Learning Activity 3.5, Task 2: What has influenced me?
Canada is a beautiful, multicultural country, with many communities that can teach me their ways. Growing up with a Mexican mother and an El Salvadorian father does not mean that my culture is something I feel disconnected from; it is what I experience in my everyday life. Who I am has been made up from a blend of Latin American traditions and Canadian culture, which is displayed by the clothes I wear, the food I eat at home, and how I spend my free time.
The food I eat is one of the most meaningful ways of embracing my culture at home. My mother introduced me to what people back in her home country ate. From a young age, I ate tacos with many twists, pozole, tamales Mexicanos, and my favourite sweet treat, conchas. My mother was never ashamed of her culture and took pride in exposing my siblings and me to it, with her speaking Spanish with us at home and showing us how to cook these ethnic meals to bond over. I remember being 7 years old and helping my mom shred pork for tacos al pastor and seasoning the meat with a blend of various Mexican chiles. On the other hand, my father's side of the family introduced me to the El Salvadorian culture, with my grandma making tamales, pupusas, and yuca frita whenever a younger me would tell her I was hungry. At the same time, growing up in Canada with friends from different countries helped me expand to different cultures, such as my Indian friends introducing me to butter chicken and naan, Somali friends introducing me to Sambuusa, and Canadian friends introducing me to Poutine. The mix of cultures has made me open-minded to learning about different cuisines and the significance behind them.
Fashion is another area where culture has impacted me. On an everyday basis, I wear clothes that have a blend of European designers and North American fashion trends. For casual errands, I would wear sneakers, hoodies and jeans, and when I am going out somewhere nicer, I like to blend European designers such as Balenciaga, Zara, and Acne Studios, to make my outfits stand out, and these brands were introduced to me by European peers. When it comes to family celebrations, my outfits are made up of traditional pieces like suits handmade in Mexico that my mother brought over, scarves made in El Salvador, and charros (Mexican sombrero). One of my favourite pieces I was honoured to wear was a suit made by my grandfather in Mexico that was for a cousin's quinceañera, as I was selected to be a Chambelán. Chambelanes and damas are selected from family and friends to honour the girl entering womanhood, with my cousin's ceremony containing 14 of each to display the 14 years of age that is now behind her. We danced and ate cultural foods with a mariachi band playing beautiful music to end the ceremony. Other times, I have worn cultural clothing that was not my own, such as when I was invited to Eid dinners and was gifted my very own thobe. Muslim men wear thobes to honour Islamic principles of modesty and covering the body Allah has gifted them with. Even beyond my own culture, fashion is one way that I have been impacted throughout my life.
Throughout my life, I did not think much of the architecture I grew up around, yet visiting my parents' neighbourhoods has made me realize how different it is in Canada from those countries. In Canada, I am surrounded by tall modern buildings, quiet suburbs, and closed-off neighbourhoods. Yet when I am in Mexico or El Salvador, houses are colourful with open yards and beautiful plants creating shade to cool off in during the heat. I am glad to be able to visit both of my families' ranchos and see the livestock that they care for every day and barter with. There have been multiple occasions where my grandfather has taken me fishing in El Salvador and taught me how to catch a fish with just my two hands and fry it up, creating a delicious meal to eat with tortillas and frijoles. Although the architecture is different here in Canada, there are still sprinkles of back home, with shops in Kensington Market having the vibrant colour scheme and treats I would find at the corner stores in Mexico.
What I do in my leisure time is heavily impacted by my culture. I like to spend my time playing soccer at the park with my family, and watch soccer games with them, all while having a carne asada. Soccer has remained a key part of my life, as growing up, it gave me something to look forward to at school, and at soccer camps, it connected me with more kids from my culture who ended up becoming lifelong friends. One of my favourite memories is from 2014, when my family would rush home after Sunday service and tune in to watch Mexico play. It still crushes my heart how their run ended due to the Netherlands team. At the same time, growing up in Canada has made me want to try new things, such as basketball, which I loved to play throughout high school as the school's starting point guard. Family gatherings are another way I like to spend my time, which are more centered around my own culture with Latin music blasting, Coronas being shared, and jokes being laughed over. These activities have shown me how I am impacted by a blend of cultures.
Entertainment is another aspect I am very influenced by daily. From the music I listen to to the movies I watch, I am able to see how all cultures within me come out. I enjoyed listening to reggaeton from a young age, cumbia, as well as Mexican corridos, which tell stories about life in Mexico and the hardships they face. One of my cumbias is the song “Desvelado” by Bobby Pulido, which speaks about the love he has for a woman he has never met, and has only heard over the radio. Other music I listen to is British rock, such as Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, and Eric Clapton, who I credit as a major influence in my love for guitar playing. Other forms of entertainment would be the movies I watch, with the majority of my favourites being from North America, and the usual watching of a Mexican telenovela. I enjoy watching telenovelas with my mother, as it gives us something to bond over and practice my Spanish. The mix of entertainment has helped me stay connected with my roots.
My life is shaped by a mix of cultures, and that is something I take pride in. Being a Canadian-born child with Latin American roots has gifted me with a blend of beautiful traditions and influences. Instead of feeling divided by my cultures, I see this as a blessing, with the ability to learn about other cultures outside of my own, giving me a deeper understanding of diversity. Culture is not something I am born with, it is something that I feel in my everyday life and use to shape who I am.
