Based off of the interview with my mom, I noticed a lot of similarities in our upbringings as well as our ideologies, however, she did absorb more of the conservative dynamic of the Indian culture than me. Additionally, the biggest difference between us is our perceptions of ourselves as a result of our experiences. For her, she became more proud to be an Indian and for me, it serves as a constant reminder of what I am not.
Aside from this interview, we both participated in a family tree activity where were created a list of the main people that raised us and completed a profile of each person containing their race or ethnicity, gender, sexuality, educational level, religion, marital status, economic class and place of birth. We then used this to create a list of core values we associate with ourselves, and determine whether we feel that we have a traditional or untraditional family.
From this activity, I found that many of the profiles of those who raised us were the same and our core values by which we associate ourselves with were nearly identical. She had put that we have a traditional family, while I wasn't quite sure what to put because what defines what a traditional family is? There are many different definitions of what traditional is, and I don't see myself ever fitting into what traditional actually is. Functioning, yes but I think every family has its own traditions that make them unique.
The core values that both my mom and I wrote down were
1. work hard in everything you do
2. do better than the generation before you
3. family first
4. help each other
5. always treat others with kind and respect
I have come to learn that it takes time for one to define their identity simply because it is continuously changing. Throughout your life, you are experiencing new environmental influences that morph and shape your perspective on everything from humanity to the way you look at yourself. Often you can look at your parents to see a glimpse of what you might become because they are a huge part of your everchanging environment and often absorb similar qualities.
