This first paper asks you to examine your own cultural identity - to describe how you define yourself as a cultural being - and how you feel your cultural background has influenced your life decisions thus far.

The content of your essay can address various aspects of culture, including traditions, family, holidays, religious and spiritual practices, gender roles, art, music, methods of communication and oral history.

The following questions are to help you construct that definition. You don't need to answer every question, and there may be points you include in your paper that aren't addressed by the questions, but use the questions as a jumping off point.

What are my racial, ethnic, national origins? Does my name represent aspects of my cultural background? How do my gender and class define me?

Are there particular myths or stories I remember from childhood that have helped to define me?

Are there particular rituals I remember from childhood that have helped to define me?

How does my personal cultural profile affect my relationship to mainstream American culture?

Do I feel like I belong to several subcultures? If so, describe these and the aspects of your life that are immersed in these subcultures.

How does my personal cultural profile affect the rituals I participate in now?

How does my personal cultural profile affect how I communicate both informally with friends and family, and in more formal settings as, for example, an internship, the classroom, or a club?

This paper should be 2.5 pages double-spaced and should reflect the concepts about culture you have learned in class thus far.