Who I Am.
Through out the years I've been trying to figure out my background, and all I get are bits and pieces, so I am going to put it all together the best I can.
My moms side of the family is a mixed bunch. Her moms, mom (my great grandma) came to America from Sisile, Italy when she was six. The last time I saw her was probably when I was ten, she has recently passed and I wish I could have learned more about our history.
My moms, moms dad (My great grandpa) was also Italian and from Sisile. This is the only thing I really know about him. He passed before I was born therefore I never got to meet him.
My moms, dads side was from Canada, the French quarters. This makes me part French Canadian. I'm also told that on his side we have a part of Native American in us, tribe Blackfoot.
Now my great great grandma was from Ireland and married into my Grandpas side and they ended up having 17 children. I don't know how they did that.
Now my dads side is a bit simpler, his dads parents were a hundred percent German and my grandpa married my grandma who is German and Lithuanian. It was my grandpa that actually changed our last name to Keyes instead of Kaessaska due to the fact that no one could pronounce it right. Lets just say his mother wasn't very happy about this.
So all together I am a mixed breed, German, Italian, Lithuanian, Irish, French Canadian, and Native American.
I think its amazing being what I am, I am a part of many cultures, even though my family doesn't follow any of the traditions or ways of the cultures, its just nice to know that I am a part of a very diverse background.
Where I've Been.
I grew up in Chicago. I lived in Rogers park all my life up to my junior year of high school. I've always been the minority in my school career. I wasn't raised to look at people with a color or stereotype attached to them. Saying this didn't make my schooling career easy. Being the minority is hard, everyone looks at you funny and doesn't understand why you don't speak a different language or why your white. I learned to live with it and made lots of friends, sure they cracked jokes about being white, but I never really cared.
In high school it was a little different, everyone started to grow up and in get involved with the wrong people, and or started getting into trouble. Needless to say I was wasn't one to ever do drugs, join a gang, or get into trouble at school. I was around that stuff everyday learning and trying to understand why people did what they did. Eventually I got called white girl everyone in a while, and asked questions about being white. I remember one that stuck out, " Why do all white people like mayo?" For some reason this was really funny, sure I laughed thought it was funny at the time, but growing up and realizing how people stick these stereotypes to people of different colors and its just ridiculous. Another thing that made me really uncomfortable about school was when they talked about Hitler or the Slaves, I always felt singled out because I'm white! I'm not the one who did it, my family didn't do it, so stop looking at me, because I for one did not agree with those actions either.
My sophomore year my grandpa died, we lived in the apartment building he owned and once he passed my grandma sold the building. We always talked about moving but this was kind of rushed. We found a house in Antioch, Illinois. This is where we still are today.
My junior year of high school was probably the worst year of my school career. I knew absolutely no one, everyone had their clicks already, and I was just the new girl. I've never been the new girl before and it wasn't fun.
Eventually I fit in and made some friends had some boyfriends, and some breakups and graduated.
Moved on to CLC, and continued my job a Menards.
What I'm Doing Now.
I have been working at Menards in Antioch for about 4 years, I finished my Associates Degree of the Arts at College of Lake County. At Menards I met my boyfriend of about 2 years now, and I couldn't be happier. Now I'm on to the University of Wisconsin-Parkside working on getting my degree in Business. I wanted to become a Wedding Planner, and eventually own my own business but as of right now I'm sure that's what I want to absolutely pursue. I"m the new girl again and I have to say I still don't like it, but its not as hard as before. I don't know anyone at Parkside but hopefully that will change soon, but my main focus is getting my degree and getting a real job.
Samantha- This is a wonderful introduction... you offer us so much of your experience and perspective! Thank you. It must have been very interesting to grow up as part of "the white minority" in your early school years. Did you associate mostly with the other white kids? I'd like to know more, if you feel comfortable sharing. I'm also interested in racial stereotypes (origins and uses). When people asked you if all white people liked mayo, did you sense that they were teasing you? Trying to get to know you? Something else? Those are my questions about "uses" of the stereotype. Then there are the origins (often much more difficult to establish with any clarity). Did the association with mayo and white people come about because (obviously) mayo is a white condiment? Hmm...
ReplyDeleteP.S. So far both you and I have told stories about one of our family names being shortened and simplified for the purposes of cultural assimilation. I wonder who else in the class might have such a story.
ReplyDeleteThat’s awesome that you were able to come from such a diverse family. My family is really diverse as well but they like to stick more with their Irish heritage. How have you liked living in Antioch? I’ve lived in Gurnee my whole life and my boyfriend of two years lives in Lake Villa. I’m sure it’s probably not as exciting as Chicago. I also went to CLC and transferred to Parkside last semester. It definitely sucks being the new girl especially in a state that I’m not familiar with. But it’s exciting to see how many people come from the same area as me.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading your story. I can definitely relate to how you feel about not knowing apart of your background. I too wish that i knew more of my Croatian families history, especially because i am about 50 percent Croatian and know so little about it. I have also never in my life herd the expression "Why do white people like mayo", I personally do not like mayo and i did not understand how that was a stereotype until our last c lass where our teacher told us what he had looked up. I do think it is awesome that you want to be a wedding planner. I thought about heading in that direction, but i was not sure if thats what i really wanted to do.
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