EssayFrog

Personal Narrative- Conforming to American Culture

When I came to America, I had a hard time adjusting to school. Everything seemed so organized and there was never any time to just relax and enjoy sports or play. Also, I took a lot of grief because my English wasn’t native or colloquial. I guess I sounded odd because I would snap my fingers at my teacher and caller her “ma’am”. I didn’t use the right slang or express myself in the accepted way. Although I couldn’t articulate it at the time, I now think that I was suffering from an inferiority complex. Everyone in Latin America, whether they love or hate Americans, are convinced that the Americans have perfect lives. After all, it‘s the Americans who have Disney World, the Mecca of South America, where every Latino must visit at least once in his lifetime.

The perfect example of me conforming to American culture is when I bought my first pair of Nikes. The Airmax 90’s were a beautiful colorful shoe and, according to the man at Foot Locker, “Every child deserves a pair.“ When I lived in Santiago, I went to a private school were everyone wore the same navy blue sweater vest with a white polo under it. The shoes were all black dress shoes with no flair. These Nike’s symbolized my embracing of American culture, and believe me, I never took for granted the freedom of wearing whatever I wanted to school.

When my grandma came to visit me in the United States this summer, . . . read more.