Rosemarie McNamee
Reflection on Diversity
Soc
October 4, 2015

There have been quite a few times in my life where I have felt like other in many different occasions for many different reasons ranging from my age, race, and even just overall view or stance on an event. One time that sticks out to me the most where I felt like other is in a personal relationship that I had in my life. This relationship constantly had me feeling like an outsider when I was around him, his family, or just others who were of the same nationality and culture as him. They would constantly be speaking in their native language when ever they were together which completely excluded me from being involved in any of the on going conversations or even knowing what was going on around me. I felt completely excluded and lost. It made me feel like an outsider looking in every time we were around him and his family or friends they never even made an effort to include me it was more of if you want to be included you’ll conform to us and learn their language and their ways. Being in this situation defiantly taught me a lesson. It opened my eyes and made me more aware of how I treated others who were new to my group of friends or family. It made me more observant of people’s feelings and open to including people who I wouldn’t normally think to include in activities, conversations or events. A few weeks go we discussed how people tend to stick to those of their own cultures causing others to feel like they are outsiders and I remember bringing up this same experience I had with this relationship and I was just never accepted by these people based on my culture. I didn’t conform to theirs there fore I was basically made to feel inferior to them which is not the case at all. We spoke about how certain cultures may feel that they are better than others and this is exactly how this particular group made me feel. It was almost as if they wanted me to feel ashamed of my culture and beliefs because they are not the same as theirs. Many people run into these issues everyday and I really do feel for the minorities who have o deal with it ten times more than I have to. It shows peoples true strength.