My family has never been one to do things small. All family gatherings and special events
are done in large scale. We don't live close to each other so its always a huge deal when
we do come together. Family is one of the things that I treasure the most in life. I have
grown up believing that family comes first, and that my family loves me more than life
itself. I have grown up with the smiles of my aunts and uncles, I have grown alongside the
love of my grandparents and the cleverness of my cousins. My family is my world, they
have a had a great deal in how I have grown up. The last family gathering that I can
remember was on mother's day. I've always enjoyed mother's day, and never gave a
thought into it, but this time I sat in the living room with a pen and a pad and wrote
everything that happened around me. I never realized that principles of anthropology
applied to my family gatherings, but they did. Observing my family on mother's day made
me realize that my family has their own beliefs on marriage rules, rules of residence, and
they distinguish themselves according to their social class.
The grown ups always liked to sit in the living room and talk, so I began to listen.
They discussed my cousin Jennifer, and her engagement. They all seemed disappointed in
it. She is 23 and still in college getting her master's in broadcasting. She announced her
engagement three months ago and everyone was talking about it. Everyone disapproves
her fiancé. He is a black man, who is a mechanic and never has attended college. My
family hates him. Its an unspoken rule that we must marry in our own culture. It makes it
easier for my family to add to the family if that person shares our believes and customs.
They want someone who they can relate with, someone who can blend into the family.
They also, for vain reasons, want attractive people to add to the family. The wor...