Cultural Experience in America

Introduction 

There are aspects of the contemporary world that influence the daily occurrences and development trends in people's lives from different cultures that impact on their geographic niche. These aspects may take local, regional or even global perspectives depending on their magnitude. The daily interactions of persons from different cultures, geographical areas and beliefs have led to globalization, urbanization, ever-changing population dynamics among other human geographic matters (Knox, 2016). The interdependence of local centers, towns, and even cities can be seen from the story of Karen Castro, who was born in Managua in Nicaragua on the 14 th August 1978. This period recorded the greatest Central American Contra War as it was then that the Nicaraguan Revolution took place. Lives of the Nicaraguans were lost in their tens of thousands despite the overthrow of the dictatorial leadership previously existing eventually catching the international attention (Lacina, 2005). Most families fled for their safety to other parts of the United States of America and started new lives there. 

Summary of Interview 

Caught in the crisis of Nicaragua, Karen, the last of her five siblings of two boys and three girls, moved and settled in Miami Florida in 1985. The case, geopolitically impelling, due to conflict of politics, national interest and the United States Hegemony made the young girl to eventually grow up in Miami. She notes that she can still speak Spanish though all her school work was in English. She completed her education and is now a pre-school teacher and married to Edward who was born and grew up in Miami. Edward is now serving in the US Army and together they have two children, Mercy, and Joy. She, however, cited that at first, they had so many differences in terms of cultural attributes and beliefs. Daily interactions and the love that they had made them weather their cultural differences through accommodating and learning from each other. Edward can now speak basic Spanish and Karen can also help with the repairs of broken house sinks. The two girls, however, can speak both English and Spanish fluently as they interact with their uncles and Aunts who are also based in Miami. Over the time other natives and people from other states settled in Miami making it super-metro populated with people from different cultural, geographical and life was changing for everyone around Miami. 

Culture and Geography 

When they first moved to Miami, Karen's father worked as a gardener for a rich family which paid him a meager wage. He, however, managed to sustain his family with the little he could get. This was something compared to the raging warzone in Nicaragua and so the family was happy after their long journey. Karen's mother was also employed as a house help in the same family her father worked for after they interacted with her father and this touched the heart of the rich man. The man even offered to take Karen and her two siblings to formal US schools as they showed great academic intelligence. Her father, however, missed his motherland and hoped that someday the conflict in Nicaragua would subside and they would go back home. The family longer the family stayed in Miami, the lesser he concentrated on Nicaragua's shambles and appreciated the role of formal education to his children and the better life the family got to have. He furthermore appreciated all his neighborhoods cultural, religious, and racial interactions that made the entire Miami after all seem to be a village to him. Karen, on the contrary, remembers little but cherished every moment she had in Miami and the global village she had grown up and was growing old in. 

Living in America turned out to be a blessing as they thought their reception would be that of a foreigner and refugee type. She says her father anticipated racial segregation but found a much more civilized community full of all types of people, cultures, and religions. The ceremonies and cultural practices they carry out today in America are numerous with exception to the favorite annual “Alegria por la Vida” which is a Spanish culture (Gordon, 1998). Maypole is a celebration done in May and is still being done in America. It has, however, been married with other cultures especially the African and the version did today is a more of Afro-fused Maypole with fused dances as well. In Nicaragua, they were mainly Roman Catholics, in America, some of them have now converted into evangelical Protestant groups and Mormons. Anglicans and Moravians are also present nowadays of the Nicaraguans in America. 

Conclusion 

With so many Nicaraguans in America today and other immigrants, the economic prowess of America is still stable. Furthermore, the immigrants are even holding public offices and have formal employment. This is an indication that they contribute to the development of the robust American economy and as such confirming the globalization concept as real and sustainable. Their backgrounds are characterized by living in the forest lands and great natural resourced areas as such their concept of environmental conservation have been integrated into the American way of life by the adoption of conventional methods of conservation. Those left behind also seek to go to America and live the American Dream and as such urban areas like Miami have their populations grow every day (Knox, 2016). Social inclusivity and coexistence have made globalization real and other places on the globe have embraced it. 

References 

Gordon, E. T. (1998). Disparate diasporas: identity and politics in an African-Nicaraguan community . University of Texas press. 

Harris, R. L. & Vilas, C. L. (1985). Nicaragua: A revolution under siege. Harris, Richard L., Nicaragua: a revolution under siege. London: Zed Books Totowa, NJ, USA: Distributor, Biblio Distribution center, 1985. 

Knox, P. L., & Marston, S. A. (2016). Human geography: Places and regions in global context: human geography . (7th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson. 

Lacina, B., & Gleditsch, N.P. (2005). Monitoring trends in global combat: A new dataset of battle deaths. European Journal of Population/Revue Europee’nne de Demographie , 21(2-3), 145-166.