History and Geography are the most of import factors that form a given society’s civilization ; In Lebanon. faiths are of great influence on the adopted values and premises ; some will be discussed in the undermentioned to do the point about how history and geographics have interfered to determine the Lebanese society as such. and so a comparing with the American values and their historical backgrounds will follow ;

-Family: being at the bosom of the Arab universe. where Christianity and Islam were born and spread subsequently to the full universe. Lebanese people pattern their spiritual believes in their different facets. including those related to the household bounds and dealingss. Lebanese households have strong leotardss: the Respect to the Older. the drawn-out affinity webs. the dependance of the Weak on the Strong ( when childs depend on their parents until they become able to take duty of themselves. and so the dependance of the parents on their boies –and girls- when they become old and in demand for their aid ) ; all these are the “normal” Lebanese outlooks and values sing the household. – History: Lebanese people give large importance to their history and they keep it in head to larn from the errors of the yesteryear that cost them 100s of 1000s of psyches ; in Lebanon the term “we paid blood for this cause” is widely used.

The Lebanese flag has two ruddy sets at its top and bottom sides. to typify for the blood that has been shed for the interest of the state and all those sufferers who sacrificed their lives throughout the history. Lebanese history is really rich and full of invasions and battles to freedom clip after clip. and this has left pride in Lebanese people of their yesteryear and finding to go on the same way in moralities and values sing the state and their freedom. – Food: Conservation of Food that the Lebanese used to fix each summer for the winter ( called Mooneh ) . has its beginnings both from the cold winters where no nutrient would be available. and from the celebrated WWI’s dearth that stroke Lebanon. where merely rich people and some husbandmans were able to last since they had some nutrient stored in their warehouses.

In add-on. meat has to be Halal ; that is the animate being has to be slaughtered harmonizing to the Islamic manner. even for Lebanese Christians who consider Halal meat healthier and more hygienic. In the Islamic parts of Lebanon. it’s non acceptable to bespeak intoxicant or to imbibe or be drunk when sing a Muslim. as intoxicant is forbidden in Islam. As it is violative to bespeak for nutrient or to eat. imbibe or smoke in public during the twenty-four hours in Ramadan. where Muslims will be fasting by that clip.

While in the American context. history has besides shaped the values of the American people. but evidently in different way as the historical events and fortunes was far different from those experienced in Lebanon. Taking the above tackled illustrations. in the followers is an analysis of these in the American context as compared to the Lebanese one.

– Family: the societal tissue of the American society is made up of immigrants from different parts of the universe. and harmonizing to their beginning. households have different values and societal patterns. Consequently. households populating in Michigan are similar in their household bounds and values to the Lebanese. as there is a large Lebanese Diaspora life in this province. While in other parts where most of the immigrants originate from North-Western Europe. households don’t have as strong bounds as the oriental people. and immature adults’ dependance on their parents is considered as a shame and regarded to as immatureness.

– History: in malice of the short history of the United States as compared to other states – here to Lebanon- history has had great trade with determining the American civilization and its people’s values. and Americans as the Lebanese are proud of their history and show great regard for those who contributed to the nowadays constitutional Torahs and values. For case. the celebrated war between the North and the South had its of import footmarks on the American values sing the racial favoritism and the regard to the single irrespective his colour or race.

On the other manus. the intercessions of President Roosevelt during the Great Economical Depression in order to make occupation chances and hike the economic system. is being nowadays extremely appreciated and appraised by the Americans. – Food: the American culinary civilization seems to hold no relation with that found in the Lebanese nutrient. Americans depend largely on “Fast Food” . with small clip needed to fix ; this might hold its beginnings the deficit in clip when adult females and work forces had both to work during the industrial revolution at the beginning of the twentieth century. In add-on. no spiritual limitations sing the meat or intoxicant. but instead a regard to some nutritionary penchants like vegetarian and vegan nutrient for some.

Although each society has its ain distinctive features. values and cultural differentiation. globalisation is now occupying most societies in the universe and determining them into a new. more homogenous society holding reasonably much the same Global Culture ; the nature of that civilization will be that of the most powerful societies’ who invade the weak 1s culturally and predominate over them ; merely the strongest values will prevail and this is another signifier of battle.

The most aspect of the American values I’ve adopted is independency as a adult female coming from a Lebanese household. Although I was born and raised here. technically I am American ; my household likes to believe otherwise. My household is into the Lebanese civilization really much. My male parent came to America when he was truly immature. possibly in his early 20s. He would see Lebanon merely approximately every summer and in 1983 he married my female parent who was his neighbour. Soon after that my parents had my older brother. than my twin brother and I. My female parent came to this state at the age of 22 ( I think ) and she started to convey over my uncles and grandma. So. fundamentally all of my household was here on my mother’s side except two of her sisters and one brother. We are really household oriented and I was the lone miss so everyone was fundamentally looking after me because they thought if I was to take the American manner of things I would be wild and do whatever it is I wanted.

