Lesson 15, Task 2: What has influenced me?

The fact that my parents were both born and raised in Sri Lanka, and I was born and raised in Canada, this means that Canada is creating a major cultural influence in my life. Since I am not being exposed to my parent’s Sri Lankan culture throughout my day to day life, I am sub consciously being influenced by Canadian culture and way of life.

I am however exposed to the Sri Lankan cultures cuisine. It is harder for me to be heavily influenced by the Canadian cuisine since I am still living and eating from home. My parents made the traditional foods of Sri Lanka a valuable part of my upbringing. Food was a very special and important tradition in our family.

I have had quite a cultural influence living in Canada that effects my fashion. Having grown up in Canada, I did not witness the attire that a typical Sri Lankan Student/person would wear. I do not know of the customs. Since I have attended school in Canada, I was heavily influenced y students around me, on what I should wear.

The fact that my parents do not follow the attire tradition that they had in Sri Lanka in Canada, further influences my choice in daily outfits.

Regarding entertainment and leisure activities, there are traditions that have been embedded in me by my parents. For example, birthday party traditions, celebrating certain holidays. Nevertheless, being in the social school system in Canada, has greatly instilled in their taste in entertainment and leisure activities. I am subconsciously more attracted to Canadian television, music, and movies, and have not picked up on many Sri Lankan artists.

A major cultural influence is the fact that my parents never taught me their native language, Sinhalese. As they immigrated to Canada decades ago, and were trying to settle and learn English in Canada, they found it difficult to teach me Sinhalese as the were learning a new language. Therefore, the culture in Canada of the common language of everyone speaking English, influenced my parents to continue to speak to me and my siblings in English.