My Values

Being Mexican and Italian, I grew up in a pretty strict household. Our culture is everything, and everything I did reflected back on my parents, and most of the time people only paid attention to the bad. Growing up my parents always had the value of formality with them, because it's what was expected in their culture; so of course it's a value I was raised with. Future orientation I would say is a value even more important than formality. I say this, because my parents didn't have a chance to think about their future while growing up since they were busy working to support their families. One other value I decided would benefit me greatly and I needed in my life is forgiveness. I tend to hold grudges and I realized that it is not healthy to do so.

Formalities definition is "the quality or condition of being formal." To me formality means I am expected to respect my elders, greet every individual with a kiss on the cheek and a handshake, and to act and dress like a lady. It's a value I hold, because it's the way I was raised to be. It's part of who I am. Respecting my elders; although at times it may seem hard it's what's expected. I have learned to take in what my elders are saying, because they are wiser and end up being right about most things. My culture expects me to greet everyone with a kiss on the cheek and a handshake; it's the formal thing to do. I remember one time I walked into a family party and I was too lazy to greet everyone individually since there were too many people, so I just said waved and said "hi" to everyone. Later that night when my parents got home I got in so much trouble for doing that, because all my aunts were going up to my parents and asking why I didn't say hi to them, needless to say I have never done that again. "Act like a lady;" it's a phrase I heard so often growing up. I need to sit with my legs crossed, dress appropriately, and watch the language I use. If I don't respect this value it reflects badly on my parents, so over the years I have tried my best to be very formal.

The way my parents grew up in poverty and didn't have the chance for a good education is exactly what they didn't want for me, so since I was little I remember them telling me to be future oriented. It's the value I hold closest to my heart, because I want to give my parents everything they didn't have and I want to show