The United States is often likened to a melting pot, or a crucible, to people to illustrate the way that many different kinds of people are part of American culture.
Even though these separate parts retain their own identities, they become part of the large idea of American culture as well.
Immigrants to the United States add to and strengthen the overall culture of the country and lead to fascinating groups within it.
Cultural Enclaves
There are many places in the United States where people of a certain culture reside in higher concentrations than in other places.
These places are often appended with the term “little”, however, this is not necessarily a degrading term, but, rather, an endearing term.
Little Italy, Little Germany and Little Armenia are a few examples of this usage in some American Cities. Other cities have China towns or Korea towns.
These places become hubs of cultural understanding in urban areas.
Groups
There are a number of cultural groups that meet in the United States for greater cultural understanding.
Some of these are religious based, and, indeed, there are many religions in the United States. So many that it’s hard to imagine that an existent religion is not present in the U.S.
Some of these establishments are more fixed in American culture (such as 4-H, The Knights of Columbus, or the Shriners), but there are new groups being formed all the time.
Some of these groups are professional in origin and relate to professions, trades or industries. Work is a very important part of daily culture in the United States.
Cultural Acceptance
Regardless of your culture or nationality, many Americans will be very eager to help you adjust to American life and to come into your own as a permanent resident of the United States.