The Somali people have faced many challenges from the past to the present. These challenges made them grow as a culture and become stronger as individuals and as a whole. It is important to analyze culture, gender roles and family roles when working with the Somali community. To understand Somali culture, it is crucial to know what happened to them in the past. According to Castel and Kurata, throughout history, the Somali people have been subjected to harsh oppression at the hands of dictators (2004). This dictatorship caused many people to flee the country to the United States to find a better home for themselves and their families (Castel and Kurata, 2004). Many families who fled Somalia eventually reunite with others who fled before them. Many Somalis who come to the United States have difficulty assimilating into different cultures (Castel and Kurata, 2004). Many Somalis are judged based on their appearance and dress. Somali women wear traditional hijab and when other people see it, they immediately discriminate and judge their customs. In the United States, some people look at Somali families and think they should start dressing like "real Americans" and acting like they fit in with the family. It is also very common for Somali children to fight with their classmates because of their culture. At school, many Somali children fight with African American students because the latter do not understand the cultural differences they have with Somali students (Castel & Kurata, 2004). Many schools have to meet with parents to try to make everyone understand the cultural differences between all students and teach...... middle of paper ...... it's a big deal on names or on the fact that women are now major breadwinners. I couldn't imagine staying at home taking care of the kids and household chores. I would need to go out and find a job to play a major role in my family's income. This experience helped me gain a sense of professionalism. I learned how important it is to do all the research before jumping into the interview. I have also developed personally thanks to everything I have learned. I learned that it is important to maintain my cultural and religious customs so that I can pass them on to my children once I reach this point in my life. This multicultural experience gave me a lot of knowledge that I will take with me in my professional career. My research into Somali culture gave me a starting point to learn about their gender and family roles as well as their culture as a whole..