I've been asked to think about my heritage, where I come from, how I identify myself, and what actually plays into my life. In the book we're currently reading, the protagonist is Bengali and although she's moved to America, she continues with her traditions.
I'm German, English (Wales/Scotland?), and Latin, though I was born in Las Vegas. I don't speak German; I speak English because I grew up in America and I speak some Spanish because I'm in a Spanish class at Sage. I think it's hard to really identify with your roots if neither you or your parents are from or have lived in the area that holds your roots. If I'd traveled to Germany, I might have started practicing certain customs but otherwise I feel too distant. Living in California now, it's hard to feel a connection to heritages I was never around. I don't know if "American" is a heritage since America is a place where so may cultures have come together, but it is what I would identify as.
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ReplyDeleteAlthough I can't relate to this, I agree that if neither you or your parents are familiar with your place of origin, it can be hard to really identify yourself as having a certain culture. Having been born in America and living here my whole life, I sometimes also feel distant from my family members who are still living in Taiwan. I really enjoyed your blog post and seeing your opinion on how you identify yourself in a bunch of different cultures!
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