ESL 21B # 1761

Essay 1.2, Topic #2

07/06/2007

"A Cultural Pattern in Iran"

We are all born into a certain culture. Depending on where we are born and who raises us our culture will vary. Our place of birth determines how we will think, act, and each different place has its own different manors. So when people plan on visiting foreign places, they should remember that there will be some differences value and beliefsAwkward that may be of a surprise to them. I was born in Iran and later moveVTense to United{***}MissingW. I know personally what I needVTense to adjust too and I could imagine what an American would have to adjust too when visiting my country. Some cultural patterns in my country that a foreign visitor should be adjust more easily are because ofAwkward religious beliefs, lack of privacy, and food influence.

The biggest cultural difference in Iran that I could imagine would probably be inAwkward religious beliefs. My country's rules are centered on religious beliefs. This may be hard to understand for foreigners, but it is just another part of life for people in my country. Another thing that visitors could be surprised to see men who not wearing the tank tops or women keeping their hair covered which is called "he jab". This thingsVague are religious beliefs that are part my country{***}Punctuation not of America. For instance, I would imagine that from outside it would look likeCut unfair, but really it applies to both men and women differently. Our beliefs teach us to keep covered more than other countries. Just each other religion ha its own rules, so this is only one of our culture. For us it's not unfair, it just is because of our religious. Usually girls try to keep traditional culture more than boys. For the females is hard to go to school compare with boys at the same age. For example, girls have to cover their hair as well, even boys in my country have to cover themselves, but not necessary to cover their hair. Boys have more responsibility than girls about family, so than often they take care of family. When girls or boys come here, they should be awardSpl of what they are wearing, so as not to do something wrong and break the rules.

Food is another cultural rule that has a religious influence in Iran. My beliefs over my life have taught me not to eat pork because it is seen as not "Halal" which isWChoice not clean. One of the examples that happened to me was, after couple of months that I came to United States, I didn't know anything about pork; so my uncle ordered some different kind of pizza. One that night I ate pepperoni pizza and I even did not know about that pork was in pizza. However eating a pepperoni pizza made me disturb, but it was experience for me that I've never touch and ate any food that preparing with pork. For me again it's just another part of life because of that's how I was raised. But in American life pepperoni is the favorite type of pizza and they don't care about their religions. It turns out that in California, eating pork is perfectly permissible, but selling horsemeat for human consumption is illegal{***}Good!. There are similar laws in other states; some states also ban the sale of dog for human consumption. Again our cultures are different and when in Iran it would gross some one out if you asked for a pepperoni pizza.

Outside of religion my culture still has many other differences than with American culture. I think the idea of family is more important in Iran. For example, I have seen in LA that kids move out of their homes at age 18. According to the reading of American values and assumption "foreign visitors who understand the degree to which Americans imbued with the notion that…. (par 14).Awkward A visitor to my country might see a whole family living together and think that is strange. Maybe the visitors would think that the kids the kidsCut don't want or can't move out. This is not the case; the way that people are raised here is to always be close to your family. We can live together as long as we want; we can get married, and still live at home with the family. In Iranian cultures people like to keep and pass on to use children in the future,Awkward but a few are too strange and old fashioned for them. Respecting the elders, to be hospitable, and to celebrate the birth of our children by inviting all the family members and throw a big party. Giving gifts like gold, coins, or hand made crafts. People like to keep culture and show them to a visitor that they are always consult with parents and grandparents with their major decisions in life, like getting married or buying a new house. To an outsider they may think that this way of living is strange and lacks privacy, but again that's what we are used to so its not strange for us.

In conclusion, it is important to know that everybody is different and is so very cultural. When we choose to visit other countries, we could see or hear things that maybe appear strange and different. These things of cultural rules can be a cause of misunderstanding and conflict for a foreign visitor, like ordering a pepperoni pizza in Iran. So it is important to be aware of these differences that visitors can adjust to them and get prepared.