Brianna’s StoryMap

This map includes places I have visited, as well as places that have shaped my family and thus shaped who I am. Without visiting these specials places I would not have the understanding and appreciation I do today for those cultures, but also for my own culture. Living in El Salvador shaped my mother for the rest of her life in the United States and taught me and my siblings to be grateful for what we have and to earn the things we want. Listening to my grandparents speak of their lives in Italy, both in the city and on the farm introduced me at a young age to the different lifestyles all around the world. Going abroad for the first time by myself and joining the everyday lives of a Spanish family gave me a new perspective on daily life and how we may not realize that some of the things we have are, in fact, privileges and luxuries to other people. Finally, visiting Africa showed me a world I had never seen first handedly. It was really interesting to see how people in these different locations reacted to my life and the ability I have to work, get a higher education, drive my own car, and create a life for myself while still being supported by my parents. These different locations exposed me to the different levels of standards of living and economic stand points, as well as how people enjoyed their everyday lives. Experiencing the smells, sights, and things that people experienced on a daily basis truly made me much more open-minded to the different cultures across the globe.