Prompt:The Mason IDEA represents our unique institutional characteristics and captures the strength of who we are as a university. Four of Mason's most distinct characteristics comprise the Mason IDEA: innovation, diversity, entrepreneurship, and accessibility, Select one or more of the four components of the Mason IDEA and write about how you exemplify that characteristic.
The first essay is one that I only slightly modified to fit the diversity prompt. Essay 2 is one that I wrote from scratch. Please let me know which one would best to use, any grammar fixes, or content advice. Thanks so much!
Essay 1:
My issues with mayonnaise began at the age of four, I was introduced to a completely new and terrifyingly different culture: American culture. My mother and I had only lived in the U.S. for two years and I did not know a single word of English. She had just begun a new six to six job and had no choice but to take me to a Nanny.
To this day I can picture my Nanny perfectly. She barely stood at 5 feet tall and was round with hair as white as snow. She was the feistiest old lady I have ever known and would not hesitate to spank me with a fly swatter and stick me in a corner at the first sign of disrespect. However, come lunchtime, the most dreadful part of the day, Nanny would list the available options for my sandwich and I -unable to comprehend what she was saying and afraid I would upset her - would stand in the kitchen shaking my head "no" to everything except mayonnaise. So for months I ate two slices of bread slathered with a thick layer of mayonnaise in between and nothing else. Each day I would closed my eyes and hold my breath as I ate the dreadful sandwich in hopes of minimizing the awful taste. After eating mayonnaise for what felt like an eternity, I have not been able to come in contact with it ever since.
Adapting to a different culture is one of the most difficult challenges I have encountered but the mayo incident is only one of the things that has shaped me into a diverse person. When outside of my home and away from the customs my mother implemented, I came in contact with an unknown world of strange customs and an unknown language and was often conflicted about embracing my Hispanic culture or embracing the culture of the country I reside in. However, I could never ignore the culture of my family, and more importantly the way of my mother, and I also could not ignore the world around me. So from a young age I have chosen to be part of both. To this day i am still fluent in both languages and take pride in embracing aspects of both cultures. While my family may celebrate Christmas on Christmas Eve and open presents at midnight as part of hispanic culture we still eat typical American food. Turkey, ham, yams and, macaroni and cheese can also be found at our Christmas feast. Being part of a completely different culture took tremendous courage but I feel fortunate to be a melting pot of cultures and to be able to experience the best of both worlds.
Essay 2:
I am lucky to say that being a native Salvadorian has automatically injected diversity into my being. When I came to the United States after my parents' divorce, my mother thought it was very important that I not completely forget where my family originates from, but that I also not neglect the world around me. Even though I have never returned to El Salvador I have had a little taste of my homeland in the comfort of my own home in Richmond, Virginia.
A characteristic I possess that exemplifies my diversity is that I am completely fluent in both in English and Spanish. I take pride in being bilingual and find it necessary to be able to speak Spanish in today's day in age. If I were not able to speak Spanish I would be unable to communicate with the older generations in my family life my grandmother and my great aunts.
There are also certain customs that my family and I possess that make us unlike the traditional American or Salvadorian family. To this day my family enjoys camping and every summer we have made it tradition to take camping a trip. Something so trivial to Americans is something my mother, aunts, and uncles came to learn about in America. Camping is not common at all in El Salvador. However, just like my family has incorporated American culture into my life like going camping, we have also remained true to our Salvadorian culture. Each day I come home and have no idea whether my mom will make a Salvadorian dish or an American one. I enjoy eating pupusas which are essentially thick tortillas filled with cheese or beans in the middle just as much as I enjoy juicy bacon cheeseburgers.
Another example of our mixed cultures is holidays. Holidays are done a little differently in my family. For example, it is Hispanic culture that Christmas is celebrated on Christmas Eve and through the night. My family and I have our Christmas dinner on Christmas Eve and have a countdown until midnight. When the clock strikes twelve we kiss and hug one another and celebrate Jesus' birth by exchanging gifts. However, this is the only Hispanic twist that we add. Turkey, ham, yams and macaroni and cheese can still be found at our Christmas feast. Myself and the all the kids in family also grew up believing in Santa Clause. So when gifts have been exchanged all the kids are rushed off to bed so they can wake up the next morning to presents under the tree from Santa. This is something that is unknown and not practiced in Hispanic culture but something that we have adopted from the American way of life. Thanksgiving is also unheard of in El Salvador yet every year my family gets together on the 3rd Thursday of the month to give thanks for all our blessings.
