Balancing Nigerian Heritage and American Cultural Adaptation Journey

 Having been raised in the remote villages of Nigeria, I had to live in accordance to the societal norms and values of my community. My identity was deeply rooted and shaped with our culture that acted as a foundation. By the age of seven year my parents and family at large made a decision to shift to United States of America where we could begin our life. This transition required adaptation to a new environment, meeting new people holding different values, norms and culture which was different from that of Nigeria, my home country. This essay will comprehensively document social and cultural influences of my life in pursuit of my lifestyle and career choices. 

Traditional Nigerian Household 

Living a Nigerian Life required making several considerations. In Nigeria we treasure family bonds, respect of the elderly and commitment to hard work as dictated by the prevalent culture. My culture supported the sense of community where success was considered as a group activity and celebrated by the entire community thus not regarded as an individual achievement. For an individual to pursue prestigious careers in medicine, engineering and law were choices made by communities not individuals. Further these choices were supported by success stories of individuals who pursued these courses. These celebrations were characterized with traditional dances, laughter and village partie.

This was the kind of environment in which my cultural identity was formed, where a sense of belonging and connection was fostered. 

Social and Cultural Influences 

Social and cultural influences in my life while living in Nigeria impacted positively on my perception and career choices. As expected by my friends and family, I was supposed to pursue law due to my articulate nature, but pursuing nursing as a career resonated and aligned to my instincts. Nigerians always have passion for prestigious careers such as medicine, engineering and law. Nursing being relevant and an attribute of our heritage I chose a career in nursing. My growing desire to study nursing was to impact on individuals and communities directly. 

Adapting to American Society 

Migrating to stay in America at a very young age came with a set of challenges. I had to face challenges on cultural and societal norms. Adapting was the only solution to achieve a balance between the two words. Americans were highly dictated by individualist values as compared to us Nigerians conforming to collectivist values ingrained from my society and community. Balancing between the amazing opportunities presented in America and remaining deeply rooted to my Nigerian culture required a careful consideration.