That’s non how it works in the old state. The sister or girl of the household is supposed to remain place. take attention of the house. clean. cook. and cater to the male parent and/or brothers of her household. Since we lived in America and grew up here. I sort of had it the easy manner. for a small while. I got off with about everything. I was “daddy’s small miss. ” whatever I wanted. I got. I think it was because I was the lone miss. for the most portion. My male parent would acquire me any and everything I wanted. If my brothers were trouble oneselfing me and I wanted to acquire them off from me. all I would make is shout “daddy. they’re aching me” he would come running and they were the 1s in problem non me. Most of the clip I would get down the battle. so it was supposed to be my mistake that we ended up contending. but my male parent ne’er knew that. He ne’er wanted to see me shout or acquire hurt by my brothers who were unsmooth and ever play contending. My biological male parent died when I was 7 old ages old of a bosom onslaught and so my female parent was left as a individual parent taking attention of two 7 twelvemonth olds and a 12 twelvemonth old.

It was lay waste toing. bosom breakage ; nil has been the same since of class. My ma was highly rigorous on us after the passing of my male parent. that was the lone manner she knew how to protect us from this “evil and cruel world” she would state us. My ma had her female parent and three brothers here ; my father’s sister lived on the 2nd floor of our house. so she wasn’t entirely taking attention of us. Of class female parents have their ain manner of taking attention of their childs and she didn’t want anyone to alter the manner she was raising us or taking attention of us. She made our lives really hard at times because most of the childs we went to school with or lived around were ever outside on the street playing but we weren’t allowed outside of the private road because she ever wanted her oculus on us or person ever had to watch us. There was ne’er a clip where we were entirely. particularly me since I’m the miss of the household. My brothers had more privileges than I did because of class they were male childs and I wasn’t.

In 2001 that’s when things got a batch easier for my female parent and us. She got remarried to a Lebanese adult male who was from the same metropolis in Lebanon where we were from. She was happy and of class we were happy for her and as a household in general. A batch more freedom and independency came upon us. He is a really open-minded person. He wasn’t populating in America when my female parent met him. He was sing and ended up remaining because him and my ma fell in love and got married. He kind of opened my mother’s mind up A LOT. for me. My brothers ever had their freedom for the most portion. My ma started allowing me travel to the park with my girlfriends. she allow me travel to birthday parties at friends houses. The option of kiping over someone’s house was ne’er at that place. I was really happy and grateful that God brought this adult male into our household.

I am really near to him ; he is my step-father. of class. My male parent will ne’er be replaced but a portion of me ever sits and thinks possibly my male parent brought this adult male into our lives ; possibly he picked him out for my ma. He and my male parent are really similar people. When I was traveling into my junior twelvemonth of high school my parents thought of this superb thought to travel out of the metropolis. It wasn’t so superb for us. We were populating in Hyde Park. We left our childhood place. street. friends. Parkss. etc. It was a really sad thing to make. Our new place was in Attleboro. Ma. A really suburb country as oppose to Hyde Park. That’s where most of my independency and freedom took portion. I’m believing my ma was more indulgent to allowing me do things and travel topographic points because we were now populating in the suburbs. I would travel to my friend’s house. sometimes remain at that place until truly late at dark. When I turned 17 I learned how to drive. I got my license and shortly after my licence.

The most freedom a adolescent has is when they’re able to drive themselves about and non depend on other people or their parents for a drive anyplace. My freedom and independency began here. It was the most fantastic clip of my life. I would drive from Attleboro to Boston about every other twenty-four hours. My ma knew where I would be traveling. to my best friend’s house in Boston or to see my grandma and uncles who still live in Hyde Park. The fact that my female parent was allowing me or leting me to make all of these things defines where I have adopted the American “teenage” life style in that point of my life. My faith is really of import to my household and to me as good. I grew up in the Orthodox Christian church. I will ever hold this value from my native civilization. I don’t think I’ll of all time bury my faith or where my beliefs come from. I went to church every Sunday every since I was a small miss. As for now. I don’t travel to church so much anymore.

I live a busy life. like most Americans and particularly Bostonians. I ever have clip for faith. there’s nil incorrect with supplication at place or wherever you are. My brothers and I went to a church cantonment out in Pittsburg. Pennsylvania called Antiochian Village. The mission of the Antiochian Village is to show to immature people a living experience of the Holy Orthodox Faith. in their relationship with God and other campers in an unlittered. natural environment. We were at that place for two hebdomads every summer. It was likely the best two hebdomads out of the whole twelvemonth. I started traveling at that place when I was 12 old ages old until I was 17. I learned a batch about my faith. met life-long friends who I call household now. and learned how to populate without electronics attached to me every second of the twenty-four hours. It was a large challenge for me because I was so used to watching Television every twenty-four hours and utilizing the phone to speak to friends. and playing video games. Our trips to the Village have taught self-awareness. It’s a large facet of my life. I think to carry through the mission of the Village was to convey immature people: * Awareness of ego and fellow adult male

* A widening of their Orthodox life
* A greater consciousness of their faith
* Good sportsmanship
* Growth in personal relationships and personal duty * An grasp of nature and a concern for the environment In Lebanon I see that faith is really powerful. When I go at that place for the summer there are ever banquets and Saints yearss. There are immense jubilations for these banquets and Saints yearss. The whole town/city/village is a portion of these jubilations. The churches are decorated with visible radiations and tapers and flowers. It’s beautiful. When I see these churches decorated like this. it makes me recognize that there is a God. Without God there would be nil. I wear jewellery to stand for that I am spiritual ; like a cross on my cervix or sometimes prayer beads around my carpus. I make it really clear to people that I’m a large portion of Christianity. Lebanese people can state right off what faith you are. There are different crosses for the Catholic and Orthodox Christians. The Orthodox cross has a somewhat different expression than the Catholic one.