Embracing two very different cultures has made me well rounded and open to all different types of cultures. I enjoy learning about different and cultures and interacting with people of different nationalities. I feel truly fortunate to be able to experience the best of both worlds.
The first essay is one that I only slightly modified to fit the diversity prompt. Essay 2 is one that I wrote from scratch. Please let me know which one would best to use, any grammar fixes, or content advice. Thanks so much!
Essay 1:
My issues with mayonnaise began at the age of four, I was introduced to a completely new and terrifyingly different culture: American culture. My mother and I had only lived in the U.S. for two years and I did not know a single word of English. She had just begun a new six to six job and had no choice but to take me to a Nanny.
To this day I can picture my Nanny perfectly. She barely stood at 5 feet tall and was round with hair as white as snow. She was the feistiest old lady I have ever known and would not hesitate to spank me with a fly swatter and stick me in a corner at the first sign of disrespect. However, come lunchtime, the most dreadful part of the day, Nanny would list the available options for my sandwich and I -unable to comprehend what she was saying and afraid I would upset her - would stand in the kitchen shaking my head "no" to everything except mayonnaise. So for months I ate two slices of bread slathered with a thick layer of mayonnaise in between and nothing else. Each day I would closed my eyes and hold my breath as I ate the dreadful sandwich in hopes of minimizing the awful taste. After eating mayonnaise for what felt like an eternity, I have not been able to come in contact with it ever since.
Adapting to a different culture is one of the most difficult challenges I have encountered but the mayo incident is only one of the things that has shaped me into a diverse person. When outside of my home and away from the customs my mother implemented, I came in contact with an unknown world of strange customs and an unknown language and was often conflicted about embracing my Hispanic culture or embracing the culture of the country I reside in. However, I could never ignore the culture of my family, and more importantly the way of my mother, and I also could not ignore the world around me. So from a young age I have chosen to be part of both. To this day i am still fluent in both languages and take pride in embracing aspects of both cultures. While my family may celebrate Christmas on Christmas Eve and open presents at midnight as part of hispanic culture we still eat typical American food. Turkey, ham, yams and, macaroni and cheese can also be found at our Christmas feast. Being part of a completely different culture took tremendous courage but I feel fortunate to be a melting pot of cultures and to be able to experience the best of both worlds.
Essay 2:
I am lucky to say that being a native Salvadorian has automatically injected diversity into my being. When I came to the United States after my parents' divorce, my mother thought it was very important that I not completely forget where my family originates from, but that I also not neglect the world around me. Even though I have never returned to El Salvador I have had a little taste of my homeland in the comfort of my own home in Richmond, Virginia.
A characteristic I possess that exemplifies my diversity is that I am completely fluent in both in English and Spanish. I take pride in being bilingual and find it necessary to be able to speak Spanish in today's day in age. If I were not able to speak Spanish I would be unable to communicate with the older generations in my family life my grandmother and my great aunts.
There are also certain customs that my family and I possess that make us unlike the traditional American or Salvadorian family. To this day my family enjoys camping and every summer we have made it tradition to take camping a trip. Something so trivial to Americans is something my mother, aunts, and uncles came to learn about in America. Camping is not common at all in El Salvador. However, just like my family has incorporated American culture into my life like going camping, we have also remained true to our Salvadorian culture. Each day I come home and have no idea whether my mom will make a Salvadorian dish or an American one. I enjoy eating pupusas which are essentially thick tortillas filled with cheese or beans in the middle just as much as I enjoy juicy bacon cheeseburgers.
Another example of our mixed cultures is holidays. Holidays are done a little differently in my family. For example, it is Hispanic culture that Christmas is celebrated on Christmas Eve and through the night. My family and I have our Christmas dinner on Christmas Eve and have a countdown until midnight. When the clock strikes twelve we kiss and hug one another and celebrate Jesus' birth by exchanging gifts. However, this is the only Hispanic twist that we add. Turkey, ham, yams and macaroni and cheese can still be found at our Christmas feast. Myself and the all the kids in family also grew up believing in Santa Clause. So when gifts have been exchanged all the kids are rushed off to bed so they can wake up the next morning to presents under the tree from Santa. This is something that is unknown and not practiced in Hispanic culture but something that we have adopted from the American way of life. Thanksgiving is also unheard of in El Salvador yet every year my family gets together on the 3rd Thursday of the month to give thanks for all our blessings.
Embracing two very different cultures has made me well rounded and open to all different types of cultures. I enjoy learning about different and cultures and interacting with people of different nationalities. I feel truly fortunate to be able to experience the best of both worlds.