. I also fell in love with Leon’s personality, his ideas, his respect for others, his loving heart, and his family. Leon and I shared faith and the desire to get involved with church, grow with other couples, and raise our children in a certain manner. From the beginning, Leon and I wanted to create a warm atmosphere in the home with much hugging. I wanted to bring the best of my husband’s culture and the best of mine to our marriage. For instance, in Ecuador, everybody greets you with a hug and a kiss. Leon and I were very intentional and taught our children to embrace people with a hug if they were open to it. Our children also learned Spanish, which we spoke in our
