While writing this sociology autobiography paper let me introduce myself. I was born and raised in Europe and came into the United States 18 years ago. During the first few months after moving to a new place I was feeling as if I was an alien, because in most cases I did not understand what interlocutors said. In real-life situations the Americans do not make allowances for the fact that you are a foreigner, if you for sure not ask them about it. In my Motherland there were no diversity people, with only white dwellers and the few black were gipsies. That is why it was not usual for me to socialize with the representatives of other ethnical groups, but I tried to avoid the discussion of this topic. As James Henslin states, “the issue of racism in U.S. society is considered a “sensitive” subject, many have come to believe that simply noticing one’s race, or identifying someone using race is a racist act” (2014, p. 322). In addition to that, when I came to the US I was afraid to socialize with other countries’ people because I was shy. Looking back at my childhood, I clearly remember some social postulates when my culture did not let woman or young girls go out or even work with men. On the contrary, America provides its citizens with equal rights and freedoms and one may enjoy numerous opportunities without the fear of being oppressed. To make matters worse, I remember that all children in our community did not get proper education and that is why our outlook was too narrow. Finally, I was instilled with a sense of bias for Arabic people with the long beard, so all of them looked to me like terrorists. At those times I felt extremely lonely and felt homesick. According to Deirdre Heddon, “one effect of nostalgia is an active resistance to the present rather than simply a romanticisation of the past” (2008; p.88) I may say that on the arrival to the US I had lots of complexes and prejudices which precluded me from adjusting to my new surroundings so I gradually started to deconstruct the myths about other social groups and combat my inner stereotypes.
Of course, as the time passed through I have changed a lot. Now I am proud of having a proper my education and in future I would like to work in the Healthcare administration where I will be able to use all my knowledge that I have acquired during the SOC. class.
Judging from my life experience I would like to admit that social institutions at the municipal level and in the states of the federation as a whole seems to us absolutely flawless. The Constitution and the Bill of Rights give the impression of an unsurpassed realization of political and social ideals for which my family fought in our Motherland. Now I enjoy the surrounding freedom with an open heart, but 18 years ago I was too reserved to lead a normal life. At the present I also realize what remarkable people I have met in a so called New World. All students and university professors, neighbours, even ordinary salespeople, leaders of the community and other people with whom I have been in contact appear to be really friendly, honest, reliable, pleasant and sociable. In my new homeland there is no "invisible wall" separating ordinary visitors from emigrants born in the country so my family was treated like the others.
References
Heddon, D. (2008). Autobiography and performance. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
Henslin, J. M. (20014). Essentials of Sociology (11th Edition). Boston, MA: Pearson Custom Publishing.
