As you can see in the graph above, the family characteristics of American and Puerto Rican families differ in many ways. Families in Puerto Rico can be very large, with several generations living in the same house for an extended period of time. In the United States this seems very strange because we place a high value on being independent, getting out into the world and making something of ourselves. Our families tend to be smaller and family outings are not very frequent except a few times a year. In Puerto Rico, your family is your support system, your friends and everything you do is for the good of the family. The United States places more emphasis on our friends as a support group and what we do is promote our own personal success and status rather than our family. At their core, Puerto Rican families are focused on support and togetherness, while American families are focused on stability until we have a chance to make a name for ourselves. The Puerto Rican family aspect and friendliness is extremely lacking in the United States and I personally believe that we ...