Arresis 1

Juan Arresis
Professor Ditch
English 113 B
19, February 2015
Adapting to New Environments
Each and every person in this world has a culture. We are not born having a culture, but
we learn it as we grow up from our family, school, by religion, at work and so forth. However,
who influence us the most are our family, because we grow up being with them and learning
certain things that they as parents teach us. Same with our identity, we make our own identity
from our own character and from our family roots. Our culture that came from our parents never
changes, but our identity does change throughout every level of our life. As we change our
mentality of seeing things different, we also change our identity meaning that we can be and do
certain things or become someone different from what we used to be in the past. When we were
children, we had a different identity than the one we have now. We had an innocent mind when
we were little, but as we grow up, that innocence starts fading away. Adapting from Guatemala
to Southern California is such a great way of learning how to take a huge challenge between
learning English as a second language, applying hard work along with responsibility and how to
adapt to a whole different new environment expecting barriers such as discrimination which has
not been an easy journey but not impossible to achieve.
Being multicultural allows people to increase their knowledge. In this country we have
so many different kind of people from different backgrounds that maybe people had never heard
of. I myself had never heard nor seen so many people from different backgrounds. In the article,
Self-Identity and Culture, Jackson, Glenn, and Williams argues that, As you learn who you are,

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you learn how to communicate effectively with others (117). People see you in different ways.
I might see myself as a student, but others might just see me as an immigrant who is here not
speaking fluent English as others who were born here do, but yet Im now I am here in college
succeeding when many people thought I wont even graduate from high school. I will never be
like by all the people, because there will always be someone who just wont accept me for who I
am as an immigrant in this country. Since the day I got to this country I was amazed seeing how
different kind of people with different skin colors and looks were walking out in the streets. I
come from a place where I never seen nor heard people talking so many different languages. I
was born and raised in Guatemala, and the only language I heard and learned while being there
was Spanish. Therefore, when I got to this country everything was totally new for me. I didnt
know a single thing about English, anything at all. So, my first goal here in the United States
was to learn English no matter what. I remembered the first days here in the US, my tears came
out, because it was just so hard for me being here and not being able to have friends just for the
fact that I didnt speak English nor understand it at all. In the article, Developing Learners
Second Language Communicative Competence through Active Learning: Clickers or
Communicative Approach? It states that, Speaking skills was the potent contributor while
gender did not make a significant contribution to the prediction of pupils communicative
competence in ESL classrooms. In order for me to defend myself, and fight for what I think was
wrong I had to learn how to speak out. In High School, there were times where the teachers said
something that I didnt quite agree with it, and I wanted to argue with them, but I just couldnt
for the same that my English wasnt good enough to argue and fight for the point I would make.
I found myself struggling to learn English, because I knew and recognized that I had to learn it in

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one way or another in order for me to prosper and defend myself. It was not that easy as it
seems, but dedication and hard work were the keys to success.
The values and morals we all learn as we grow up have to go along with us no matter
where we go, because those values and morals define us who we are and can take us far way.
When I was little, my parents left me in Guatemala because they came to this country to give me
the things I needed there because at that time, none of my parents couldnt find a stable job,
sometimes they had work and sometimes they didnt at all. I grew up with my grandma who
sees me as her son, because all my childhood I was around her. She took the role of a mother for
me, because she took care of me since my parents left me. She taught me the morals and values
who defines who I am today. She taught me how to be responsible and how to find my own
ways to get things done no matter what. There were times where I had homework and didnt
understand it at all and needed help, but I couldnt ask my grandma to help me because she
doesnt know how to write nor read. I remembered there were times where I asked her about my
homework and she used to said, Mijo, I wish I could read and write so I can help you, but I just
cant. It was always me and her in the apartment, and I didnt have people at all to help me, so I
had to look for myself and get my homework done. Since I was little, I started to learn how to be
independence. It was hard not growing having my parents around, but that makes part of who I
am, because between all the time I build my responsibility and hard work. Hence, when I came
to this country that part didnt affect me as much, because I came with a mentality that I came
here to succeed and since day one in this country I started applying my responsibility and hard
work just as I was taught while being with my grandmother. The reason I came to this country is
to become someone prosper and help my grandma in Guatemala, because I love her as my
mother, she built all my values and morals such as being honest, respectful, a hard worker and

