When I am beginning to learn to appreciate the diversity and varieties of others, I must first examine my own self not only as a learner but also as a whole culturally. There are a lot of different influences that factor into and contribute into how my cultural identity was shaped. The culture of my “home” is a big part of what has shaped me into the person I am today, although there are many other factors that I will discuss later on. All of these things that will be discussed is what helped shape me into myself culturally and will help me learn about the diversity of others. First I must begin by describing and depicting my neighborhood that I grew up in, Black Creek, and now live in, Southbridge. Seeing that I still live with my mom, both the neighborhoods that I grew up in and now live in are very similar to each other. Describing them both together as one and rarely separating them into groups would be the most ideal thing to do. Growing up and while I was living in Black Creek, I had neighbors that were homosexuals. They were the nicest and most humble women you would have ever met and would do anything for anyone. The two women have a son they had adopted that was a few years younger than myself. Growing up I had a good perspective on situations like that, where as some people may not have. Though it may not be “right,” that does not make them bad people. Though it is not what this culture is used to, it does not mean that it is not happening and they are not good people. My family was never judgmental toward them for their sexual preference and different lifestyles, and they turned out to be the best neighbors that we have ever had! To my family and I whether or not they were gay did not matter. It was the fact that no matter what, they were true to us as friends. Though we had great neighbors, there was also those that were a little on the eccentric side. There was a family of three that moved in across the street from me growing up. They had a son that was also a couple of years younger than me and I got invited to come over and “play” by his mother. They were from Michigan so they dressed a little different and talked a little funnier than all of my other neighbors. I was not used to what we now call “Northerners” being down so