I’m from a black community/ ethnic group. Two things I’ve learned from my ethnic group which is the black African group is that having to build something from the ground without inheritance or connections is hard and this has influenced how I view the world and everyone around me. In my culture, it's really important to get along well with everyone and appreciate our differences. We believe in working together, being kind, and helping each other out. Whether it's during special events or just in our daily lives, being united and supportive is a big part of who we are. My ethnic identity as being referred to as a black person has had a big influence on how I view the world. Growing up without help of parents to make a living and have something to lean on as black community we group up knowing that we have to uplift each other as there’s no help we’ll get from other ethnic groups. In summary the values and traditions inherent, to the community have greatly influenced how I see the world and navigate my growth. Studying anthropology allows me to explore the intricacies and historical foundations, behind these values while also pushing me to question my preconceptions and biases. By embracing the idea of "making things familiar and familiar things unfamiliar " I aim to gain an insight into the rich diversity of human experiences and promote empathy, unity and social equality in everything I do.

Day in my life. 5 a.m I woke up, it was raining outside so I prepared a tea for myself so that I won’t feel cold. As I waited for my tea to cool down a bit I went back to my room and made my bed. After having my cup of tea I went on to take a shower. As it was raining the weather was cold outside the geyser did not have a lot hot  water so I had to take a short shower and waited for about 5minutes before the hot water started to come out, after I said my daily affirmations then went out to a restaurant named Akker to have their daily breakfast because I did not have food in my room. On my was there I found a toddler cat. I slowly went to it to pat it as I’m in love with them and it was to my surprise that it let me touch it. When I arrived at my destination I got a warm welcome from the waiter and appointed me to my table. Guess what? I was the only black person in the restaurant. Had my breakfast. 09:00 went back to my room was done having breakfast by then, when I got to my room I spent approximately 1hour scrolling through my socials. After then, I started an assignment due in 5 days. Finally got to understand the instructions because then I was working on pressure. As a 3rd year student who was supposed to graduate this year but had to do modules that I wasn’t aware I need to do because of being ignorant of my year book I’m dealing with depression so 4pm I had an appointment with my psychologist. It was a fruitful experience as usual. I went back to my room then decided to cook dinner. After I had my dinner I went through my drafted assignment then continued with it while listening to music. 10p.m that’s when I decided to call it a day and went to sleep.

how use of language in literature can be manipulated to construct identities and 'representations' of people, which can create difference through othering, stereotypes, exoticization, misinformation, and distortion 

Personally I used to assume that black people are good in art, for instance dancing, drawing, singing and so much more within the art department. I didn’t think this assumptions are harmful but it got to my attention that these assumption contributes to the “othering” people by oversimplifying their identities. Another stereotype that crossed my mind relates to cultural backgrounds. Before I engaged with texts provided  for studying Anthropology I used to hold stereotypes about age groups. I used to assume that people that are old or adults per say lack technology skill or refuse to adapt to change and the teenagers are the only ones which are good with technology although they lack wisdom and experience. This above-mentioned stereotype not only overlook the diversity within different age groups but create problems in understanding fostering what we refer to as “otherness” based on just Age. Recognising how our language and portrayals of people can create a sense of separation or "otherness" has taught me the importance of empathy, embracing diversity, and building genuine connections. It's about seeing beyond surface-level differences and understanding the unique experiences and perspectives of others. By being mindful of how we represent people, we can break down barriers, foster inclusivity, and cultivate meaningful relationships based on understanding and respect.