FREE ESSAY ON ABOUT ME

ABOUT ME

My culture, Hinduism, and race, Indian, have been the most influential characteristics in
my life. These two characteristics combined also influence my other characteristics such
as my age and sex. In America, my age restricts me from doing many things; but coming
from a Hindu background brings me many more responsibilities along with my age. My sex
prohibits me from achieving many life goals that other people would have no problem
achieving. My ethnicity and culture have had a very big impact on my social life.
Learning that I was different from others was an experience that I will remember for the
rest of my life. I learned about one of my dominant characteristics in the second grade.
One day in class, Steven Vogel cut out little red dots for me because I did not already
have one on my forehead. He also howled like an American Indian and did a rain dance for
me. That day, I realized that I was different and I would have to live with it for the
rest of my life. I lived in a southern town of Florida near the border of Alabama where
many people were not open to other races; so I would have to get used to the taunting. At
that time, I realized that I am Indian. 
Growing up, everyone wants to be in the "in-group." Being an Indian Hindu girl, I was
told not to go out. I was not allowed to go to football games, school dances, or any
other after-school functions. No matter how much we want to be in the popular group in
high school, most Indian children belong in the group between the "in-group" and the
"nerds." Hindu parents usually do not let their children go out because they believe
their children will be corrupted. For example, I really wanted to go to my senior prom,
but I was not allowed to. I was not even allowed to get a job like a normal teenager.
This summer I asked my parents if I could so that I could save up for college. My father
did not let me get a job because I had to stay home to learn how to cook. 
Females have very little advantages in my culture. We are not allowed to be too educated.
If a woman is too educated, she is basically considered to be no good, modern, too
independent and an instigator of family problems after marriage. The belief that girls
should not be allowed as much freedom and independence as men hinders other women, from
achieving many of our life goals and me. 
With age I have many responsibilities and restrictions. Most of my restrictions come from
living in America. I am not yet allowed to vote. I am not given many job opportunities: I
went to the mall a week ago to find a job but most of the stores require their employees
to be eighteen. 
Another restriction that my ethnicity, along with age and sex, brings is marriage. A good
Indian girl is engaged by the age of twenty-one or twenty-two. I am only seventeen years
old, but I am expected to know how to cook and clean because this is the prime age when
the adult "matchmakers" observe me. I expect my life in the future to include being a
housewife. I approve of the concept of housewives, but I would like to be more educated.
The times have slowly been changing. I am a first generation Indian-American and I have
more privileges than my parents did. Because of the changing times, I may be able to
fulfill my dreams of becoming a doctor. 
The typical Indian, Hindu family instills the importance of respect and morals into their
children. I have learned to appreciate all of the values that my parents have taught me
while growing up. This is a big privilege because when I look out in the world, I see
families who teach their children to hate or do not teach their children the significance
of respect. I was taught also to especially respect my teachers. Many people, however, do
not have that same respect. I am proud that I have had the chance to learn and grow up
with the values and principles that are taught by Hinduism. 
I also consider arranged marriages to be a privilege. When taking world history in high
school, my peers would constantly ask how I could have an arranged marriage. They made it
sound as if it was something bad. My parents have raised me and I believe that they know
what is best for me. They know what I need an