While I construct my observations from the daily lives of individual who call South Phoenix home, I compare them to the everyday settings of which I am surround by. The most recent comparison I have noticed is the sense of family value that many of the families that live in South Phoenix seem to have. For instance, you will see these families together almost, if not, every weekend to partake in gathering that simply states unity. This includes the whole family too, not just mom, dad and children, but aunts, uncles, grandparents and cousins. Compare that to my family who if at most will see each other once a year during the holidays.
        I have also noticed how there seems to be a stream of communication between all members of the family. The parents actually talk with their children; children actually respect their elders, and everybody seems to be willing to share their lives with each other. Unlike my family, we try to keep all the immediate family secrets away from the rest of the family. The less people know the better, just smile and make it look good from the outside…this is how my family approaches issues. Why is it around our friends we allow our children to fool around expressing their individuality but when family members come over we lecture them into being on their best behavior? As if we are embarrassed to show our loved ones who we really are by trying to portray an image of societies expectation.
It is not a recollection that I am envy of the closeness I view from these people as I see them laughing at parks, gathered at relative’s houses, or just shopping at local businesses. There defiantly is a difference in family relationships within different cultures. This is something I wouldn’t have been able to see unless I took the time to notice these differences.