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Selflessness and selfishness
Selflessness and selfishness
Selflessness as a value
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Moving from Wisconsin to California wasn’t an easy decision. Despite the first few difficulties I experienced, I learned to not be afraid of change but to take it and mold it into an opportunity for me to grow. The act of selflessness, as I’ve seen throughout my life, has prepared me to contribute to UW-Madison. I previously lived in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, a micro town compared to Sacramento and Elk Grove. I was the youngest and only girl in my family of three brothers. In the large Hmong community I lived in, I was sheltered in a defined perimeter of who I was, where I belonged, and my cultural expectations. From a young age, I’ve always been advised to honor my elders and to serve others first. It demonstrates selflessness that is highly
praised in the Hmong community. Before understanding this, I had a misconception that Hmong women were oppressed under a misogynist culture that created an unbalanced division between females and males. Although it certainly exists in the Hmong culture, it’s not always as it seems. Moving to California, although painful, helped me to further grasp this and dream bigger. In California, church was the perfect place for myself to grow a sense of selflessness. I have mentors, youth pastors, and dear friends who are great role models. I am continually learning from the motivational friends around me who push me to do greater things. I’ve been able to overcome many obstacles during volunteer services when I put the concern and satisfaction of others as my priority. In addition, my dream career and life goals have become more geared towards the concern of others and the environment we live in. As of a result, I have become a less insecure and a more open-minded person in order to contribute more to my community, especially at church and school. My dreams to impact and serve my community and the environment are always expanding. With this scholarship, I will work even harder to contribute to the multicultural community of Chancellor’s and Powers-Knapp Scholars at UW-Madison.
One of the most important aspects of Hmong culture is the group and family dynamic. The Hmong considered farming their most important duty because it was a major source of income when they were in Laos. The story regarding the Hmong family who attempted to grow vegetables inside their second story apartment was an example of this (Fadiman, 1997, p. 226). The Hmong found the transition difficult since the thing they knew best, farming, was taken away from them. Thus, they were forced to fit into roles that were foreign to them.
Remember when children could walk down the street without having their parents with them? Maybe, you remember your dad sitting around the house on his off day in a dress shirt, slacks, and a tie? No? Neither do I, the reason we don’t remember this is because this took place back in the 1950’s, well before we were thought of. A time when siblings got along with one another, the mothers and fathers both had their own roles within the household, and neither of them shared tasks for the most part. People always seemed to use their manners, always dressed their best, and always seemed to want to be kind toward one another, within their households at least. As time has changed through the years, the changes through or within society has been the
Living life to the fullest in California is exciting and fun. Everyone can find their hobby and discover new ones every day. It allows all people from all backgrounds to explore the unimagined. Living in Florida may be fun for a while, but it is not the place for opportunity. California brings everything to the table. Living in California allows one to truly live life. After all, “adventure is out there.” –Russell ( The movie Up from Disney)
Many folks go their whole lives without having to move. For them it is easy; they know the same people, have loads of friends, and never have to move away from their families. As with me, I was in a different situation. I grew up my entire life, all eighteen years of it, in a small town called Yorktown, Virginia. In my attempt to reach out for a better life style, my girlfriend and I decided we were going to move to Shreveport, Louisiana. Through this course of action, I realized that not two places in this country are exactly alike. I struggled with things at first, but I found some comforts of home here as well.
Something which many may find interesting about our group is the lack is set rules. Our culture is more about upholding tradition than following written rules. We learn the proper behavior through example from our elders. It is second nature to me not to get involved with alcohol or allow outsiders into our villages most sacred of areas. I want to become a member of the Civil Branch of our government and by lowering the level of my social behavior I would severely limit my chances of gaining a government position when I become older. All the power in our culture is in the hands of the older males which serve in government and that is exactly the place where I want to be when I come of the proper age.
Ever since I was a young girl, I was taught to love those around me and to treat others the way I wanted to be treated. I always looked upon everyone the same way, regardless of if they had a different skin tone or facial features from me. This philosophy, however, did not prove to be a popular one held among my peers in my middle school years. Middle school was the first time I truly experienced confusion regarding my ethnicity and culture. I vividly remember the time when a group of students blatantly mocked and teased my Asian ethnicity.
