MY SUPPORTS

MY SUPPORTS 

I have to consider myself very fortunate when it comes to support systems. As I reflect on my life for this assignment, I have come to realize my supports systems consist primarily of the people around me. The people who have been the biggest supports in my life are immediate family, extended family, my friends and my many coworkers. These supports consist of my immediate family which is made up of my husband, my children, my extended family which includes parents and in-laws and friends. 

 My husband and children are my biggest fan club. My husband and I communicate constantly and when I want honest feed back I know I can trust his response. My children I find to be much like their father as they engage in conversations and share their opinions. When an issue arises thanks to my supports I am able to evaluate with a variety of perspectives and then make a decision. I am very grateful for these supports primarily as they support me as their house manager and my personal educational endeavors and everything in the middle. 

My extended family which is made up of my mom, brother and mother in law is very valued relationships. I find myself talking to them on just about a daily basis. I value the feed back which I receive and the wisdom and experience which they share. I am grateful that when I need an ear to listen or I want to bounce a crazy idea off of one of them they are available in an instance. 

My friends that I have continued relationships with throughout the years are also another supportive asset. Amazingly we all have made different lifestyle choices and offer each other the ability to live vicariously through each other. I value their ideas as they can offer a perspective that is foreign to me. I have chosen to have many children and love the noise that fills my house a few of my friends have no children and enjoy the quiet yet they are world travelers and can share wonderful stories.  

I couldn’t begin to imagine life without my supports. I value each relationship and rely heavily on my supporters. I am a positive can do person I feel my social and emotional well being has a significant influence on the lives surround me. If I did not have everyone around me to talk to and enjoy life with I would struggle to maintain my positive outlook on life and everything in my life. 

A challenge I chose to experience that I do not currently has is if I were to relocate to another country such as Mexico. If I lived in Mexico, I would experience a culture shock on many levels starting with the weather, geography, culture of people and language. I would be a stranger in a strange land and would have to find someone (a support) I could trust just so that I could begin to acclimate. The language would pose a problem as I do not speak, read or write fluent Spanish. I would need this person to translate for me, help me find shelter and help me understand the culture and the way of living so I don’t offend anyone.

Without a support person to befriend me and help me get established. I will be miserable and not likely to have a pleasant experience in this country.  I am unsure of my ability to survive in a different cultural environment. I wouldn’t know if I can drink the water and I wouldn’t have the ability to ask someone. I wouldn’t be ability to navigate geographically and get to where I need to be due to the language barrier which will constantly hinder this experience. Without appropriate supports available this would be a horrible experience for me.