For me — runing pot/salad bowl — it’s about a state of immigrants going stronger by both encompassing the diverseness of its civilizations but besides all feeling they do belong to one state as good. I’m more of a thaw pot. I’m more cultural but have been combined with the American civilization. I live my life more of the American life style in some ways more than others apposes to the Lebanese life style. I’m large into the equality of chance whereas in Lebanon the adult male is in charge of the family. most adult females are stay at place married womans who take attention of the family. cookery and cleansing. I’m more independent that the cousins I have in Lebanon. The lone adult females in my household who work are the 1s who have gone to University and have found good occupations that are really deserving it. In America even if one doesn’t have a college grade there is a high possibility that they can be successful.

It could be from cognizing person in a certain type of occupation or concern where they can have better privileges and acquire promoted easy with higher paying occupations and non even holding to step pes in a college degree class. Those are the fringe benefits of life in America and holding chance. In Lebanon there are non many options. In-between category or really affluent households put their kids in college or universities. Some of the people in my household were really fortunate to travel to college because their parents had to give up their dreams or sell a piece of land that was handed down to them from their male parents or grampss in order to pay for their college tuitions. As I said before independency is my figure one turnover from the Lebanese civilization to the American civilization. Merely the bravest adult females in my civilization stand up to their households or hubbies and take to be independent. I have that chance without a uncertainty or without anyone holding to state me “No. ” Of class I still have my values that come from my civilization. These values are what do me who I am and best represent me as independent.

In Lebanon the people are ever giving a assisting manus. Americans are the same manner. I take that value really much inconsiderateness because I ever try to assist the less fortunate. I have so much to be grateful and thankful by the aid of my parents and God that I try and give out a assisting manus even if it’s a dollar. There are 1000000s of charities to assist the less fortunate in Lebanon and there are a million charities that I have contributed my money. apparels. places. jackets. etc. to. It gives me great pleasance to make so. it’s really frowned upon if you know person who is less fortunate and doesn’t assist them out with whatever it is possible that you can give in Lebanon and I’m sure in America every bit good. Some Americans are avaricious or inexpensive and don’t like to give their properties or money off to homeless or less fortunate people but for the most portion I see a really big sum of subscribers to these people.

Happiness is a great value that I’ve inherited from both civilizations ; Lebanese and American. My female parent ever tells me “it is better to be hapless and happy than to be affluent and unhappy. ” intending no affair how large or deep your pocket it is. it will non give you happiness. I ever surround myself with the things that make me the most happy. It is of class my household. my best friends. etc. When I finish school. I plan on opening my ain concern it may or may non be successful either manner that is my end. It is what’s traveling to do me happy.

Whether I become really affluent or really hapless that is what will do me the most happiest. The idea of my end and dream to be my ain foreman will give me great pleasance in stating to person “I am my ain foreman. ” eventually. I hope to be every bit successful as some of the people in my household are. Some own their ain concern. some have really high paying occupations at really good known corporations/businesses. Even if I become a director at a concern or corporation it will still do me really happy to state that I’ve accomplished my dreams in going “wealthy. ” because that is how I define affluent ; lifting from the really bottom to the really top in my life. I want to demo my parents that I have accomplished my dreams because I have more chances than my female parent and male parent did from when they foremost arrived in this state. It will do me happy merely seeing my female parent happy. It’s a great thing to be. happy. Lebanese people are happy whether they are really hapless. middle-class. and affluent sometimes. Americans don’t see the economic position the same as us Lebanese. but I have seen a figure of people say the same who are Americans.

Having good wellness is the figure one precedence in a Lebanese household. My female parent besides has ever said “without wellness you have nil. ” If my male parent wasn’t healthy he may be still alive. I know my father’s side of the household has a history of bosom disease and he was besides under a batch of emphasis at the clip. But he wasn’t healthy at all. If a individual isn’t healthy. there would be no manner a individual can travel to school to acquire an instruction. travel to work to gain their money. non even acquire up out of their beds. Health is a large issue in Lebanon and in America. Obesity is turning and turning in America every twenty-four hours. I’m concerned for myself and household. But with the aid of God and us there is no manner being unhealthy is an option in my book.

In decision. independency. a assisting manus. and wellness have best described my thaw pot and determine me to be the individual I am today. There is no better manner to explicating myself in any other manner than I already have. Thank you.