My cultural views are a formed balance of three separate things. Therefore, I have a something that almost contradicts other in certain conditions: family, friends, and education.

Family
I have a strong sense of family values I have that my sticks together and support each other with love, no matter what the situation is. I view that the family should have some sort of a hierarchical system. Especially, if there are young children to grow up learning their boundaries, respect for elders, and ultimately respect for themselves. Combining love with a hierarchical system allows children to feel love and cherished while still learning sectional skills to be proper person.

Friends
From the Korean culture, I see the large value of respect in friendship. When I came to Canada, I saw the great need for trust in friendship. Having such a high level of love, trust, and I see in society today very many friends say” we are best friends for life”. This true when spoken for that moment; However, most friendships seems to disappear as friends move away, grow apart, or just simply get bored of each other. On the other hand, I see people whom I call friends, as “friends for life” There is so much love that they are considered family, There is so much respect that we always speak with humbleness and there is so much trust that we could place our lives in each others hands. It’s always easy to say,” I love you” in simple situation. However, most of the world will give up when effort is required in these relationships my friends and I will still be going strong.

Education
When I was getting to know about western culture, I knew many things about education. Most people from the western cultures like to see education as a right. On the other hands, I wee it as a privilege that not everyone gets to enjoy. This view comes mainly from my experiences in Korea which education is not possible for everyone. The school system in Korea blocks students who aren’t able to meet academic standardizes in western cultures. There always seems to be a way to get an education. We are raised with the idea that education will always be provided. However, if education were a right, then every human being in the world would have education. However, the absences of education dose not mean we can’t survive. Education is not an essential right, but just adds more luxury to our lifestyle. Education itself is a right, however attending a post secondary institution is not.

As I have been influenced by three completely different cultures, I have not strongly identified myself with one particular culture. Yet I have found a balance in between those cultures that define what my culture is.

April 2003