Assignment Takeaway
AT5
This assignment was to write about a peer reviewed paper in which related to a chapter we are studying in the book. I of course, chose the chapter on mental illness and wanted to take a look into how they are doing some of the educating and dealings with them in Nigeria.
I found an article which was good , but lacking in a lot of variety. I wish they would have used more than just the majority which are male and christians. We have seen the horrors of how people are converted, and how they end up demonizing the very faith that their ancestors practiced to keep them safe. So of course there is a lot of backwards thinking in Africa.
What I took away from this article and the chapter in my book is that the mental experience of African Americans in America, is almost non existed. There are no studies from a black experience, always from a white male or female pov, and those in their 20s. It is like those of ethnic identities are completely missed, and by there being a very small percentage of minority psychologists, it will be continually misplaced. People of color tend not to trust non people of color, due to tragic pass and the biases that are still there. The fact that it is recognized , means that hopefully we will see an explosions of equal footing and studies from people that are normally invisible and dismissed by the society today.
google image search
This image reminds me of the pain and trauma and mental anguish that black people and people of color endure. It is a dark time that we struggle to get out of, but we always have the will. No matter what.
AT3
This assignment was to discuss a students study abroad blog and relate it to a content in the chapter. I chose national character and went ahead with the assignment.
From reading Jayana’s study aboard blog made me realize even more why I chose to be a traveling healthcare worker. I like seeing new places, trying new foods and getting out in the world and enjoying new experiences. I can also take the time I want to go and take vacation whenever I want without ant restrictions.
Being that she is a psych major, she was able to apply what she has been learning in class to another culture first hand. I feel this class, as interesting and annoyingly confusing as it is, has given me a very useful out look on life when it comes to moving abroad and interacting with people of different cultures, in a more structured and culturely sensitive way.
Prepping myself with research of the area and to keep in mind that those in the East, think and behave differently than us in the West. Mainly US and Canada. I really look forward to being able to actually apply the concepts from my psych and soc classes into real life experiences.
I choose the picture above because this is the only way I can describe how I feel about being able to put myself in the situation where I can go overseas and start living a life i really want to. (image is from google I had years ago)
AT 2
From this assignment of 13 values that we Americans typically have, I learned that I am half of them and the other half just doesn’t make sense to me. Some of them really don’t apply to this day and age, or more like I feel they are dated and really don’t represent every culture of America as it seems more one dimensional.
I learned that what we value as positive traits makes us appear selfish to others. But that is what makes America a unique country. We have traditional values and cultural/ancestry values that blend into one making something new. I think it adds to the values that we use to raise the next generation with. Quirky, but useful.
I guess this relates to how I am in group chats. I normally block them! I tend to ignore most texts and messages and phone calls as I love my privacy and cannot stand being bothered. Even if it is beneficial it is still really annoying.
The picture I choose to represent my privacy and individuality is a picture of my altar statues. It is a place where I can relax, light an incense and just chill. To have that moment of connection with the universe to soothe me and relax me.
From left to right is Set, Anubis, Bastet, Sekhmet, HetHeru and Ma’at.
AT 1
From this assignment I learned that when I was in my 20s, I was ignorant. A lot of the statements and questions from denial, defense, and minimization of difference I was guilty of. Hindsight makes it quiet embarassing, but I guess that is when you grow up by learning what you did wrong in the past. Twenty years later and I am a lot more humble and knowledgeable, and willing to learn more about those around me.
This should help me get through my Psychology of Women class, As different cultures have different mindsets for home women “should” act and “behave”.
With a Jamaican boyfriend it helps me understand that nothing we do is wrong, it is just different in how we grew up. I grew up in America so I have a hard time connecting with a culture I never knew but trying, and he; though born here, has been raised in a Jamaican household so he has always known his culture.