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responsible, and I wont give up those values, because those values will help me throughout my
life and can take me to places where I cant even imagine.
Even though many people think their cultures might have a better population than others,
people should not give up their culture just because that culture is not that known as others. The
place from where I had my childhood, Guatemala, doesnt not have that fame and fortune as this
country has it. The U.S. is well known throughout the world for its great opportunities that it
offers. I came to this country because in my country I couldnt have the same opportunities I
have in this country. I have to recognize that I am way better here, Im stable, and I dont live
like I used to live there where sometimes there was little to eat, but yet I still see Guatemala as
my main home. In the article, Coming Home to Van Nuys, Sandra Tsing Loh mentions,
Theres no place like home (121). I can go visit friends, go out all around the world, but no
matter where I go, my home will always be the best. I realize and recognize how valuable my
home is and thats one of the reasons why Im always aware of the things occurring over there,
because my grandma is there and thats why Im constantly aware of Guatemala. I live with my
parents here, but I wish my grandma was here, and maybe then I will feel like I have my home
again. I came here to be prosper and to achieve my goals in order for me to help my family and
love ones in Guatemala. In the article, Adaptation Problems among Adolescent Immigrants from
Korea, Mexico and Poland, it states, Adolescent commented on their peer relationships that
hindered their adaptation, including discrimination by the mainstream youth and divisions within
ethnic groups based on the teens acculturation level. I have been here for almost five years and
it hasnt been that easy adapting to new environments, because Ive been through discrimination
just for the way I look, speak and because of where I come from. People here have humiliated
me, telling stuff like, Go back to your country, you do not belong here, and that is not

Arresis 5

something cute to hear. Thankfully, I have learned how to not give them my attention at all and
just focus in my goals. Ive been through tough moments while being here that have been
challenging, but I havent given up and I will never give up because at the end great benefits will
come and thats what keeps me looking forward. I havent given up my culture just because this
country has better stuff than my country does. There are a lot of freedom here, and many people
do what they want to do which is common here. I have been influenced to do certain things that
wont bring anything good at all to my life, but I have rejected this influences and focus every
time more on why I came here. I am not ashamed to say I come from Guatemala, because thats
my place. I am proud to be Guatemalan and I will never give up my culture nor my identity no
matter how much fortune or wealthy there are here, my culture its my culture and no one can
change that.
It is challenging when coming from one country to another where there is a huge
transition to adapt between two completely different environments, but only the brave people
take it and others leave it. It is easy to say things, but to achieve them is the hard part. I always
keep in mind what I want to achieve and what are my purposes. Life is not easy, but yet we as
humans need to learn how to deal with life and accept it the way it is. All the hard work and
dedication I put in a variety of things will eventually pay off. I dont know how long it will take
but what Im sure is that I will come when I less expect it. We all go through obstacles in our
daily life, but we have nothing else to do, but to give our best in all we do in order to triumph
over. I fall, but I rise again, and thats what matters. I always keep in mind that all I do will
bring me benefits and will make me someone in life, someone prosper. Responsibility,
dedication, and hard work are my keys to success. All is possible when we put our best.

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Works Cited
Stodoiska, Monika. "Adaptation Problems Among Adolescent Immigrants From Korea, Mexico
And Poland." Journal Of Immigrant & Refugee Studies 6.2 (2008): 197-229. Academic Search
Premier. Web. 19 Feb. 2015.
Agbatogun, Alaba Olaoluwakotansibe. "Developing Learners' Second Language Communicative
Competence Through Active Learning: Clickers Or Communicative Approach?." Journal Of
Educational Technology & Society 17.2 (2014): 257-269. Academic Search Premier. Web. 19
Feb. 2015.