Written Reflection: Culture

Language is the means for communication, but it is also the vehicle for the development of culture. Spanish culture is rich in various arts, traditions, and practices, but one of my favorite cultural products is literature. For this reason, I chose to focus on literature. Two of my favorite Spanish courses at Brigham Young University were Survey of Literature of Spanish America and Intro to Hispanic Literature. Both of these courses focused on the greatest literary works and movements that have been propagated through the Spanish language. These course were phenomenal and taught me how to critically think about culture and how language affects it. I chose my first artifact from an essay that I wrote in my Intro to Hispanic Literature class because it was my favorite Spanish novel that I read during my time at BYU. The novel is named Papel mojado, and it is a Noir style detective fiction story. I have always been fascinated by detective stories and solving crimes, so this book was naturally quite appealing. This research paper that I did on this book displays my ability to understand literature at a profound level. I demonstrate in this paper my ability to analyze characters and plots of novels and the intended message of an author. Literature, as I mentioned before, is one of many cultural products, but it is one that is rich in meaning and that can teach us a lot about the culture of those who create it. 

The second artifact that I chose comes from my Spanish for Medical Professions class. I am planning to attend medical school, so the paper that I chose to include here is very relevant to my future career path. This artifact argues for cultural competence in the field of medicine, as so many patients come from cultures very different from the provider who is caring for them. The paper discusses the importance of understanding cultural practices so that proper care can be administered to a diverse population. This paper goes into depth on what changes need to be made so that the cultural needs of patients are met. It is crucial to understand the culture of patients so that they feel cared for. 

I feel that I have gained the ability to empathize with the situations of others through my study of culture. I think that it has made me a more compassionate person. It has expanded my horizons and helped me to view people as God would see them. I plan to continue to strengthen my understanding of culture by involving myself in the latin culture that surrounds me. It is found in so many places, so no matter where life takes me I am sure that I will have access to a rich hispanic culture that I can continue to strive to experience.