El Paso is a very culturally diverse city. Growing up around numerous traditions and life styles has affected the way I have grown up along with the way I view myself. El Paso is along the Mexican border which means that the Mexican culture has a grand impact on the lives and cultures here. This city has taught me how to be a more openminded person and it has forced me to learn a different language. Although I have acquired many positive characteristics, sadly I am not aquatinted with other ethnic groups. El Paso is heavily populated with Mexicans which allows me to understand their culture on a broader scale. When I first moved here, I only knew about the certain customs and traditions my family would practice; I wasn't used to celebrating Dia de los Muertos or Dia de la Independence nor did I know they existed. After a few years here, I realized that there was much more to the Spanish culture than I had thought. They seemed more welcoming and inviting compared to the families I had met back in my other hometown. This showed me how to be a more generous and inclusive person. After a while, my family and I started celebrating more of the Mexican holidays when we were invited to traditional Mexican style houses. The more familiar I became with …show more content…
The biggest reason was because I wasn't familiar with the Spanish language. I knew how to say the numbers one though ten in Spanish but that was about it. Gratefully, after taking classes and listening in to conversations spoken in Spanish, I learned how to speak the language without any hesitation. I highly doubt I would have been able to pick up the language so quickly if it weren't for the Spanish conversations going on around me. I am very grateful to be able to not only participate in the different traditions, but be able to have personal interactions in Spanish with the other Spanish