2. Thesis Statement
• I am 50% American and 50% Salvadorian in
blood. I feel more like I am 60% American and
40% Salvadorian.
3. Supporting Details
• The reason I feel 60% American is because I
was born and raised in America. I only know
what my mother has told me about El
Salvador.
4. Supporting Details
Religion
• My family is Christian. We study Christianity.
When my mom grew up in EL Salvador they
went to the Catholic church.
• My parents are of Christian faith but they are
going to leave the decision up to me which
religion I want to be!
5. Supporting Details
Food I Eat
• I eat mostly American food like hamburgers,
mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese,
chicken, soup, peanut butter and lots of other
American food. I eat American food 80% of
the time.
• My mom makes Salvadorian food like papusa,
quesadilla, Salvadorian cheese, poliada,
tortillas, rice and beans. I usually eat this food
about 20% of the time.
6. Supporting Details
Etiquette
• My family doesn’t want me to grow up with bad etiquette so
they teach me etiquette the way that they were taught, like
chewing with your mouth closed, no throwing food, no
screaming at the table, no hitting, asking if we can be excused
before we leave the table and when you get ready to put your
plate away clean your side of the table. Sit properly, don’t
stare, and no leaning back in the chair.
• I always follow these rules because its good etiquette and I
don’t want to be a slob when I grow up.
7. Supporting Details
Greetings
• When friends and family come over I have to
say hello and when they leave goodbye. When
guests are being served they always go before
we do. When they are done eating we have to
[me and my brother] clean up there plates
and serve there drinks!
8. Supporting Details
Money
• My attitude toward money would be the same
in America as in El Salvador. For example, I
would not mind having enough money to buy
whatever new stuff I wanted. New is change
and change is not always better.
• In El Salvador people do not get paid very
much money because it is a poor country.
9. Supporting Details
Holidays
• I celebrate all of the American holidays like Christmas, Thanksgiving,
Easter, Halloween, Independence Day and New Years. I like to give
presents to kids that are in foster homes at Christmas because they don’t
get many gifts.
• In El Salvador they celebrate Christmas by staying up all night on Christmas
Eve and they leave their tree up until January 7th. They leave it up that
long because they believe the three kings got to Jerusalem later.
• If I was in El Salvador at Christmas I would like it very much because
everyone is treated equal and they like to have fun and celebrate in the
streets.
• My family celebrates Christmas the American way because we feel as if it
is more proper because we are in America.
10. Supporting Details
Education
• I believe that getting a good education is
important and in America education is very
important. You can make your own fate if you
have a good education.
• In El Salvador education is not as important. If
your family is poor you have to start work at a
very young age.
11. Supporting Details
Language
• In America we speak only English and in El Salvador they
speak Salvadorian. Salvadorian is a little different than
Spanish. Some of the words are a little different. My mother
speaks to me in Salvadorian and I usually understand her. For
example sandals in Spanish is sandallia and in Salvadorian it is
changlas.
• I like to speak English better because it is easier and I know
more words. I like speaking Salvadorian because it is different
than what we learn at school.
• I speak English about 90% of the time and El Salvadorian 10%
of the time.
12. Supporting Details
Animals
• In America people love pets and take care of
them. If I could have a pet I would love it.
• In El Salvador people can not usually afford to
take care of pets. They usually have animals
that they raise for food. In El Salvador you
would find animals running in the streets and
they look like they are suffering.
• If I lived in El Salvador I would want to take
care of all of the hurt animals.
13. Supporting Details
Family
• In El Salvador and in America people care for
their family. The older people in the family would
be treated with more respect because of there
age. Showing respect means being formal
because you would call them by their last name
with Mr. or Ms. You also try to help your elders
more then helping yourself.
• I always follow by those rules because its my
culture, also because if you are older you should
get more respect.
14. 10 Features of American Culture
• How I feel?
• 1. Value youth & beauty: VOGUE Sort Of
• 2. New is better, change is good Yes
• 3. Optimism: BE HAPPY! They lived happily ever after. Yes
• 4. You can be whatever you what to be: I want to be a rock star! Yes
• 5. Success = money Success = what we own Sort Of
• 6. Speak your mind! Yes
• 7. We’re informal: Come on in! Have a cookie! Yes
• 8. We’re friendly & open: Hi, how are you today? Sort Of
• 9. Equality Yes
• 10. We take risks, we’re innovative/creative Sort of
15. Conclusion
• My culture came from what my parents taught
me. The reason why I feel 40% Salvadorian is
because I have never been there before and I
don’t know what it feels like to live there. The
reason why I feel 60% American is because of the
special events and the food that I already
explained. The color of my sponge and my lens
would be blue and red because I have developed
my culture from what my parents culture was and
what went on around me. My culture is my dads
and moms together so I have 2 cultures in 1.
