There are a few reasons that we are reading these essays from different cultures. The obvious is to have a deeper understanding and knowledge of what different cultures see everyday. We are also reading these to become better readers and dig deep into these stories. I haven't exactly learned anything new from these stories. To me it has just brought out the fact that I personally don't ever take the time or even care about other cultures. You never really think how big an impact some seeminglu little things have on a culture, including our own. Everything that we have learned will be passed onto generation and genertation. Everything including the good and the bad. For example, in the story of the Puerto Rican, he tells of his son being exposed to being called a spic, and having to explain things to him. It never just stops at one person or one generation. One simple word can carry with a culture for an eternity. We have to learn about other cultures to become excepting of one another. You do not neccesarliy have to study every culture to become a better person. If you have a basic understanding of someone and their culture, you are far less likely to generalize people and stereotype them. Learning about other cultures, good and bad, is a neccessity.