As of right now, my “cultural environment” is very diverse and broad. The community I’ve joined at the library consists primarily of people who have immigrated to the United States, as well as people who work at the library and have been very open and friendly to me. I do feel like I’ve joined a new community, and that community is more so the English learners that come to the English classes. I’ve been with some of them for the past four months, and I’ve gotten very familiar with them. The community of English learners is small, but still very impactful to those who are a part of it. Many of the people who attend the English classes have become friends with one another, and others use the classes as a sort of networking (in a casual way) to connect them with people in the community.
My experience has shaped my concept of community by showing me that common goals, such as improving one’s English, can bring people from all around the world to connect and become a part of an informal shared community. In the case of my experience, most of the people that come to the English classes have a common goal of improving their English, and many people have been able to connect with others that regularly come to the class and create friendships based on the common goal of learning the language.
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