Lost in Translation

Juan Corte
ESL 100

Lost in Translation

How much am I willing to let go of my own culture when I immigrated to The United State. Many people can ask this question to themselves and in a moment they can figure out their own answer. When I came to The United States did not think about it. However, now I have asked myself this question. What I have let go or what things have changed in my life since I came to this country. There have been a few things that have changed and affected my life such as the faith, the holyday celebration and the friendship to people who has been in my life.

First, in terms of my faith, I am not longer practicing it in the same way here as in my hometown. My religious practice has been moved to American system. Different traditions or customs that I used to practice in my hometown, I cannot do right here. For example, in my hometown we usually make processions with images of saints in the street. By praying and singing religious songs, we display our worship to God. However, in The United State it is not allowed as in my hometown. In U.S there are different ways to worship God. In some parishes people do not do processions in the streets because they do not know how or the city does not allowed do processions. It has been big change in my life of faith and it have been affected my religious practice.

Next, I can not celebrate the holy days in the same manner here that are significant to me from Mexico. In Mexico, there are important holy days to people and also to me. We celebrate every year and we want to keep our customs and traditions in our mind and our heart. However, when one comes to a different country one must find the way to keep practicing our traditions. For example, the Day of the Death is a big celebration in Mexico. I celebrate it making an altar in my home, burning incense, and scattering flowers in the street next to my home (it means the way to the altar). In U.S it is really different to practice it. Mexican people who live here; they go to the church and the priest celebrate the mass and also they make some altars. Although, this holy day is celebrated in few places of U.S. every year it is growing up in all country.

Finally, forming relationships with new people who may not speak my home language has been so difficult. Speaking English has been a handicap to communicate with others, but now I can communicate with a lot of people and I have made many friends from different countries. Fortunately, this is a multicultural country where I have met a lot guys as me and I can be in contact with them all the time. Making new relationships is a big challenge especially when that country is not yours and also when you do not speak the same language. However, meeting people from different countries is to learn about different cultures.

To conclude, I would share that these beliefs and these practices I have not lost because all of those are in my mind and my heart, they are part of my life and my identity. When these holydays are approaching to celebrate, I’m so glad and I try to practice in my own way. I am going to the church to pray and attend any activity that there are in the Church to celebrate these kinds of holy days in my life, so I do not forget those. I think that when you spend most of your life in your hometown, you cannot forget about your customs and traditions that are part of you.