Cultural Basket

EDWARD MACHAIN

ITL604

Introduction

My name is Edward Machain II

and I am from Madera, CA. There

are many areas of my life that

culturally define who I am. These

areas include:

My religion

My social background

My work ethic

My education

My family.

Religion

One aspect that defines who I am is religion. Since birth, I was raised in Christianity. From Seventh-Day Adventist to non-denominational Protestantism, I have always served my church. I have served as a deacon, security guard, and a youth leader. Religion has taught me positive moral and conservative values and beliefs along with a respect and love for others and the Holy Trinity.

Due to these values, I was raised in a Republican household. Although I do not follow a specific political party today, I hold my religious values true to my heart. I try to follow Christ’s Golden Rule of “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Although this is hard, I always look to Christ for forgiveness and try to walk in his path. Religion has also taught me not to judge my neighbor which constantly remains a challenge and a goal for me. I do believe I follow American culture by being Christian and having Judeo-Christian values.

My Social Background

What defines my social background is my place of birth and my best friend. I was born and raised in Los Angeles, CA. I grew up in a culture surrounded by drugs and gangs in which I associated with them daily. When I moved to Madera, I continued to associate with people that I had before. I learned how to steal, fight, and post graffiti on public property. I am not proud of this.

I met Virrey Garcia in 9th grade and we became best friends. Virrey was a head leader in one Madera gang. He showed me how to cook, sew, take responsibility for my actions, treat my family with respect, and dance with girls. Certain areas of my life that should have been taught by my parents were taught by Virrey. I feel that if I would had never associated myself with gangs then I would have never met Virrey. Virrey died in a car accident in May 2002. He made such an impact on my life that I named my firstborn son Virrey. Although growing up in a culture surrounded by gangs may seem negative, I do believe that meeting Virrey through this path has shaped me to be the person I am today.

Work Ethic

My work ethic has also shaped who I am today. During high school, I worked in the fields pulling garlic. This was a strenuous job! I would work 11 hour days and in 100 degree temperature. I knew working in the fields was not mandatory, but I wanted to experience what true hard work was. Today, I have the upmost respect for field workers in a culture that treats them unfairly.

After high school, I joined the United States Marine Corps. I served for 5.5 years, in different areas of the world, and in different climates. The Corps taught me how to work with all races and ethnicities from different socioeconomic backgrounds. The Corps also taught me respect, discipline, and patience. I believe that working hard since high school has shaped me to be the person I am today. I have always worked and to the best of my ability. I do not have any gaps in my work history and have been working in my current job for 14 years.

Education

Receiving an education is also an important aspect of my life. I felt ashamed of myself after viewing my high school transcripts. I often wonder how I ever graduated. After the Marine Corps, I vowed to exhibit my hard work ethic in college and prove that I can do well academically. I graduated community college in 2012 with an Associate’s in General Studies with honors. In 2017, I graduated Fresno State with a Bachelor’s in History with highest honors. I was also inducted in seven honor societies including Phi Kappa Phi.

Excelling in college thus far proved to me that I can accomplish anything I set my mind to. My hard work ethic helped me obtain degrees while setting my sights further toward teaching. I consider education an important part of my life because I want to show my children that having an education is vital. Besides teaching, one of my goals of going to college was to set an example for my children. I hope that by going to college it will inspire my children to pursue a degree.

Family

Another aspect that has shaped me to be the person I am today is my family. Although I have had many personal issues and vendettas against family members, I have learned that family is the most important thing to me. Most of our family gatherings are very large and held in my home. We always gather for holiday traditions including birthdays, graduations, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years.

What I find admirable about culturally rich Mexican families is their willingness to help a person in need. I have learned to respect other people’s traditions and care for other people. This coincides with my religious beliefs. In addition, I have learned living in a Mexican family the importance of respect. It is important to have respect for each family member including elders. I feel that having respect for others, their traditions, and today’s elders makes me the person I am today.

Conclusion

Culturally,there have been many aspects of my life that has

shaped my beliefs and values. I feel that religion, my social

background, and the importance of family has had the most influence

on my life. I learned through religion that one should love and care for

others. Religion, along with my relationship with Virrey and my family

has enforced these values on my life. I also feel that working hard in

high school and my adult life has prepared me for the future. Working

hard has taught me to be thankful for all that I have and to be a better husband and father to my family. I strive to continue to work hard so

that my family will not struggle in today’s society. Working hard has

also prepared me for college. I would not have graduated if it was not

for my religion, my social background, my hard work ethic, and the

support from my family.

References

Field Worker. [digital image]. (2018). Retrieved from http://www.

bakersfield.com/news/local-farmers-worry-about-finding-enough-

farmworkers/article_fed826a1-fd08-51dc-9e63-3aac53344859.html.

Jesus Christ. [digital image]. (2018). Retrieved from https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/5652493/jesus-christ-look-like-birth-death-date-

cross/.

Los Angeles. [digital image]. (2018). Retrieved from https://www.

lacity.org/.

United States Marine Corps. [digital image]. (2016). Retrieved fromhttp://usmclife.com/2016/09/marines-looking-new-slogan-4-

decades-will-ditch-proud/.