Cultural Values and Alcohol: A Personal Reflection

A Night at the Quinceañera

It is a night I will likely never forget. My sister and I had flown to Cuba for a quinceañera, which is the 15th birthday party for a young woman of Latina descent. We were very excited because the girl whose party it was is a close friend of both my sister and me, as well as of our extended family in Cuba. I remember my sister looked really pretty that night. She wore a purple polka-dotted dress with a lace frock that flared at the bottom. Her hair was pinned up in a bun, and at 14 years of age at the time, I thought she looked like it could have been her rite of passage—her coming-of-age—birthday party instead of my friend's.

Quite possibly my sister had the same thought because, for some reason, she decided to drink alcohol for the first time that night. I had never drunk before (and still have not), and it was the first time she had ever done so. Although she did not consume much, she became extremely inebriated and soon began to slur her speech, stumble around, and wobble when she attempted to stand still. She caused quite a scene since she was the only one who was that intoxicated, and before long my grandmother, who lives down the street, was notified to take her home. The spectacle she caused made quite an impression on me. I remember feeling both ashamed and scared for her, and I never wanted people to look at me the way they looked at her that night.

Cultural Context and Family Values

From a cultural perspective, I believe that my Cuban heritage and ancestry played a huge role in my feelings that night and solidified the fact that I do not want to consume alcohol. In Cuba, the purchasing of alcohol is extremely restricted. In fact, it is illegal for any person, regardless of age, to purchase alcohol in this country. This type of moratorium on the purchasing of alcohol naturally extends to the consumption of it, at least within my own mind and that of most of my family members.

Conclusion: Values and Personal Choice

I have learned that overconsumption of alcohol is never pleasant and creates a spectacle out of the individual who has imbibed too much. I learned this when I witnessed my sister get drunk the very first time that she drank, and she effectively ruined how pretty and perfect she looked that evening. This learning matters because it is easily applicable to my own life, as well as to that of others. It is difficult to tell how much is enough.

In light of this learning, I will more than likely attempt not to consume alcohol. Possibly I might do so when I am older and am married with children. I could picture enjoying a quiet drink with my husband after our children are asleep, or perhaps toasting a special event with my family and loved ones on special occasions. But I do not believe that I will drink socially, recreationally, or any other way until then. It simply does not appear like fun to me. Plus, I am able to have a good time without alcohol and do not really see the point of getting inebriated and stumbling around in the process.