LESSONS FROM THE FAMILY

  As a child, I together with my siblings were trained to always show great respect towards the elderly. This was one thing we learnt at the very early stages of our lives. We were taught to always greet the elderly, allow them to talk first no matter what and just hold the elderly in high esteem. In my family, the elderly is always looked up to as the source of advise and training. I remember constantly visiting my grandparents when growing up and during those visits we we were given sound advice about life and generally encouraged when we spoke about issues that felt like a burden at that point. In my family, conflict is always dealt with directly, often with an elder person being the mediator in the conflict.  Depending on the family, for example in my nuclear family, decisions are always made jointly by my parents but when it comes to the extended family, there is an individual who is referred to as the "elder of the family" and he in consultation with other older people in the family make decisions for the entire family.

I remember whilst growing up, I used to get so angry when my mum will ask me to come and help her in the kitchen whilst my brother just stayed behind to watch television. I didn't understand at the time why he got to watch so much television whilst I engaged in much chores around the house.  When it comes to days when I was disobedient, my mum did not hesitate back then to take out her cane to beat me, so I do not repeat such mistakes. With time, my parents took a more laid back approach when it came to correcting me for a mistake done. Living in a christian home, my family is very religious, going to church was mandatory, as well as daily family devotions . 

Much of culture is invisible because though there are aspects of culture that is tangible like the food we eat, clothes we wear, for the most part, it is invisible. This is because culture is derived through our interaction with others and sometimes becomes a part of our socialization process.  It is steeped in our belief systems, values  and morals. We do not always see culture but it exists and shapes our worldview. Globalization and new immigration patterns have affected and changed families. One way is , it has given people options to move to other parts of the world and start their own kind of family without necessarily  being  active  or involved with the extended family. This has resulted in  people being separated from  their family leading to a disconnect  between the individual and the family for a number of years.  Instead of a sense of collectivism, there is rather  individualism which takes place , resulting in people sometimes abandoning their family to focus on themselves.

I think that when a trans-cultural child is adopted, it is the responsibility of the parents to not only educate or expose the child to a new culture but to also let the child know about the culture he/she is coming from. This is to prevent  the feeling of being "lost" once the child matures. No matter who a person is, they will always want to know what invisible factors influence their existence and behavior. Thus, it is essential to not only introduce the child to a new culture but also the culture the child was originally from.

My worldview is influenced strongly by my beliefs as a Christian. Thus, I strongly believe that this world is ruled by God and as His child, He is in control of every aspect of my life and guides me towards my purpose. I believe that I am to live in love not only for myself but most importantly, show love to all groups of people.  My worldview is shaped by the mindset that we will be held accountable for our deeds on earth, therefore it is important to live a life worth accounting for. This affirms my believe therefore in heaven and hell and that all who have accepted Christ and live according to His will, will be with Him in heaven once they die.

References:

1.https://ghanasummary.com/modernghana/54167/okyeame-kwame-shares-adorable-snapshot-with-family

2. Lustig, M. W. & Koester, J. (Eds.). (2006). Among Us: Essays on identity, belonging, and intercultural

competence (2nd ed.). Boston: Pearson Allyn and Bacon.

3. Samovar, L., Porter, R. E., McDaniel, E. R., and Roy, C. S. (2017). Communication between cultures (9thed.).

Boston: MA: Cengage Learning.