Otázka: Family and other people in my life
Jazyk: Angličtina
Přidal(a): jitulka.hlouskova
Family is a social group of people that are connected together. They can be connected by marriage or biologically.
The history of family
In times before industrial revolution we can speak about family in other way we know it today. These days people mainly were married because they wanted to continue with the tribe or they wanted to get bigger property. There weren´t so many feelings between people and men very often cheated on women. Also children didn´t use to talk to their parents or share their feelings and problems like today. Women´s jobs in the house were cooking, cleaning, taking care of children and men had the position called head of family and they were making money. There were also more members of family than today, because in one house used to live grandparents, their children and grandchildren. Lower number of children caused less people in one family as well. It was normal to have five or seven children or even more.
As the time flies, families have been changing. Today´s relationships between parents and children are certainly more opened, children can talk about their problems. Also parents usually want a family with two or three children, so average family consists of four or five members. Young people want to stay in their own flat or they build a new house, so they usually don´t live with older generations. And this point brings, from my point of view, one problem, which is intolerance or misunderstanding between young and old people. Because when these different generations had lived together, they tried to understand each other. They certainly argued from time to time and had some different opinions but living together brought more respect to each other. The difference between generations is called generation gap and I think it is getting worse and worse because of the industrial, technological and social progress/development. Old people used to live in another time, but it has changed and their grandchildren were born in new ages. Whereas our grandparents or even parents were growing up without any technology, we are surrounded by it on every corner and it is normal for us to use it. Other example it that our grandparents used to walk everywhere, whereas we are used to go everywhere by car or by public transport.
Family around the world
Does the word family mean the same over all our planet? For western civilizations, where the Europe and America belongs, it means the warmth where people come back to when they feel bad. Children are given many opportunities to study or work. They grow up in the middle of good friends and with both of parents in most cases. It also means that men and women have the same rights, and women aren´t considered as low-grade gender. It´s also common that man has officially only one wife.
But if you look to the Middle East, family means something really different. Children aren´t supported by their families in studies, hobbies and work achievements. They also don´t have as many opportunities as western children have. Women are considered as something less important and men own them. They give children to men, they cook for them, take care of them but on the other hand they can´t drive cars, go out or drink alcohol. Men have also more than one wife and that isn´t common in western countries. And that´s not even everything.
Family members
Immediate, nuclear family is composed of grandparents, mother, father and children. These members meet almost every day. In my case I get on well with them. I really appreciate my relationship with parents. I can tell them everything, I can trust them and we are more likely friends than daughter and parents. I am also glad for my grandparents because I get big support from them, in addition I like to listen them talking about their childhood and lives.
Extended family is composed of aunt, uncle, nephew, niece, parents-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law. You probably meet these people at some celebrations or meetings. In my family I am not in touch with these people because my mum and her siblings had an argument and from this time we haven´t spoken a word. However, my uncles from dad´s side are in touch with us and I appreciate them. Despite they don´t have their own families, they love children so when my brother and I were kids, they always played with us.
Family meetings and celebrations
Family usually meets when somebody celebrates his or her birthday or some anniversary. But to family celebrations belongs also engagements, weddings but even more serious meetings as funerals are. But always there is a plenty of food, drink and fun because family members love the time they spend together and very often they have a lot to talk about. For me Christmas is the most important or happiest celebration of the year. It isn´t because the presents, but this is the only time the whole immediate family meet at our house.
Other people in my life.
Everyday I meet a huge amount of people. As the day starts I meet my parents and brother. Then I go to bus stop where my friends wait for our bus to school. On the bus I meet other people, mostly my friends, but also the bus driver. Before the school starts I usually go to supermarket where I buy something for snack and I meet shop assistants there. I try to behave politely in public places or at school because we are taught at school or at home by our parents to behave nicely to other people, although they may be strangers. When I come to school I meet my teachers in every taken class, and also other teachers who I usually meet in corridors. Then I obviously meet my classmates, but I don´t get on well with all of them so I talk only to some. On the other hand, when it´s necessary I talk to everyone, because I don´t like confrontations and I try to be nice to every person. When I go to my part-time job, to the restaurant, I speak to my colleagues and also to guests. It is my duty to behave nicely, politely and with smile on my face to our guests because then I can be awarded by good recommendation on our websites.
At the end I would say I am non-confrontational kind of person and I try to get on well with everyone, despite we aren´t friends. Because I have been taught by my parents that I should behave to other people I want them to behave to me.