One of the last values from The Lakota Way that really sticks with me is the idea of generosity. The story from this chapter that stuck out to me was about Sees the Bear and Left Hand. Sees the Bear was very generous, even when he didn’t have much for himself, he was still always willing to share his little with others. He shared his deer with the others even when it was a small deer. I think this is a very important value for the students to learn. I do not think it is necessary for them to always give even if they are unable, but the idea of caring about others and not so much about themselves is very important. A great time we will talk about this is around the holidays. We can participate in can drives and other activities to show the students
Before you begin reading the main narrative of my essay, I want to let you in on some details about my life and myself. I was born in Manhattan, New York and when I was about twenty two days old, I boarded a plane with my parents on a journey across the United States to the city of San Francisco, then to the town of Grass Valley. This is where my grandmother and grandfather resided. They had been telling my parents that the city of Manhattan was no place to raise a child and that we should move to California and live with them. Before making this life changing decision of leaving most of their friends and loved ones in New York to come to California, my parents sent me off to live in India with my uncle. Keep in mind, I was about the age of two when this all happened. The opportunity of leaving me with my uncle gave my parents about a year to think things over and pull themselves together, in efforts to properly raise a child in a country that was so
I expected Hawaii to be a land of good fortune since people who moved to Hawaii always sent money to loved ones. I also expected to get a lot of money faster and easier but those expectations were crushed by reality since I only get paid $4 a month which isn’t as much as I was hoping for. I have to wake up at 5:00 AM to start working on the plantations, I eat lunch at 11:00 AM, and I go to sleep at 8:00 PM. I was provided with free housing and medicine by the estate owner. The men lived in dorm housing if they were single and the room I was in wasn’t the best but it had a bed with a pillow, one window in the back of the room, and a table with one chair. On my time off, I would gamble and talk about stories with others.
My memory of strolling up and down St. George Street in St. Augustine is more than just a cherished flashback, it’s the start of a new life. Prior to moving to Florida, both of my parents were in the Navy, resulting in our family having to move all around the East Coast frequently. When it was revealed that we would finally settle down in Florida, our first visit would be none other than the oldest city in the United States, St. Augustine. This memory of St. Augustine is so important to me because it piqued my interest in history, it gave me a chance to spend time with my mom, and I was able to witness my first sunset.
In conclusion, I was fortunate enough to understand many important things in life. One of those things is that we do not always begin at the desired start line, but through effort and strong will we can arrive at the desired finish line, where the outcome of our plans and goals reside. In my pursuit of education, I faced many challenges and hardships, but I always viewed them as temporary setbacks not as a finish line. I am certain that an opportunity to study at the UW would help me reach my finish line.
This summer, I went to India to visit my relatives after nearly six years. I remember moving to America and thinking I will face so much discrimination, but currently, I feel the opposite when leaving for India. Of course, people in India would be the most accepting of their type right? Turns out I couldn’t be farther from the truth.
Moving to the United States in 2012, I came to live in Houston Texas, and I have come to regard it as my hometown. As an immigrant from Nigeria, a country filled with different tribes and languages, I had a bit of experience interacting with people of cultural backgrounds different from mine. However, moving to Houston, gave me a totally different perspective on dealing with people of different cultural backgrounds. Houston is a city with individuals of diverse cultural backgrounds and practices, yet it is very welcoming to all individuals regardless of the differences brought about by its diversity. I first encountered the welcoming nature of this city, while finishing my last year of high school, here in the United States. While I initially
Individuals have strong connections with their families, their societies, as well as the nature and they are responsible for these entities. Because individuals are bounded by the social context, the social groups expect individuals to conform to the group’s norms and to contribute to the wealth fare of the groups and the society. Children are taught that fulfilling their responsibility is more important than pursuing their own desires. They are told to forsake their ego and sacrifice for the good. They are often questioned about their contribution to their family and their society when they grow up (Hunt, 2005). Vietnamese culture also values harmony (Selin, 2014). People should create and foster the harmony with others and the nature. The Vietnamese maintain the harmony with others by communicating in a modest way, showing collaboration, and avoiding conflicts (Hunt, 2005). Because “persons with a strong selfish and competitive orientation are less likely to act ecologically” (Ahmad & Panni, 2014, p. 112), the cultural values such as sacrifice and harmony of the Vietnamese may make them more likely to adopt environmentally friendly
Everything seems like it’s falling out of place, it’s going too fast, and my mind is out of control. I think these thoughts as I lay on my new bed, in my new room, in this new house, in this new city, wondering how I got to this place. “My life was fine,” I say to myself, “I didn’t want to go.” Thinking back I wonder how my father felt as he came home to the house in Stockton, knowing his wife and kids left to San Diego to live a new life. Every time that thought comes to my mind, it feels as if I’m carrying a ten ton boulder around my heart; weighing me down with guilt. The thought is blocked out as I close my eyes, picturing my old room; I see the light brown walls again and the vacation pictures of the Florida and camping trip stapled to them. I can see the photo of me on the ice rink with my friends and the desk that I built with my own hands. I see my bed; it still has my checkered blue and green blanket on it! Across from the room stands my bulky gray television with its back facing the black curtain covered closet. My emotions run deep, sadness rages through my body with a wave of regret. As I open my eyes I see this new place in San Diego, one large black covered bed and a small wooden nightstand that sits next to a similar closet like in my old room. When I was told we would be moving to San Diego, I was silenced from the decision.